Genesis 32:17 - Forerunner Commentary

Genesis 32:17

15 thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals.

16 Then he delivered them to the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass over before me, and put some distance between successive droves.”

17 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?’

18 then you shall say, ‘They are your servant Jacob’s. It is a present sent to my lord Esau; and behold, he also is behind us.’ ”

19 So he commanded the second, the third, and all who followed the droves, saying, “In this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him;

20 and also say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us.’ ” For he said, “I will ^aappease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.”

Verse Comparison: Genesis 32:17

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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?

Amplified® Bible
And he commanded the first, When Esau my brother meets you and asks to whom you belong, where you are going, and whose are the animals before you,

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.

Darby English Version
And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meets thee, and asks thee, saying, Whose art thou, and where goest thou, and whose are these before thee?

Good News Bible
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?'

King James 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?

New American Standard Bible
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?'

New International Version
He instructed the one in the lead: "When my brother Esau meets you and asks, 'To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?'

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?’

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
He commanded the one in front, saying, "When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, saying, 'To whom do you belong, and where do you go, and to whom do these animals in front of you belong?'

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 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?

New English Translation
He instructed the servant leading the first herd,¹ “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong?² Where are you going? Whose herds are you driving?’³

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