GENESIS 32

JACOB PREPARES TO SEE ESAU + WRESTLES WITH GOD 

Jacob is heading back to Canaan and is afraid of seeing Esau. When Jacob left Canaan, Esau wanted to kill him for taking his birthright and blessing. 

Jacob sends out messengers to Edom to try and find Esau. They return telling Jacob that Esau is coming to meet him and has 400 men with him. This is scary news to Jacob, so he splits the people, animals, and possessions with him into two camps so that Esau can only claim half of it. 

Jacob prays sincerely to God, asks God to deliver him from Esau, and admits that he is not worthy of all that God has done for him. He then sends a generous gift ahead to Esau to try and appease him. 

Jacob has an interesting encounter with God: a wrestling match! Jacob says that he saw God face to face and that his life was delivered. But he does not come out unscathed; God touched Jacob’s hip socket, knocking it out and leaving him with a limp.