Introduction
More problems for Jacob.
Questions
1. Why was Jacob afraid of meeting Esau?
v 6 The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”
2. Assuming each camel had one colt, how many animals in all, did Jacob send as a present for Esau?
v14 and 15 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milk camels and their colts, forty cows, ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals.
(580 animals.)
3. What did the man with whom Jacob wrestled change his name to?
v 28 He said, “Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
Summary Points
- v 1 to 8 Jacob sends messengers to Esau and is frightened by their report
- v 9 to 21 Jacob prays to be delivered from his twin brother’s anger, but sends presents and conciliatory messages to Esau to pacify him
- v 22 to 32 Jacob wrestles with a man and has his name changed to Israel. We learn from Hosea 12 v 4 that this man was an angel