1 Jacob proceeded on his way {derekh: regular travel route}, and the angels of God {Elohim, Sovereign Protector} met him.
2 Upon seeing them, Jacob declared, “This is the camp of God {Elohim, Sovereign Host Commander},” and he named that place Mahanaim {machanayim: twin camps}.
3 Jacob sent messengers {malakhim: Delegated Envoys} ahead of him to his brother Esau, toward the land of Seir, the country of Edom {sedeh Edom: Border Region}.
4 He gave them instructions, saying, “You shall speak like this to my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says, “I have sojourned {garti: lived as an alien} with Laban and have remained there until now {ad-attah: to this time}.”’”
5 I have cattle, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants; and I am sending word to you, my lord {adoni: respected superior} so that I may find favor {chen: gracious acceptance} in your eyes.
6 The messengers {malakhim: official couriers} came back to Jacob and said, “We have reached your brother Esau {esav: estranged sibling}, and he is coming out to meet you with four hundred men in his company.”
7 Jacob {Yaaqov: vulnerable traveler} became very afraid, and he was troubled. So he separated the people with him, together with the flocks, the herds, and the camels, into two camps {machanot: defensive groups}.
8 He said, “If Esau reaches one camp {machaneh: divided family group} and strikes it, then the camp that remains shall be spared {lifleitah: be spared alive}.”
9 Jacob said, “O God {Elohei, Ancestral Protector} of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, LORD {YHWH, Covenant Promise-Keeper}, You who said to me, ‘Return to your land and to your kindred, and I will do good to you.’”
10 I am unworthy of all the kindnesses {chesed: loyal acts of mercy} and all the truth which You {YHWH, Gracious Benefactor} have done for Your servant. For I crossed this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two camps.
11 Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid {yare: deeply fearful} of him, lest he come and strike me, the mother {em: threatened parent} with the children.
12 But You {YHWH, Faithful Promiser} said, “Surely I will do good to you, and I will make your descendants {zarakha: covenant offspring} like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted for multitude.”
13 He stayed there through the night{balaylah: specific occasion}, and from what had come into his hand he selected an offering{minchah: tribute gift} for Esau his brother.
14 Two hundred female goats {izzim: she-goats} and twenty male goats, and two hundred ewes {rechelim: female sheep} and twenty rams.
15 Thirty nursing camels {gemalim: pack animals} and their offspring, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys {ayarim: young males}.
16 He placed them into the hand of his servants {avadav: household helpers}, each herd on its own, and he told his servants, “Cross over before me, and keep a space {revach: measured interval} between herd and herd.”
17 And he commanded the first {harishon: leading servant}, saying, “When Esau my brother {achi: kinship bond} meets you and questions you, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and to whom are these ahead of you?’”
18 Then you shall say, “They belong to your servant Jacob {Yaakov: humbled patriarch}; it is a gift {minchah: conciliatory tribute} sent to my lord Esau, and see, he is also behind us.”
19 And Jacob {Yaakov: Instruction Giver} also instructed the second, the third, and all those following the herds, saying, “According to this statement {davar: spoken message}, you shall speak to Esau when you meet him.”
20 And you shall add, “Also, behold, your servant Jacob is behind us.” For he said, “I will appease {akaprah: make favorable} his face with the tribute {minchah: conciliatory gift} that goes ahead of me; after that I will see his face, and perhaps he will lift up my face.”
21 So the gift {haminchah: tribute offering} went on ahead of him, while he himself {hu: personal agent} remained that night in the camp.
22 He arose in the night {balaylah: dark hours}, and taking his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven children, he crossed the ford {maavar: shallow river crossing} of the Jabbok.
23 And Jacob {yaakov: returning patriarch} took them and brought them across the stream {hanakhal: seasonal channel}, and he brought across all that belonged to him.
24 Jacob was left alone {levado: solitary state}, and a man grappled with him until the rising {alot: gradual appearing} of the dawn.
25 And when he saw that he could not prevail against him, he touched the socket {kaf: hip-socket joint} of his hip, and the socket of Jacob's {Yaakov: heel-holder name} hip was wrenched as he wrestled with him.
26 He said, “Allow me to depart, for the dawn {hashachar: early morning light} has come.” But he said, “I will not release you unless you bless me {berachtani: grant me favor}.”
27 And he said to him {elav: speech toward other}, “What is your name {shmecha: personal identity marker}?” Then he answered, “Jacob.”
28 He said, “Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel {Yisrael: one who strives}, because you have struggled with God {Elohim, Transforming Opponent} and with men, and you have prevailed.”
29 Jacob {Yaakov: persistent wrestler} said to him, “Please reveal your name {shem: essential identity} to me.” But he replied, “Why should you inquire about my name?” Then he blessed him there.
30 Jacob called the place Peniel {peniel: face of God}, saying, “I have seen God {Elohim, Awe-Inspiring Presence} face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”
31 The sun {shemesh: dawn light} rose over him as he went past Penuel {Penuel: face of God}, and he was limping on his hip.
32 Therefore the sons of Israel{benei Yisrael: covenant community} do not eat the hip tendon{gid hanasheh: specialized thigh sinew} that is on the socket of the thigh to this day, because he touched Jacob’s hip socket on the hip tendon.