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4 Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

 

Bereishit Rabbah 75:11

 

When Jacob called Esau “my lord,” the Holy One, blessed be he, said to him: “You have abased yourself and called Esau ‘my lord’ eight times. I will raise up eight kings of his descendants before your descendants,” as it says, Now these were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the sons of Israel (Gen 36:31).

 

Rashi’s Commentary

 

Jacob sent messengers (Heb. מַלְאָכִים angels)—Actually angels (Genesis Rabbah 75:4).

 

Luk 9:52

 

And he sent messengers on ahead of him, and they went and entered into a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him;

 

Luk 14:31-32

 

Or what king, going to make war against another king, will not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a long way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.

 

5 He also instructed them, saying: “Thus shall you say to my lord Esau: ‘Thus says your servant Jacob, I have sojourned with Laban [it is not worthwhile for you to hate me on account of your father’s blessing, with which he blessed me (27:29): “Be lord over your brothers,” for it was not fulfilled in me; I was merely a sojourner] and I have remained until now.

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Rashi’s Commentary

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I have sojourned—I have become neither a prince nor other person of importance but merely a sojourner. It is not worth your while to hate me on account of the blessing of your father who blessed me (27:29) “Be lord over your brothers,” for it has not been fulfilled in me (Tanchuma Yashan 1:8:5). Another explanation: the word גַּרְתִּי has the numerical value of 613. That is to say: Though I have sojourned with Laban, the wicked, I have observed the 613 commandments, and I did not learn from his evil ways.

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Luk 14:11

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For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

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6 I have [only] oxen and donkeys and flock and male and female servants [but not “of the dew of heaven and of the richness of the earth” promised me by our father (27:28)], and I have sent to tell this to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes’ ” [as a seeker of your love].

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Rashi’s Commentary

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I have oxen and donkeys—Our father promised me (27:28), “of the dew of heaven and of the richness of the earth”—these are neither of heaven nor of the earth.

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Oxen and donkeys—Heb. שׁוֹר וַחִמוֹר, literally, an ox and an ass. It is the customary thing to speak of many oxen as an ox (Genesis Rabbah 75:6)—a man says to his fellow, “During the night the cock crowed,” but does not say, “The cocks crowed.”

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And I have sent to tell this to my lord—To announce that I am coming to you.

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That I may find favor in your eyes, for I am at peace with you and seek your friendship.

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7 The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We went to [the one you called] your brother, [but found that we had come] to Esau [the wicked one], and he is also coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”

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Rashi’s Commentary

 

We went to your brother, to Esau—To him of whom you said he is my brother, but he behaves towards you as Esau, the wicked—he is still harbouring hatred (Genesis Rabbah 75:7).

 

8 Jacob became very frightened [that he might be killed], and he was distressed [that he might kill others], and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and the herds and the camels into two groups.

 

Rashi’s Commentary

 

Jacob became . . . frightened, and . . . distressed—He was frightened lest he be killed, and he was distressed that he might have to kill someone (Genesis Rabbah 76:2).

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Mat 8:26

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He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became completely calm.

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Mat 10:16

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Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves.

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Joh 16:33

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These things I have spoken to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

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Act 14:22

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strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many hardships enter the kingdom of God.”

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2Co 1:4, 8-10

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who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

For we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and he will deliver us, he on whom we have set our hope that he will yet deliver us,

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2Ti 3:12

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Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

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9 And he thought, “If Esau comes to the one group and attacks it [in battle], the group which is left will escape” [Jacob taking three defensive measures: gift (22), prayer (10), preparation for war (above)].

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Rashi’s Commentary

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One group and attacks it—The word מַחִנֶה is treated grammatically as masculine or feminine: in (Psa 27:3) “Though an army encamp (תַּחִנֶה) against me” it is feminine; in (Gen 33:8) “this (הַזֶה) camp” it is masculine. Similarly there are other words treated grammatically as both masculine and feminine, e.g. (above 19:23): “The sun (הַשֶׁמֶשׁ) had risen (יָצָא) over the land” and in (Psa 19:7) “Its rising is from one end of the heavens (מוֹצָאוֹ).” Here it is masculine, but in (2Ki 3:22) “the sun was shining (זָרְחָה) on the water” it is feminine. Similarly with רוּחַ: in (Job 1:19) “and suddenly a mighty (גְדוֹלָה) wind came (בָּאָה)” it is feminine, and in the same verse “and struck (וַיִגַע) the four corners of the house” it is masculine; in (1Ki 19:11) “and a great (גְדוֹלָה) and powerful (וְחָזָק) wind tore (מְפָרֵק) the mountains” it is both masculine and feminine. So also in the case of אֵשׁ: in (Num 16:35) “And fire went out (יָצְאָה) from before the Lord” it is feminine, and in (Psa 104:4) “a flame (לֹהֵט) of fire” it is masculine.

 

The group which is left will escape in spite of him, for I will fight against him. He prepared himself for three things: to give him a gift—as it states (Gen 32:22) “So the gift went on before him.” For prayer—as it states (Gen 32:10) “God of my father Abraham . . .” For war—as it states in this verse, “the group which is left will escape,” for I will fight against him (Tanchuma Yashan 1:8:6).

 

10 And Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham and the God of my father Isaac [who under this appellation (28:13), promised to abet me (ibid. 15)], the Lord, who said to me [under that appellation (31:3)], ‘Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will prosper you,’

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Rashi’s Commentary

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And . . . God of my father Isaac—But in another place (Gen 31:42) he said, “and the Fear of Isaac!” Then also why did he again mention the Tetragrammaton? It should have been written “who said to me, ‘Return to your country, etc.’ ” But the explanation is as follows: Jacob said to the Holy One, blessed be he, “You made me two promises. One was when I left my father’s house at Beersheba when you said to me (Gen 28:13) “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac,” and on that occasion you promised me (Gen 28:15) “and will keep you wherever you go.” Then again in Laban’s house you said to me (Gen 31:3) “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” There you revealed yourself to me with the Tetragrammaton alone, as it is said (Gen 31:3) “Then the Lord (יהוה) said to Jacob, ‘Return to the land of your fathers, etc.’ ” Relying upon these two promises I now come before you.

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Php 4:6-7

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Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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11 I am unworthy [i.e., my merits have diminished] of all the kindness and of all the faithfulness [the fulfillment of all your assurances] that you have shown your servant. For with my staff only I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps.

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Rashi’s Commentary

 

I am unworthy—My merits are diminished in consequence of all the kindness and the faithfulness that you have shown me. For this reason I am afraid: perhaps, since You made these promises to me, I have become depraved by sin and this may cause me to be delivered unto Esau’s power (Shabbat 32a).

 

My merits are diminished in consequence of all the faithfulness—Of the true fulfillment of your promises—because you have already kept all the promises you made me.

 

For with my staff—I had with me neither silver nor gold nor cattle—only my staff. The Midrashic explanation is, that he had placed his staff in the Jordan and Jordan had divided for him to pass over.

 

Shabbat 32a:4

 

Rabbi Yannai would examine the ferry and cross. The Gemara comments that Rabbi Yannai acted in accordance with his reasoning stated elsewhere, as he said: A person should never stand in a place of danger saying that they on high will perform a miracle for him, lest in the end they do not perform a miracle for him. And, moreover, even if they do perform a miracle for him, they will deduct it from his merits. Rabbi Ḥanin said: What is the verse that alludes to this? When Jacob said: “I am unworthy of all the kindness and of all the faithfulness that you have shown your servant (Gen 32:11), and he explains: Since You have bestowed upon me so much kindness and faithfulness, my merits have been diminished. Similarly, the Gemara relates that Rabbi Zeira would not go out and walk among the palm trees on a day when there was a southern wind blowing due to the fear that the trees might fall on him.

 

Luk 5:8

 

When Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord; for I am a sinful man!”

 

Luk 17:10

 

So you too, when you have done all those things which are commanded you, say, “We are unworthy servants; we have done only that which was our duty to do.”

 

2Co 12:11

 

I have become a fool in boasting; you yourselves compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am nothing.

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Scripture Index

 

Gen 19:23

 

The sun had risen over the land when Lot reached Zoar.

 

Gen 27:28

 

And may God give you [in addition to the fragrance of Eden] of the dew of heaven

and of the richness of the earth,

and an abundance of grain and new wine.

 

Gen 27:29

 

May nations serve you

and peoples bow down to you.

Be lord over your brothers,

and may your mother’s sons bow down to you.

Those who curse you shall be cursed,

and those who bless you shall be blessed.

 

Gen 31:3

 

Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you” [it not being possible to repose my presence with you while you are “linked to uncleanliness”].

 

Gen 31:42

 

If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and he rebuked you last night.

 

Gen 32:22

 

So the gift went on before him, but he himself spent that night in the camp.

 

Gen 33:8

 

And he asked, “What is to you the purpose of all this camp [the bearers of the gifts] that I have met?”

And he said: “To find favor in the eyes of my lord.”

 

Gen 36:31

 

Now these were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the sons of Israel:

 

Num 16:35

 

And a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense.

 

1Ki 19:11

 

So he said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by.

And a great and powerful wind tore the mountains and shattered the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

 

2Ki 3:22

 

They got up early in the morning, and the sun was shining on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood.

 

Job 1:19

 

and suddenly a mighty wind came from across the desert and struck the four corners of the house, and it collapsed on the young people and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you!

 

Psa 19:7

 

Its rising is from one end of the heavens

and its circuit to the other end;

and there is nothing hidden from its warmth.

 

Psa 27:3

 

Though an army encamp against me,

my heart will not fear;

though war arise against me,

in spite of this [the above creed] I will be confident.

 

Psa 104:4

 

He makes winds his messengers,

a flame of fire his servants.

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This work, "Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau Part 1," is a derivative of "The Rashi Chumash" and "The Rashi Ketuvim" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein used under CC BY 3.0