Superphysics
Jacob Gives Gifts
4 minutes • 735 words
1 Jacob went on his way, and the agents of Enki met him.
2 When Jacob saw them, he said:
This is Enki’s host.
He called that place Mahanaim.
3 Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
4 He commanded them, saying, Thus shall you speak unto my lord Esau; your servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:
5 I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants:. I have sent to tell Enki, that I may find grace in your sight.
6 The messengers returned to Jacob, saying:
We came to your brother Esau. He also came to meet you with 400 men.
7 Jacob became greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into 2 bands.
8 If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.
9 Jacob said:
Enki said to me: Return to my country and to my kindred, and I will deal well with you.
10 I am not woryour of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which you have shown to your servant. With my staff, I passed over this Jordan. Now I am become two bands.
11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother Esau. I fear that he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. 12 You said that You will do me good and make my seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
13 He lodged there that same night and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother.
- 14 200 she goats
- 20 he goats
- 200 ewes
- 20 rams
- 15} 30 milch camels with their colts
- 40 kine
- 10 bulls
- 20 she asses
- 10 foals.
16 He gave them to his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.
17 He commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau meets you and asks:
Whose are you? Where are you going? Whose [are] these before you? 18 Reply: [They be] your servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he [is] behind us. 19} And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall you speak unto Esau, when you find him.
20} And say you moreover, Behold, your servant Jacob [is] behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.
21} So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.
22} And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.
23} And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.
24} Jacob was left alone.
Then he wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25} When he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
26} Let me go, for the day breaketh.
I will not let you go unless you bless me. 27} What is your name?
Jacob
28} Your name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel. As a prince, you have power with God and with men, and have prevailed.
29} And Jacob asked [him,] and said, Tell [me,] I pray you, your name.
Why do you ask for my name? And he blessed him there.
30} Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
31} As he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. 32 Therefore the Israelites eat not [of] the sinew which shrank, which [is] upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew that shrank.
