Angels meet Jacob by the way. 3. He sendeth messengers and gifts to pacify his brother Esau. 24. wrestling with an Angel is not overcome, in fine the Angel benimmeth his thigh, blesseth him, and foretelleth that he shall be called Israel.Angels meete Iacob by the way. 3. He sendeth messengers and gifts to pacifie his brother Esau. 24. wrastling with an Angel is not ouercome, in fine the Angel benimmeth his thigh, blesseth him, and fortelleth that he shal be called Israel.
Jacob also went on his journey that he had begun: and the Angels of God met him.IACOB also went on his iourney that he had begunne: and the Angels of God met him.Jacob quoque abiit itinere quo cœperat : fueruntque ei obviam angeli Dei.
2whom when he had seen, he said: These are the Camps of God, and he called the name of that place Mahanaim, that is, Camps.whom when he had seene, he said: These are the Campes of God, and he called the name of that place Mahanaim, that is, Campes.Quos cum vidisset, ait : Castra Dei sunt hæc : et appellavit nomen loci illius Mahanaim, id est, Castra.
3And he sent also messengers before him to Esau his brother into the country of Seir, into the country of Edom:And he sent also messengers before him to Esau his brother into the countrie of Seir, into the countrie of Edom:Misit autem et nuntios ante se ad Esau fratrem suum in terram Seir, in regionem Edom :
4and he commanded them, saying: Thus speak ye unto my lord Esau: This saith thy brother Jacob: I have sojourned with Laban, and have been until this present day.and he commanded them, saying: Thus speake ye vnto my lord Esau: This saith thy brother Iacob: I haue soiourned with Laban, and haue bene vntil this present day.præcepitque eis, dicens : Sic loquimini domino meo Esau : Hæc dicit frater tuus Jacob : Apud Laban peregrinatus sum, et fui usque in præsentem diem.
5I have oxen, and asses, and sheep, and men servants, and women servants: and now I send a an envoy's embassy, a sent message, not a bequest · Vulgate: legationem to my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.I haue oxen, and asses, and sheepe, and men seruants, and women seruants: and now I send a legacie to my lord, that I may finde grace in thy sight.Habeo boves, et asinos, et oves, et servos, et ancillas : mittoque nunc legationem ad dominum meum, ut inveniam gratiam in conspectu tuo.
6And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying: We came to Esau thy brother, and behold he cometh with speed to meet thee with four hundred men.And the messengers returned to Iacob, saying: We came to Esau thy brother, and behold he commeth with spede to meete thee with foure hundred men.Reversique sunt nuntii ad Jacob, dicentes : Venimus ad Esau fratrem tuum, et ecce properat tibi in occursum cum quadringentis viris.
7Jacob feared exceedingly: and being sore afraid divided the people that was with him, the flocks also and the sheep, and the oxen, and the camels, into two troops,Iacob feared excedingly: and being sore afraid diuided the people that was with him, the flockes also and the sheepe, and the oxen, and the camels, into two troupes,Timuit Jacob valde : et perterritus divisit populum qui secum erat, greges quoque et oves, et boves, et camelos, in duas turmas,
8saying: If Esau come to one troop, and strike it, the other troop that remaineth shall be saved.saying: If Esau come to one troupe, and strike it, the other troupe that remaineth shal be saued.dicens : Si venerit Esau ad unam turmam, et percusserit eam, alia turma, quæ relicta est, salvabitur.
9And Jacob said: O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac: O Lord that didst say to me: Return into thy land, and into the place of thy nativity, and I will do thee good:And Iacob said: O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac: O Lord that didest say to me: Returne into thy land, and into the place of thy natiuitie, and I wil do thee good:Dixitque Jacob : Deus patris mei Abraham, et Deus patris mei Isaac : Domine qui dixisti mihi : Revertere in terram tuam, et in locum nativitatis tuæ, et benefaciam tibi :
10I am inferior to all thy mercies, and thy truth that thou hast fulfilled to thy servant. With my staff I passed over this Jordan: and now with two troops I do return.I am inferior to al thy mercies, and thy truth that thou hast fulfilled to thy seruant. With my staffe I passed ouer this Iordan: and now with two troupes I do returne.minor sum cunctis miserationibus tuis, et veritate tua quam explevisti servo tuo. In baculo meo transivi Jordanem istum : et nunc cum duabus turmis regredior.
11Deliver me from the hand of my brother Esau, because I am sore afraid of him: lest perhaps he come, and strike the mother with the children.Deliuer me from the hand of my brother Esau, because I am sore afraid of him: lest perhaps he come, and strike the mother with the children.Erue me de manu fratris mei Esau, quia valde eum timeo : ne forte veniens percutiat matrem cum filiis.
12Thou didst say that thou wouldst do good to me, and enlarge, spread wide · Vulgate: dilatares my seed as the sand of the sea, which for multitude cannot be numbered.Thou didest say that thou wouldest do good to me, and dilate my seede as the sand of the sea, which for multitude can not be numbred.Tu locutus es quod benefaceres mihi, et dilatares semen meum sicut arenam maris, quæ præ multitudine numerari non potest.
13And when he had slept there that night, he separated of those things which he had, gifts to his brother Esau,And when he had slept there that night, he separated of those things which he had, gifts to his brother Esau,Cumque dormisset ibi nocte illa, separavit de his quæ habebat, munera Esau fratri suo,
14the goats two hundred, he goats twenty, ewes two hundred, and rams twenty,the goates two hundred, he goates twentie, ewes two hundred, and rammes twentie,capras ducentas, hircos viginti, oves ducentas, et arietes viginti,
15thirty milk-giving, in milk · Vulgate: foetas camels with their colts, forty cows · Vulgate: vaccas, and twenty bulls, twenty she asses, and their foals ten.thirtie milch camels with their coltes, fourtie kine, and twentie bulles, twentie she asses, and their foles ten.camelos fœtas cum pullis suis triginta, vaccas quadraginta, et tauros viginti, asinas viginti et pullos earum decem.
16And he sent by the hands of his servants, every flock by itself, and he said to his servants: Go before me, and let there be a space between flock and flock.And he sent by the handes of his seruants, euerie flocke by it selfe, and he said to his seruants: Goe before me, and let there be a space betwen flocke and flocke.Et misit per manus servorum suorum singulos seorsum greges, dixitque pueris suis : Antecedite me, et sit spatium inter gregem et gregem.
17And he commanded the former, saying: If thou meet my brother Esau, and he ask thee, whose art thou? or whither goest thou? or whose are these that thou dost follow?And he commanded the former, saying: If thou mete my brother Esau, and he aske thee, whose art thou? or whither goest thou? or whose are these that thou doest folowe?Et præcepit priori, dicens : Si obvium habueris fratrem meum Esau, et interrogaverit te : Cujus es ? aut, Quo vadis ? aut, Cujus sunt ista quæ sequeris ?
18thou shalt answer: Jacob's thy servant, he hath sent them for gifts to my lord Esau: himself also cometh after us.thou shalt answere: Iacobs thy seruant, he hath sent them for gifts to my lord Esau: himselfe also commeth after vs.respondebis : Servi tui Jacob, munera misit domino meo Esau, ipse quoque post nos venit.
19In like manner he gave commandments to the second, and the third, and to all that followed the flocks, saying: With the selfsame words speak ye to Esau, when you shall find him.In like maner he gaue commandements to the second, and the third, and to al that folowed the flockes, saying: With the selfe same wordes speake ye to Esau, when you shal finde him.Similiter dedit mandata secundo, et tertio, et cunctis qui sequebantur greges, dicens : Iisdem verbis loquimini ad Esau cum inveneritis eum.
20And ye shall add: Jacob also thy servant himself followeth on after us: for he said: I will pacify him with the gifts that go before, and afterward I will see him, perhaps he will be gracious unto me.And ye shal adde: Iacob also thy seruant himselfe foloweth on after vs: for he said: I wil pacifie him with the gifts that goe before, and afterward I wil see him, perhaps he wil be gracious vnto me.Et addetis : Ipse quoque servus tuus Jacob iter nostrum insequitur. Dixit enim : Placabo illum muneribus quæ præcedunt, et postea videbo illum : forsitan propitiabitur mihi.
21The gifts therefore went before him, but himself lodged that night in the camp.The giftes therfore went before him, but himselfe lodged that night in the campe.Præcesserunt itaque munera ante eum, ipse vero mansit nocte illa in castris.
22And when he was risen early he took his two wives, and his handmaids as many, with his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jaboc.And when he was risen early he tooke his two wiues, and his hand-maides as manie, with his eleuen sonnes, and passed ouer the ford Iaboc.Cumque mature surrexisset, tulit duas uxores suas, et totidem famulas cum undecim filiis, et transivit vadum Jaboc.
23And when he had set over all things that appertained to him,And when he had set ouer al things that appertained to him,Traductisque omnibus quæ ad se pertinebant,
24he tarried alone: and behold a man wrestled with him till morning.he taried alone: and behold a man wrasteled with him til morning.mansit solus : et ecce vir luctabatur cum eo usque mane.
25who when he saw that he could not overcome him, he touched the sinew of his thigh, and forthwith it shrank.who when he saw that he could not ouercome him, he touched the sinowe of his thigh, and forthwith it shranke.Qui cum videret quod eum superare non posset, tetigit nervum femoris ejus, et statim emarcuit.
26And he said to him: Let me go for it is break of day. He answered: I will not let thee go, unless thou bless me.And he said to him: Let me goe for it is breake of day. He answered: I wil not let thee goe, vnlesse thou blesse me.Dixitque ad eum : Dimitte me : jam enim ascendit aurora. Respondit : Non dimittam te, nisi benedixeris mihi.
27He therefore said: What is thy name? He answered: Jacob.He therfore said: What is thy name? He answered: Iacob.Ait ergo : Quod nomen est tibi ? Respondit : Jacob.
28But he, no, thy name, said · Vulgate: inquit he, shall not be called Jacob, but Israel: for if thou hast been strong against God, how much more shalt thou prevail against men?But he, no, thy name, quoth he, shal not be called Iacob, but Israel: for if thou hast bene strong against God, how much more shalt thou preuaile against men?At ille : Nequaquam, inquit, Jacob appellabitur nomen tuum, sed Israël : quoniam si contra Deum fortis fuisti, quanto magis contra homines prævalebis ?
29Jacob asked him: Tell me by what name art thou called? He answered: Why dost thou ask my name? And blessed him in the same place.Iacob asked him: Tel me by what name art thou called? He answered: Why doest thou aske my name? And blessed him in the same place.Interrogavit eum Jacob : Dic mihi, quo appellaris nomine ? Respondit : Cur quæris nomen meum ? Et benedixit ei in eodem loco.
30And Jacob called the name of the place Phanuel, saying: I have seen God face to face, and my soul was made safe.And Iacob called the name of the place Phanuel, saying: I haue sene God face to face, and my soule was made safe.Vocavitque Jacob nomen loci illius Phanuel, dicens : Vidi Deum facie ad faciem, et salva facta est anima mea.
31And immediately the sun rose to him, after that he was past Phanuel: but he limped, went lame · Vulgate: claudicabat on his foot.And immediatly the sunne rose to him, after that he was past Phanuel: but he halted on his foote.Ortusque est ei statim sol, postquam transgressus est Phanuel : ipse vero claudicabat pede.
32For which cause the children of Israel eat not the sinew, that shrank in Jacob's thigh, unto this present day: because he touched the sinew of his thigh, and it shrank.For which cause the children of Israel eate not the sinowe, that shranke in Iacobs thigh, vnto this present day: because he touched the sinowe of his thigh, and it shranke.Quam ob causam non comedunt nervum filii Israël, qui emarcuit in femore Jacob, usque in præsentem diem : eo quod tetigerit nervum femoris ejus, et obstupuerit.
Annotations
32:7Feared exceedingly. Justly may we marvel, why Jacob so often assured by God's promises, confirmed by his many blessings, protected in all former dangers, accompanied the night before with armies of Angels, endued also with all virtues, and namely with perfect charity (which expelleth fear) was for all this so vehemently afraid! St. Augustine answereth, that he neither distrusted in God, nor did any unlawful thing: but did his own endeavour wisely and confidently, lest by presuming or despairing he should rather have tempted God, than trusted in him. The causes of his fear were in respect of himself and his brother. For considering God's former promises, benefits and protections were not to be presumed as absolute signs of his perpetual love, but conditional, if himself persevered sincerely in God's service. And seeing the just man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love, or of hatred, he might doubt, lest by his twenty years' conversation among Infidels in Mesopotamia, he had contracted some sins, for which God might suffer him to fall into calamity and affliction. And though he was indeed still more and more virtuous, and consequently in God's more favour and protection: yea so much the more, by how much less he presumed of his own good state and merits: yet by the vehement apprehending of his brother's inclination to revenge, the greatness of the occasion by procuring the first-birthright, and his father's blessing from him, the news of his speedy coming towards him with four hundred men, the natural situation of the place, where Esau might easily environ him, and (as he humbly thought) his own unworthiness, he was possessed with natural fear (such as happeneth to constant men) and was sore afflicted for the tender care of his family. But reflecting upon God's goodness, he prudently disposed of his people and flocks, and besought God to protect him and his, by prayer qualified with requisite conditions, to wit, with humility, not asking for his own but for Abraham and Isaac's sake, and for God's own promise, acknowledging himself to be less than God's mercies towards him, with gratitude recounting great benefits received, saying, With my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now with two troops I do return, with confidence in that God had said, he would dilate his seed as the sand of the sea, and with meekness in sending gifts and good words to Esau. Thus finally he pacified him, and so his own fear was turned into joy.
32:24A man wrestled. This wrestling with an Angel assuming a body in form of a man was corporal, as the effect showed in Jacob's sinew shrunk up, which made him to halt (v. 25. & 31.). It was also spiritual, as appeareth by his earnest prayer, urging and at last obtaining the Angel's blessing. St. Dionysius c. 4. cæl. Hierar. St. Gregory præfat. in Job. Theodoret q. 91. in Gen.