Know the Text⌕

Reading as Seek: to learn Scripture and its teachings. Same facts, warmer framing.

Read›Genesis›Chapter 32

Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau

Genesis 32:20

In 11 translations

BSB
You are also to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’” For he thought, “I will appease Esau with the gift that is going before me. After that I can face him, and perhaps he will accept me.”Or I will appease his faceLiterally perhaps he will lift up my face
KJV
And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.of me: Heb. my face
WEB
You shall say, ‘Not only that, but behold, your servant, Jacob, is behind us.’” For, he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.”
ASV
and ye shall say, Moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept me.
LSV
and you have also said, Behold, your servant Jacob [is] behind us”; for he said, “I pacify his face with the present which is going before me, and afterward I see his face; it may be he lifts up my face”;
YLT
and ye have said also, Lo, thy servant Jacob [is] behind us;' for he said, 'I pacify his face with the present which is going before me, and afterwards I see his face; it may be he lifteth up my face;'
DBY
And, moreover, ye shall say, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will propitiate him with the gift that goes before me, and afterwards I will see his face: perhaps he will accept me.
DRC
And ye shall add: Thy servant Jacob himself also followeth after us: for he said: I will appease him with the presents that go before, and afterwards I will see him, perhaps he will be gracious to me.
GNV
And ye shall say moreouer, Beholde, thy seruant Iaakob commeth after vs (for he thought, I will appease his wrath with the present that goeth before me, and afterwarde I will see his face: it may be that he will accept me.)
JPS32:21
and ye shall say: Moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us.' For he said: 'I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept me.'
LXXE32:21
and ye shall say, Behold thy servant Jacob comes after us. For he said, I will propitiate his countenance with the gifts going before his presence, and afterwards I will behold his face, for peradventure he will accept me.Gr. my face.

Word by word Hebrew · tap a word

Words in brackets are English the glossers added; the Hebrew has no word for them, and they can carry a choice of tense or meaning.

Original-language editions

WLC32:21
וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם גַּ֗ם הִנֵּ֛ה עַבְדְּךָ֥ יַעֲקֹ֖ב אַחֲרֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־אָמַ֞ר אֲכַפְּרָ֣ה פָנָ֗יו בַּמִּנְחָה֙ הַהֹלֶ֣כֶת לְפָנָ֔י וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן֙ אֶרְאֶ֣ה פָנָ֔יו אוּלַ֖י יִשָּׂ֥א פָנָֽי׃KJV:Gen.32.20
LXX-Br32:21
Καὶ ἐρεῖτε, ἰδοὺ ὁ παῖς σου Ἰακὼβ παραγίνεται ὀπίσω ἡμῶν· εἶπε γὰρ, ἐξιλάσομαι τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς δώροις τοῖς προπορευομένοις αὐτοῦ, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο ὄψομαι τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ· ἴσως γὰρ προσδέξεται τὸ πρόσωπόν μου.

Who and where

People, places and events the Theographic dataset links to this verse.

In the reference works topics that cite this verse

From public-domain Bible dictionaries and topical indexes (1884–1915).

Cross-references most cited first

  • Job 42:8–9So now, take seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. Then My servant Job will pray for you, for I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your…
  • Proverbs 21:14A gift in secret soothes anger, and a covert bribe pacifies great wrath.
  • 1 Samuel 6:5Make images of your tumors and of the rats that are ravaging the land. Give glory to the God of Israel, and perhaps He will lift His hand from you and your gods and your land.
  • Proverbs 15:18A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.
  • Proverbs 6:35He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.
  • 1 Kings 20:31Then the servants of Ben-hadad said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go out to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads.…
  • Proverbs 16:14The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.
  • 2 Timothy 2:25He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.
  • Genesis 43:11Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and…
  • Jonah 3:9Who knows? God may turn and relent; He may turn from His fierce anger, so that we will not perish.”
  • 1 Samuel 25:17–35Now consider carefully what you must do, because disaster looms over our master and all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that nobody can speak to him!” Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of…

From the OpenBible.info cross-reference set (votes from readers; not every link is a quotation or allusion).

Verse numbering differs between Bibles
  • 32:21 in some Bibles
  • 32:20 in most Bibles

Report a problem

Found something wrong, unsourced or unfair? Tell us; every report is read. Please don’t include personal information.

↑