Genesis 32:3 Commentary and Bible Study

Esau (Malachi 1:3) was out of Canaan. He had left Isaac and the inheritance that he thought he had been cheated out of. He was a proud man: not surprising he was not willing to live as a subordinate in Isaac’s house. Why did Jacob send messengers to Esau? He knew 20 years before they had parted in anger, and now he wanted to go to his homestead, but why send messengers to Edom? Some critics say he shouldn’t be fawning to Esau. He shouldn’t be about to surrender his birthright and back off from blessing that was his. They say he shows a lack of faith here. It is true that Jacob can manifest faith and waywardness at the same time, but not necessarily here. Given the courtesy of the East, nothing untoward takes place in sending messengers even if part of what Esau had was technically Jacob’s. Yet Jacob may still have been carrying guilt for the way he seized the birthright. But the point is that now he wanted to be highly obedient to God. God had said to him ‘Return … to thy kindred’; that is, go to your brother and face him on the way. Jacob sends messengers with gifts. The message meant can we be at peace? We cannot be sure that Esau was still angry. Perhaps, but maybe he feared Jacob was come to plunder him. But Jacob had no armed men.