The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

Genesis 32

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Torah

Genesis chapter 32 — part of the Torah in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. And Laban departed, and returned unto his place.” — the complete text of all 33 verses is below, free to read online.

1And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. And Laban departed, and returned unto his place.

2And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of G-d met him.

3And Jacob said when he saw them: 'This is G-d's camp.' And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

4And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the field of Edom.

5And he commanded them, saying: 'Thus shall ye say unto my lord Esau: Thus saith thy servant Jacob: I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now.

6And I have oxen, and asses and flocks, and men-servants and maid-servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favour in thy sight.'

7And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying: 'We came to thy brother Esau, and moreover he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.'

8Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed. And he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two camps.

9And he said: 'If Esau come to the one camp, and smite it, then the camp which is left shall escape.'

10And Jacob said: 'O G-d of my father Abraham, and G-d of my father Isaac, O HaShem, who saidst unto me: Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will do thee good;

11I am not worthy of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast shown unto Thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two camps.

12Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and smite me, the mother with the children.

13And Thou saidst: I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.'

14And he lodged there that night; and took of that which he had with him a present for Esau his brother:

15two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,

16thirty milch camels and their colts, forty kine and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and ten foals.

17And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself; and said unto his servants: 'Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.'

18And he commanded the foremost, saying: 'When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying: Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?

19then 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.'

20And he commanded also the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying: 'In this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him;

21and ye shall say: Moreover, behold, thy 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 me.'

22So the present passed over before him; and he himself lodged that night in the camp.

23And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two handmaids, and his eleven children, and passed over the ford of the Jabbok.

24And he took them, and sent them over the stream, and sent over that which he had.

25And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

26And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was strained, as he wrestled with him.

27And he said: 'Let me go, for the day breaketh.' And he said: 'I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.'

28And he said unto him: 'What is thy name?' And be said: 'Jacob.'

29And he said: 'Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for thou hast striven with G-d and with men, and hast prevailed.'

30And Jacob asked him, and said: 'Tell me, I pray thee, thy name.' And he said: 'Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name?' And he blessed him there.

31And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: 'for I have seen G-d face to face, and my life is preserved.'

32And the sun rose upon him as he passed over Peniel, and he limped upon his thigh.

33Therefore the children of Israel eat not the sinew of the thigh-vein which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day; because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh, even in the sinew of the thigh-vein.

33 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

‹ Genesis 31 Genesis 33 ›

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