Genesis 32:1-8

2009.Mar.27 17:00

Out of the Frying Pan…

Read Genesis 32:01-08 | Full Chapter

Now as Jacob went on his way, the angels of God met him. Jacob said when he saw them, "This is God's camp." So he named that place Mahanaim.
(Genesis 32:01-02, NASB)

This is Jacob saying, “Oh, shit.” He’s just survived a stressful encounter with uncle Laban, and he might expect a moment to breathe. No such luck. Jacob is already thinking about the next problem, reuniting with his twin brother, Esau. This time, he’s scared.

Esau is the older brother. At a technical level, the age difference is minimal, perhaps only minutes. Esau has been the stronger, the apparent favorite of their father (particularly as Jacob sees it). He is Jacob’s boogey-man, the monster under his bed that’s kept him away from home all these years.

But the above passage doesn’t say anything about that, does it? No, what it says is that some angels of God met Jacob while he’s headed towards Esau. And, well, that’s it. Maybe I’m reading too much between the lines, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Yahweh had sent angels to Jacob to comfort him over this upcoming meeting, and impart some wisdom as well.

Then Jacob sent messengers before him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. He also commanded them saying, "Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: 'Thus says your servant Jacob, "I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now; I have oxen and donkeys and flocks and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight."'"
(Genesis 32:03-05, NASB)

Jacob is out to pre-empt the conflict. First, he’s going to make sure that his arrival doesn’t take Esau by surprise. Hopefully Jacob can also convince Esau that he’s coming on friendly terms. He’s raised the white flag. And he did it with a three-level deep quote. How sweet is that?

I think there may be a bit of a bribe implicit here, but that’s just a guess: If Esau doesn’t kill Jacob, maybe Jacob will give him some presents. At any rate, he will do so shortly. Whatever the particulars, Jacob wants to survive this encounter, and he’s using his brains to do so. This is a far cry from when he engaged his mental abilities primarily for trickery (assuming, of course, that this time he is being generally honest and straightforward).

The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "We came to your brother Esau, and furthermore he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him." Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and the herds and the camels, into two companies; for he said, "If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the company which is left will escape."
(Genesis 32:06-08, NASB)

And, the verdict is: fail. Or, at least that’s what Jacob is likely to assume. Yes, Esau could be coming on friendly terms, but he’s certainly prepared for a violent encounter. And he has no reason to love Jacob beyond the technicality of their siblinghood.

Jacob’s first response in preparation for the potential onslaught is to divide everything he has and everyone with him into two groups, on the theory that one of the companies might survive (maybe he’s counting on Esau getting bored after the first slaughter???).

And so, yet again, the consequences of deceit, of letting anger fester. But, perhaps as with Laban, Jacob is no doubt hoping for the intervention of Yahweh, that this situation might turn out better than it ought.