Genesis 32:17
New International Version
He instructed the one in the lead: “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘Who do you belong to, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?’

New Living Translation
He gave these instructions to the men leading the first group: “When my brother, Esau, meets you, he will ask, ‘Whose servants are you? Where are you going? Who owns these animals?’

English Standard Version
He instructed the first, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’

Berean Standard Bible
He instructed the one in the lead, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong, where are you going, and whose animals are these before you?’

King James Bible
And 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?

New King James Version
And he commanded the first one, saying, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going? Whose are these in front of you?’

New American Standard Bible
And he commanded the one in front, saying, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and to whom do these animals in front of you belong?’

NASB 1995
He commanded the one in front, saying, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and to whom do these animals in front of you belong?’

NASB 1977
And he commanded the one in front, saying, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and to whom do these animals in front of you belong?’

Legacy Standard Bible
And he commanded the first one in front, saying, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and to whom do these animals in front of you belong?’

Amplified Bible
Then he commanded the one in front, saying, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks to whom you belong, and where you are going, and whose are the animals in front of you?

Christian Standard Bible
And he told the first one, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘Who do you belong to? Where are you going? And whose animals are these ahead of you? ’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And he told the first one: “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘Who do you belong to? Where are you going? And whose animals are these ahead of you?’

American Standard Version
And 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?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he commanded the leader and said to him, “When Esau my brother meets you and he asks you and says to you, ‘Who are you and where are you going, and whose are these that are before you?’

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he charged the first, saying, If Esau my brother meet thee, and he ask thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither wouldest thou go, and whose are these possessions advancing before thee?

Contemporary English Version
Then he said to the servant in charge of the first herd, "When Esau meets you, he will ask whose servant you are. He will want to know where you are going and who owns those animals in front of you.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he commanded the first, saying: If thou meet my brother Esau, and he ask thee: Whose art thou? or whither goest thou? or whose are these before thee?

English Revised Version
And 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?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He commanded the first servant, "When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, 'To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and whose animals are these ahead of you?'

Good News Translation
He ordered the first servant, "When my brother Esau meets you and asks, 'Who is your master? Where are you going? Who owns these animals in front of you?'

International Standard Version
To the first group he said, "When you meet my brother Esau, if he asks, 'To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And to whom do these herds belong?'

JPS Tanakh 1917
And 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?

Literal Standard Version
And he commands the first, saying, “When my brother Esau meets you, and has asked you, saying, Whose [are] you? And to where do you go? And whose [are] these before you?

Majority Standard Bible
He instructed the one in the lead, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong, where are you going, and whose animals are these before you?’

New American Bible
He ordered the servant in the lead, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? To whom do these animals ahead of you belong?’

NET Bible
He instructed the servant leading the first herd, "When my brother Esau meets you and asks, 'To whom do you belong? Where are you going? Whose herds are you driving?'

New Revised Standard Version
He instructed the foremost, “When Esau my brother meets you, and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’

New Heart English Bible
He instructed the first, saying, "When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying, �Whose are you? Where are you going? Whose are these ahead of you?'

Webster's Bible Translation
And 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?

World English Bible
He commanded the foremost, saying, “When Esau, my brother, meets you, and asks you, saying, ‘Whose are you? Where are you going? Whose are these before you?’

Young's Literal Translation
And he commandeth the first, saying, 'When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and hath asked thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jacob's Fear of Esau
16He entrusted them to his servants in separate herds and told them, “Go on ahead of me, and keep some distance between the herds.” 17He instructed the one in the lead, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong, where are you going, and whose animals are these before you?’ 18then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift, sent to my lord Esau. And behold, Jacob is behind us.’ ”…

Cross References
Genesis 32:16
He entrusted them to his servants in separate herds and told them, "Go on ahead of me, and keep some distance between the herds."

Genesis 32:18
then you are to say, 'They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift, sent to my lord Esau. And behold, Jacob is behind us.'"


Treasury of Scripture

And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meets you, and asks you, saying, Whose are you? and where go you? and whose are these before you?

Whose art.

Genesis 33:3
And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

Jump to Previous
Animals Belong Commanded Commandeth Esau First Foremost Front Goest Instructed Lead Meeteth Meets Orders Owns Servant Whither
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Animals Belong Commanded Commandeth Esau First Foremost Front Goest Instructed Lead Meeteth Meets Orders Owns Servant Whither
Genesis 32
1. Jacob's vision at Mahanaim.
3. His message to Esau.
6. He is afraid of Esau's coming.
9. He prays for deliverance.
13. He sends a present to Esau, and passes the brook Jabbok.
24. He wrestles with an angel at Peniel, where he is called Israel.
31. He halts.














Verses 17-20. - And he commanded the foremost, saying (with admirable tact and prudence), When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee! then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he (Jacob) is behind us. And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him - literally, in your finding of him. And say ye (literally, and ye shall say) moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is Behind us" for he thought that this would convince Esau that he Went to 'meet him with complete confidence, and without apprehension" (Kalisch) - for he said (the historian adds the motive which explained Jacob's singular behavior), I will appease him (literally, I will cover his face, meaning I will prevent him from seeing my past offences, i.e. I will turn away his anger or pacify him, as in Proverbs 16:14) with the present that goeth before me, - literally, going before my face. So Abigail appeased David with a present (1 Samuel 25:18-32) - and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me - literally, lift up my face; a proverbial expression for granting a favorable reception (cf. Genesis 19:21; Job 42:8). "Jacob did not miscalculate the influence of his princely offerings, and I verily believe there is not an emeer or sheikh in all Gilead at this day who would not be appeased by such presents; and from my personal knowledge of Orientals, I should say that Jacob need not have been in such great terror, following in their rear. Far less will now 'make room,' as Solomon says, for any offender, however atrocious, and bring him before great men with acceptance" ('Land and Book,' p. 371).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He instructed
וַיְצַ֥ו (way·ṣaw)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order

the one in the lead,
הָרִאשׁ֖וֹן (hā·ri·šō·wn)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7223: First, in place, time, rank

“When
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

my brother
אָחִ֗י (’ā·ḥî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )

Esau
עֵשָׂ֣ו (‘ê·śāw)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6215: Esau -- oldest son of Isaac

meets
יִֽפְגָּשְׁךָ֞‪‬ (yip̄·gā·šə·ḵā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6298: To come in contact with, to concur

you and asks,
וִשְׁאֵֽלְךָ֙‪‬ (wiš·’ê·lə·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 7592: To inquire, to request, to demand

‘To whom
לְמִי־ (lə·mî-)
Preposition-l | Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

do you belong,
אַ֙תָּה֙ (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

where
וְאָ֣נָה (wə·’ā·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative
Strong's 575: Where?, whither?, when?, hither and thither

are you going,
תֵלֵ֔ךְ (ṯê·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

and whose
וּלְמִ֖י (ū·lə·mî)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

animals are these
אֵ֥לֶּה (’êl·leh)
Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

before you?’
לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃ (lə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face


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OT Law: Genesis 32:17 He commanded the foremost saying When Esau (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 32:16
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