Then you shall say, ‘They are your servant, Jacob’s. It is a present sent to my lord, Esau. Behold, he also is behind us.’ ”
Parallel Translations
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Then you shall say, ‘They are your servant, Jacob’s. It is a present sent to my lord, Esau. Behold, he also is behind us.’ ”
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Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.
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(32-19) then thou shalt say: They are thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord, even unto Esau; and, behold, he also is behind us.'
Cross-references (1)
Passages linked to Genesis 32:18 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Genesis 32:4-5 He commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall tell my lord, Esau: ‘This is what your servant, Jacob, says. I have lived as a foreigner with Laban, and stayed until now. I have cattle, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.’ ”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (3 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Gen 32:18 Then thou shalt say, [They be] thy…
Gen 32:18 Then thou shalt say, [They be] thy servant Jacob’s; it [is] a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he [is] behind us.
Ver. 18. They be thy servant Jacob’s.] "A soft answer turneth away wrath": {Pro 15:1} {a} "but grievous words stir up anger." And it is easier to stir strife than stint it. Still, rain softens the hard earth: and though nothing be more violent than the winds, Iidem tamen imbribus sopiuntur, saith Pliny.
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“Lenis alit flammas, grandior aura necat.”
How daintily did Gideon disarm the angry Ephraimites {Jdg 8:1} by a mild answer!
It is a present sent, &c.] For, "a gift in secret pacifieth anger". {Pro 21:14} This proverb, in an abbreviature, after that manner, the Jews wrote upon their alms box. {b}
And, behold, also he is behind us.] He sends not only, but comes after us himself, to salute thee, and offer his service unto thee. Thus, by all means, he seeks to assuage the wrath of that rough man.
{a} Frangitur ira gravis, quando est responsio suavis.
{b} Godw., Heb. Antiq. ex Buxtorf.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Coming to see thy face, and beg thy favour.
Coming to see thy face, and beg thy favour.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Then thou shall say, they be thy servant Jacob's,....…
Then thou shall say, they be thy servant Jacob's,.... Both the goats before them, and they themselves that had the care of them, belonged to Jacob, who directed them to speak of him to Esau as his "servant":
it is a present sent unto my lord Esau; which is the answer to the second question:
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and behold also he is behind us: that is, Jacob: this they were bid to tell, lest he should think that Jacob was afraid of him, and was gone another way; but that he was coming to pay a visit to him, and might expect shortly to see him, which would prepare his mind how to behave towards him.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.