Genesis

Genesis 32:3–8

³Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. ⁴He instructed them, “You are to say to my master Esau, ‘Your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban and have remained there until now. ⁵I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, menservants, and maidservants. I have sent this message to inform my master, so that I may find favor in your sight.’”

⁶When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you— he and four hundred men with him.”

⁷In great fear and distress, Jacob divided his people into two camps, as well as the flocks and herds and camels. ⁸He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one camp, then the other camp can escape.”

Read all of Genesis 32

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 32:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Jacob	יַעֲקֹ֤ב	ya·‘ă·qōḇ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3290 Jacob
sent	וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
messengers	מַלְאָכִים֙	mal·’ā·ḵîm	Noun - masculine plural	H4397 messenger
ahead of him	לְפָנָ֔יו	lə·p̄ā·nāw	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6440 face, before
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
his brother	אָחִ֑יו	’ā·ḥîw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
Esau	עֵשָׂ֖ו	‘ê·śāw	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6215 Esau
in the land	אַ֥רְצָה	’ar·ṣāh	Noun - feminine singular; third person feminine singular	H776 earth, land
of Seir	שֵׂעִ֖יר	śê·‘îr	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H8165 Se`îr
the country	שְׂדֵ֥ה	śə·ḏêh	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7704 id.
of Edom	אֱדֽוֹם׃	’ĕ·ḏō·wm	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H123 name of a condiment

Genesis 32:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He instructed them	וַיְצַ֤ו	way·ṣaw	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
You are to say	לֵאמֹ֔ר	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
to my master	לַֽאדֹנִ֖י	la·ḏō·nî	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H113 lord
Esau	לְעֵשָׂ֑ו	lə·‘ê·śāw	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6215 Esau
Your servant	עַבְדְּךָ֣	‘aḇ·də·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant
Jacob	יַעֲקֹ֔ב	ya·‘ă·qōḇ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3290 Jacob
says	אָמַר֙	’ā·mar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
I have been staying	גַּ֔רְתִּי	gar·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H1481 sojourn
with	עִם־	‘im-	Preposition	H5973 with
Laban	לָבָ֣ן	lā·ḇān	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3837 Laban
and have remained there	וָאֵחַ֖ר	wā·’ê·ḥar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular	H309 to remain behind, delay, tarry
until	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
now	עָֽתָּה׃	‘āt·tāh	Adverb	H6258 now

Genesis 32:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I have	וַֽיְהִי־	way·hî-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
oxen	שׁ֣וֹר	šō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H7794 head of cattle
donkeys	וַחֲמ֔וֹר	wa·ḥă·mō·wr	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H2543 heap
flocks	צֹ֖אן	ṣōn	Noun - common singular	H6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
menservants	וְעֶ֣בֶד	wə·‘e·ḇeḏ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant
and maidservants	וְשִׁפְחָ֑ה	wə·šip̄·ḥāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H8198 maid, maid-servant
I have sent	וָֽאֶשְׁלְחָה֙	wā·’eš·lə·ḥāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular; third person feminine singular	H7971 send
this message to inform	לְהַגִּ֣יד	lə·hag·gîḏ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H5046 be conspicuous
my master	לַֽאדֹנִ֔י	la·ḏō·nî	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H113 lord
so that I may find	לִמְצֹא־	lim·ṣō-	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H4672 attain to, find
favor	חֵ֖ן	ḥên	Noun - masculine singular	H2580 favour, grace
in your sight	בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃	bə·‘ê·ne·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - cdc; second person masculine singular	H5869 eye

Genesis 32:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When the messengers	הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים	ham·mal·’ā·ḵîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4397 messenger
returned	וַיָּשֻׁ֙בוּ֙	way·yā·šu·ḇū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7725 turn back, return
to	אֶֽל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Jacob	יַעֲקֹ֖ב	ya·‘ă·qōḇ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3290 Jacob
they said	לֵאמֹ֑ר	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
We went	בָּ֤אנוּ	bā·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
your brother	אָחִ֙יךָ֙	’ā·ḥî·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H251 brother
Esau	עֵשָׂ֔ו	‘ê·śāw	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6215 Esau
and now	וְגַם֙	wə·ḡam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
he is coming	הֹלֵ֣ךְ	hō·lêḵ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
to meet you	לִקְרָֽאתְךָ֔	liq·rā·ṯə·ḵā	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; second person masculine singular	H7122 encounter, befall
he and four	וְאַרְבַּע־	wə·’ar·ba‘-	Conjunctive waw; Number - feminine singular construct	H702 four
hundred	מֵא֥וֹת	mê·’ō·wṯ	Number - feminine plural	H3967 hundred
men	אִ֖ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
with him	עִמּֽוֹ׃	‘im·mōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H5973 with

Genesis 32:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
In great	מְאֹ֖ד	mə·’ōḏ	Adverb	H3966 muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly
fear	וַיִּירָ֧א	way·yî·rā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3372 fear
and distress	וַיֵּ֣צֶר	way·yê·ṣer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3334 press, be narrow, be in distress
Jacob	יַעֲקֹ֛ב	ya·‘ă·qōḇ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3290 Jacob
divided	וַיַּ֜חַץ	way·ya·ḥaṣ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2673 divide
his	אִתּ֗וֹ	’it·tōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H854 with
people	הָעָ֣ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
into two	לִשְׁנֵ֥י	liš·nê	Preposition-l; Number - masculine dual construct	H8147 two
camps	מַחֲנֽוֹת׃	ma·ḥă·nō·wṯ	Noun - common plural	H4264 encampment, camp
as well as the flocks	הַצֹּ֧אן	haṣ·ṣōn	Article; Noun - common singular	H6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
and herds	הַבָּקָ֛ר	hab·bā·qār	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1241 cattle, herd, ox
and camels	וְהַגְּמַלִּ֖ים	wə·hag·gə·mal·lîm	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1581 camel

Genesis 32:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He thought	וַיֹּ֕אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
If	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
Esau	עֵשָׂ֛ו	‘ê·śāw	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6215 Esau
comes	יָב֥וֹא	yā·ḇō·w	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
and attacks	וְהִכָּ֑הוּ	wə·hik·kā·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H5221 smite
one	הָאַחַ֖ת	hā·’a·ḥaṯ	Article; Number - feminine singular	H259 one
camp	הַמַּחֲנֶ֥ה	ham·ma·ḥă·neh	Article; Noun - common singular	H4264 encampment, camp
then	וְהָיָ֛ה	wə·hā·yāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
the other	הַנִּשְׁאָ֖ר	han·niš·’ār	Article; Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular	H7604 remain, be left over
camp	הַמַּחֲנֶ֥ה	ham·ma·ḥă·neh	Article; Noun - common singular	H4264 encampment, camp
can escape	לִפְלֵיטָֽה׃	lip̄·lê·ṭāh	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular	H6413 escape