And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:
4. my lord Esau ] Jacob adopts the language of extreme courtesy and respect. Cf. Gen 18:3, Gen 43:20, Gen 44:18.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 4. Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau] Jacob acknowledges the superiority of his brother; for the time was not yet come in which it could be said, The elder shall serve the younger.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
My lord Esau; which title being but a civil respect commonly given in Scripture to such persons as have no authority nor superiority over them who use it, as Gen 23:6; 24:18, Jacob doth not hereby renounce his right of primogeniture which was devolved upon him, nor return it to Esau. Nor if he did hereby acknowledge Esau his superior for the present, would this have been injurious to that right, because Jacob was not yet in actual possession of it, for it was not to commence till his father’s death; and indeed did more belong to his posterity than to his person; and as to his person, did more respect his spiritual advantages than his worldly greatness. See Gen 27:29.
I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now, as a stranger and exile, and so a more proper object for thy pity than for thy envy.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. Thus shall ye speak unto my lordEsauThe purport of the message was that, after a residence oftwenty years in Mesopotamia, he was now returning to his native land,that he did not need any thing, for he had abundance of pastoralwealth, but that he could not pass without notifying his arrival tohis brother and paying the homage of his respectful obeisance. Actsof civility tend to disarm opposition and soften hatred (Ec10:4).
Thy servant JacobHehad been made lord over his brethren (compare Ge27:29). But it is probable he thought this referred to aspiritual superiority; or if to temporal, that it was to be realizedonly to his posterity. At all events, leaving it to God to fulfilthat purpose, he deemed it prudent to assume the most kind andrespectful bearing.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he commanded them,…. Being his servants:
saying, thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; being not only a lord of a country, but his eldest brother, and whom he chose to bespeak in this manner, to soften his mind, and incline it to him; and that he might see he did not pique himself upon the birthright and blessing he had obtained; and as if these were forgotten by him, though hereby he does not give up his right in them:
thy servant Jacob saith thus, expressing great humility and modesty; for though his father Isaac by his blessing had made him lord over Esau, the time was not come for this to take place, his father not being yet dead; and besides, was to have its accomplishment not in his own person, but in his posterity:
I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now; had been a sojourner and a servant in Laban’s family for twenty years past, and had had an hard master, and therefore could not be the object of his brother’s envy, but rather of his pity and compassion.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
From this point Jacob sent messengers forward to his brother Esau, to make known his return in such a style of humility (“thy servant,” “my lord”) as was adapted to conciliate him. (Gen 32:5) is the first pers. imperf. Kal for , from to delay, to pass a time; cf. Pro 8:17, and Ges. 68, 2. The statement that Esau was already in the land of Seir (Gen 32:4), or, as it is afterwards called, the field of Edom, is not at variance with Gen 36:6, and may be very naturally explained on the supposition, that with the increase of his family and possessions, he severed himself more and more from his father’s house, becoming increasingly convinced, as time went on, that he could hope for no change in the blessings pronounced by his father upon Jacob and himself, which excluded him from the inheritance of the promise, viz., the future possession of Canaan. Now, even if his malicious feelings towards Jacob had gradually softened down, he had probably never said anything to his parents on the subject, so that Rebekah had been unable to fulfil her promise (Gen 27:45); and Jacob, being quite uncertain as to his brother’s state of mind, was thrown into the greatest alarm and anxiety by the report of the messengers, that Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men. The simplest explanation of the fact that Esau should have had so many men about him as a standing army, is that given by Delitzsch; namely, that he had to subjugate the Horite population in Seir, for which purpose he might easily have formed such an army, partly from the Canaanitish and Ishmaelitish relations of his wives, and partly from his own servants. His reason for going to meet Jacob with such a company may have been, either to show how mighty a prince he was, or with the intention of making his brother sensible of his superior power, and assuming a hostile attitude if the circumstances favoured it, even though the lapse of years had so far mitigated his anger, that he no longer seriously thought of executing the vengeance he had threatened twenty years before. For we are warranted in regarding Jacob’s fear as no vain, subjective fancy, but as having an objective foundation, by the fact that God endowed him with courage and strength for his meeting with Esau, through the medium of the angelic host and the wrestling at the Jabbok; whilst, on the other hand, the brotherly affection and openness with which Esau met him, are to be attributed partly to Jacob’s humble demeanour, and still more to the fact, that by the influence of God, the still remaining malice had been rooted out from his heart.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
4. Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau. Moses here relates the anxiety of Jacob to appease his brother. For this suppliant deprecation was extorted only by great and severe torture of mind. It seems, however, to be an absurd submission, whereby he cedes to his brother that dominion for which he had contended at the hazard of his life. For if Esau has the primogeniture, what does Jacob reserve for himself? For what end did he bring upon himself such hatred, expose himself to such dangers, and at length endure twenty years of banishment, if he does not refuse to be in subjection to his brother? I answer, that though he gives up the temporal dominion, he yields nothing of his right to the secret benediction. He knows that the effect of the divine promise is still suspended: and therefore, being content with the hope of the future inheritance, he does not hesitate, at present, to prefer his brother in honor to himself, and to profess himself his brother’s servant. Nor was there anything feigned in these words; because he was willing to bear his brother on his shoulders; so that he might not lose his own future right, which was as yet concealed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Observe the humbleness of Jacob’s mind. He calls his brother Lord; though by the father’s blessing of the birth-right given to him, he had the right of inheritance. See Gen 27:29 . Reader! of such humbleness of soul are all the spiritual seed of Jacob.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 32:4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:
Ver. 4. Unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob, &c. ] This was not baseness of spirit, much less a renouncing of his birthright and blessing; but a necessary submission for a time, such as was that of David to Saul, 1Sa 24:7 ; 1Sa 24:9 till the prophecy of his superiority should be fulfilled. That was baseness in the Samaritans, that in writing to Antiochus Epiphanes, that great king of Syria, because he tormented the Jews, to excuse themselves that they were no Jews they styled him, Antiochus the mighty God: a the Scripture styles him “a vile person”. Dan 11:21 So was that also in Teridates, king of the Parthians, who, with bended knee and hands held up, worshipped Nero, and thus bespake that monster of mankind: To thee I come as to my god; and thee I adore as I do the sun: what thou decreest of me, I will be and do; for thou art to me both fate and fortune &c. b And what shall we think of those superstitious Sicilians, who, when they were excommunicated by Pope Martin IV, laid themselves prostrate at his feet, and cried; – O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world, grant us thy peace. The Venetians also, being excommunicated by Pope Clemens V, c could not be absolved till such time as their ambassador Dandalus had not only fallen at the Pope’s feet, but lain also under his table as a dog with an iron chain about his neck, feeding on such scraps as were cast unto him. d Had this dog dealt by the Pope as the Earl of Wiltshire’s spaniel did, he had served him but right. This earl, with Doctor Cranmer, and others, being sent ambassador to Rome about King Henry’s divorce; when he should have kissed the Pope’s foot, his spaniel, as though he had been of purpose appointed thereunto, went and caught the Pope by the great toe, which the spaniel haply mistook for some kind of repast. e But this by the way only. What hard servitude kings and emperors were forced to undergo in former times, and how basely to avile f themselves to the beast of Rome, is better known than that it need to be here related. Henry II of England, Henry IV of France, and Henry, the fourth Emperor of Germany, for instance. This last came, in the midst of a sore winter, upon his bare feet, to the gates of the Castle of Canusium, and stood there fasting from morning to night for three days together, waiting for the Pope’s judicial sentence, and craving his pardon: which yet he could not obtain by his own or others’ tears, or by the intercession of any saint, save only of a certain harlot, with whom the Pope was then taking his carnal pleasure. g The good emperor mistook who thought that the Pope could be pacified by fasting and prayer. This god required another kind of sacrifice than these. And here that of Solomon was fulfilled, “I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth”. Ecc 10:7
a Josephus.
b H , , M, . – Dio in Vita Neronis.
c Jac. Rev., De Vitis Pontif., p. 198.
d Unde ei Canis cognomentum apud suos. – Ibid.
e Act. and Mon., fol. 1690.
f [Abase.]
g Brightm., Upon the Revel., fol. 449.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Gen 32:4-11
4Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5He lifted his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, “Who are these with you?” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6Then the maids came near with their children, and they bowed down. 7Leah likewise came near with her children, and they bowed down; and afterward Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed down. 8And he said, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own.” 10Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then take my present from my hand, for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably. 11Please take my gift which has been brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have plenty.” Thus he urged him and he took it.
Gen 33:4 “Esau ran. . .embraced. . .fell on his neck. . .kissed. . .wept” These are all signs of warm greetings.
1. “ran,” BDB 930, KB 1207, Qal IMPERFECT
2. “embraced,” BDB 287, KB 287, Piel IMPERFECT
3. “fell on his neck,” BDB 656, KB 709, Qal IMPERFECT, cf. Gen 45:14; Gen 46:29
4. “kissed,” BDB 676, KB 730, Qal imperfect (this is missing in the LXX and marked in the MT as an addition), cf. Gen 45:15; Gen 48:10; Gen 50:1
5. “they wept,” BDB 13, KB 129, Qal IMPERFECT (the LXX and TEV, REB have “they both wept,” but possibly, “he wept,” cf. NJB, AB, p. 258)
Gen 33:5 Esau asks about the groups of women and their children who were all accompanying Jacob. It must have been unusual for a man to have two wives and two concubines and children with each or Esau would not have asked. Esau’s reaction to this is not recorded.
Gen 33:8 Esau asks about all the presents (i.e., animals) that Jacob has sent before his family (cf. Gen 32:13-21).
Gen 33:9 “my brother” The NASB Study Bible (p. 51) makes a good point in mentioning that Esau calls Jacob “my brother,” but Jacob calls Esau “my lord.” Jacob is either (1) being tactful or (2) fearful.
Gifts were common at special occasions. To refuse a gift in this culture implied a strained relationship (i.e., James M. Freeman, Manners and Customs of the Bible, p. 41). Esau’s refusal would have supported Jacob’s worst fears! Esau did not need these gifts, but accepted them as a sign of accepting his brother.
Gen 33:10 Jacob urges Esau to accept his gifts because Esau’s acceptance of him (cf. Gen 33:14) would parallel God’s graciousness (“as one sees the face of God”) toward him. This may be a veiled allusion to Gen 25:23.
Gen 33:11 Jacob acknowledges the source of his physical wealth as the covenant God (i.e., “graciously,” BDB 335, KB 334, Qal PERFECT, cf. Gen 33:5; Gen 43:29).
“gift” This (BDB 139) is literally “blessing.” It is the very term used to describe what Jacob cheated Esau of in chapter 27. It is not by accident that Jacob wants to bless his brother by giving a gift (lit. blessing). In a sense he was trying to make up for his earlier manipulations.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
my lord: Gen 32:5, Gen 32:18, Gen 4:7, Gen 23:6, Gen 27:29, Gen 27:37, Gen 33:8, Exo 32:22, 1Sa 26:17, Pro 6:3, Pro 15:1, Luk 14:11, 1Pe 3:6
servant: 1Ki 20:32, Ecc 10:4
Reciprocal: Num 20:14 – thy brother Pro 25:15 – long Dan 4:19 – My Lord
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 32:4. Speak unto my lord Esau He calls Esau his lord, and himself his servant, to intimate that he did not insist on the prerogatives of the birthright and blessing which he had obtained for himself, but left it to God to fulfil his own purpose in his seed. And he gives him a short account of himself and of his property, and where he had sojourned, expressing withal a desire for his favour and friendship.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
32:4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my {b} lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:
(b) He reverenced his brother in worldly things, because he mainly looked to be preferred to the spiritual promise.