Genesis 32

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Early next morning, Laban kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then Laban leftto return home.	1 Likewise, Jacob continued on the journey that he had begun. And the Angels of God met him.
2 While Jacob was going on his way, angels of God encountered him,	2 When he had seen them, he said, “These are the Encampments of God.” And he called the name of that place Mahanaim, that is, ‘Encampments.’
3 and on seeing them he said, 'This is God's camp,' and he named the place Mahanaim.	3 Then he also sent messengers before him to his brother Esau, in the land of Seir, in the region of Edom.
4 Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in Seir, the open country of Edom,	4 And he instructed them, saying: “You shall speak in this way to my lord Esau: ‘Your brother Jacob says these things: “I have sojourned with Laban, and I have been with him until the present day.
5 with these instructions, 'Say this to my lord Esau, "Here is the message of your servant Jacob: I havebeen staying with Laban and have been delayed there until now,	5 I have oxen, and donkeys, and sheep, and men servants, and women servants. And now I send an ambassador to my lord, so that I may find favor in your sight.” ’ ”
6 and I own oxen, beasts of burden and flocks, and men and women slaves. I send news of this to mylord in the hope of winning your favour." '	6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We went to your brother Esau, and behold, he rushes to meet you with four hundred men.”
7 The messengers returned to Jacob and told him, 'We went to your brother Esau, and he is already onhis way to meet you; there are four hundred men with him.'	7 Jacob was very afraid. And in his terror, he divided the people who were with him, likewise the flocks, and the sheep, and the oxen, and the camels, into two companies,
8 Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people with him, and the flocks and cattle,into two camps,	8 saying: “If Esau goes to one company, and strikes it, the other company, which is left behind, will be saved.”
9 thinking, 'If Esau comes to one of the camps and attacks it, the remaining camp may be able toescape.'	9 And Jacob said: “God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me: ‘Return to your land, and to the place of your nativity, and I will do well for you.’
10 Jacob said, 'God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, Yahweh who told me, "Go backto your native land and I will be good to you,"	10 I am less than any of your compassions and your truth, which you have fulfilled to your servant. With my staff I crossed over this Jordan. And now I go back with two companies.
11 I am unworthy of al the faithful love and constancy you have shown your servant. I had only my staffwhen I crossed this Jordan, and now I have grown into two camps.	11 Rescue me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am very afraid of him, lest perhaps he may come and strike down the mother with the sons.
12 I implore you, save me from my brother Esau's clutches, for I am afraid that he may come and attackme, mothers and children alike.	12 You did say that you would do well by me, and that you would expand my offspring like the sand of the sea, which, because of its multitude, cannot be numbered.”
13 Yet it was you who said, "I shal be very good to you, and make your descendants like the sand ofthe sea, which is too numerous to count." '	13 And when he had slept there that night, he separated, from the things that he had, gifts for his brother Esau:
14 Then Jacob passed that night there. From what he had with him he chose a gift for his brother Esau:	14 two hundred she-goats, twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,
15 two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,	15 thirty milking camels with their young, forty cows, and twenty bulls, twenty she-donkeys, and ten of their young.
16 thirty camels in milk with their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male.	16 And he sent them by the hands of his servants, each flock separately, and he said to his servants: “Pass before me, and let there be a space between flock and flock.”
17 He put them in the charge of his servants, in separate droves, and told his servants, 'Go ahead ofme, leaving a space between each drove and the next.'	17 And he instructed the first, saying: “If you happen to meet my brother Esau, and he questions you: “Whose are you?” or, “Where are you going?” or, “Whose are these which follow you?”
18 He gave the leading man this order: 'When my brother Esau meets you and asks, "Whose man areyou? Where are you going? Whose are those animals that you are driving?"	18 you shall respond: “Your servant Jacob’s. He has sent them as a gift to my lord Esau. And he is also coming after us.”
19 you wil answer, "Your servant Jacob's. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau. And Jacob himself isjust behind us." '	19 Similarly, he gave orders to the second, and the third, and to all who followed the flocks, saying: “Speak these same words to Esau, when you find him.
20 He gave the same order to the second and the third, and to al who were fol owing the droves. 'Thatis what you must say to Esau when you find him.	20 And you will add: ‘Your servant Jacob himself also follows after us, for he said: “I will appease him with the gifts that go ahead, and after this, I will see him; perhaps he will be gracious to me.” ’ ”
21 And you must add, "Your servant Jacob himself is just behind us." ' For he thought, 'If I conciliate him by sending a gift in advance, perhaps he will be well inclined towards me when I face him.'	21 And so the gifts went before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp.
22 The gift went ahead of him, but he himself spent that night in the camp.	22 And when he had arisen early, he took his two wives, and the same number of handmaids, with his eleven sons, and he crossed over the ford of Jabbok.
23 That same night he got up and, taking his two wives, his two slave-girls and his eleven children,crossed the ford of the Jabbok.	23 And having delivered over all the things that belonged to him,
24 After he had taken them across the stream, he sent al his possessions over too.	24 he remained alone. And behold, a man wrestled with him until morning.
25 And Jacob was left alone. Then someone wrestled with him until daybreak	25 And when he saw that he would not be able to overcome him, he touched the nerve of his thigh, and immediately it withered.
26 who, seeing that he could not master him, struck him on the hip socket, and Jacob's hip wasdislocated as he wrestled with him.	26 And he said to him, “Release me, for now the dawn ascends.” He responded, “I will not release you, unless you bless me.”
27 He said, 'Let me go, for day is breaking.' Jacob replied, 'I wil not let you go unless you bless me.'	27 Therefore he said, “What is your name?” He answered, “Jacob.”
28 The other said, 'What is your name?' 'Jacob,' he replied.	28 But he said, “Your name will not be called Jacob, but Israel; for if you have been strong against God, how much more will you prevail against men?”
29 He said, 'No longer are you to be cal ed Jacob, but Israel since you have shown your strengthagainst God and men and have prevailed.'	29 Jacob questioned him, “Tell me, by what name are you called?” He responded, “Why do you ask my name?” And he blessed him in the same place.
30 Then Jacob asked, 'Please tel me your name.' He replied, 'Why do you ask my name?' With that, heblessed him there.	30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “I have seen God face to face, and my soul has been saved.”
31 Jacob named the place Peniel, 'Because I have seen God face to face,' he said, 'and have survived.'	31 And immediately the sun rose upon him, after he had crossed beyond Peniel. Yet in truth, he limped on his foot.
32 The sun rose as he passed Peniel, limping from his hip.	32 For this reason, the sons of Israel, even to the present day, do not eat the nerve that withered in Jacob’s thigh, because he touched the nerve of his thigh and it was obstructed.
33 That is why to this day the Israelites do not eat the thigh sinew which is at the hip socket: because hehad struck Jacob at the hip socket on the thigh sinew.