וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם לָבָ֜ן בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַיְנַשֵּׁ֧ק לְבָנָ֛יו וְלִבְנוֹתָ֖יו וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֶתְהֶ֑ם וַיֵּ֛לֶךְ וַיָּ֥שָׁב לָבָ֖ן לִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃

Laban awoke early in the morning, and kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them. The goodbyes of which he claimed to have been deprived in Haran he now issued at the mountains of Gilad. Laban went and returned to his place, with peaceful relations established between him and Jacob.

וְיַעֲקֹ֖ב הָלַ֣ךְ לְדַרְכּ֑וֹ וַיִּפְגְּעוּ־ב֖וֹ מַלְאֲכֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים׃

After his final departure from Laban, Jacob went on his way with his camp from Gilad. He had a long way ahead of him to reach the house of his father, who was living in Beersheba or Hebron. And angels of God encountered him.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר רָאָ֔ם מַחֲנֵ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים זֶ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֛א שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא מַֽחֲנָֽיִם׃ (פ)

Jacob said when he saw them: These are not a mere few angels, but an entire camp; this is the camp [ mah · ] of God. Therefore, he called the name of that place Mahanayim, meaning “ two camps,” in reference to his camp and God’s camp. Mahanayim remained the name of a place located south of Gilad on the eastern side of the Jordan River.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח יַעֲקֹ֤ב מַלְאָכִים֙ לְפָנָ֔יו אֶל־עֵשָׂ֖ו אָחִ֑יו אַ֥רְצָה שֵׂעִ֖יר שְׂדֵ֥ה אֱדֽוֹם׃

To inform him of their impending meeting, Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother to the land of Se’ir, the field, region, of Edom. The word for messengers, malakhim , can also mean angels. Some commentaries maintain that Jacob sent actual angels from the camp that he had just encountered.

וַיְצַ֤ו אֹתָם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֣ה תֹאמְר֔וּן לַֽאדֹנִ֖י לְעֵשָׂ֑ו כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ עַבְדְּךָ֣ יַעֲקֹ֔ב עִם־לָבָ֣ן גַּ֔רְתִּי וָאֵחַ֖ר עַד־עָֽתָּה׃

He commanded them, saying: So shall you say to my lord, to Esau: So says your servant Jacob: I have resided with Laban, and tarried until now. Since Jacob wanted the messengers to understand the complexity of his relationship with Esau, he described himself as a servant addressing his master.

וַֽיְהִי־לִי֙ שׁ֣וֹר וַחֲמ֔וֹר צֹ֖אן וְעֶ֣בֶד וְשִׁפְחָ֑ה וָֽאֶשְׁלְחָה֙ לְהַגִּ֣יד לַֽאדֹנִ֔י לִמְצֹא־חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃

I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, slaves, and maidservants. I have become financially secure since we last met, and I do not need your support. I can even offer you assistance, if you wish. And I have sent to tell my lord, so that I may find favor in your eyes, in the manner of loving brothers anticipating their reunion.

וַיָּשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֖ב לֵאמֹ֑ר בָּ֤אנוּ אֶל־אָחִ֙יךָ֙ אֶל־עֵשָׂ֔ו וְגַם֙ הֹלֵ֣ךְ לִקְרָֽאתְךָ֔ וְאַרְבַּע־מֵא֥וֹת אִ֖ישׁ עִמּֽוֹ׃

The messengers returned to Jacob, saying: We came to your brother, to Esau; moreover he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him. Since this was a large battalion, Jacob suspected that it was not merely a guard of honor. Esau did not respond directly to the petition brought by the messengers; they simply observed him heading in Jacob’s direction.

וַיִּירָ֧א יַעֲקֹ֛ב מְאֹ֖ד וַיֵּ֣צֶר ל֑וֹ וַיַּ֜חַץ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֗וֹ וְאֶת־הַצֹּ֧אן וְאֶת־הַבָּקָ֛ר וְהַגְּמַלִּ֖ים לִשְׁנֵ֥י מַחֲנֽוֹת׃

Faced with Esau’s clear numerical advantage, Jacob was very frightened of the prospect of bloodshed, and furthermore he was distressed, as he had nothing against Esau personally. Consequently, he prepared to defend himself and divided the people who were with him, including the slaves and maidservants, his comrades, and other people who had joined him due to his success in Haran, and the flocks, the cattle, and the camels, into two camps.

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אִם־יָב֥וֹא עֵשָׂ֛ו אֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶ֥ה הָאַחַ֖ת וְהִכָּ֑הוּ וְהָיָ֛ה הַמַּחֲנֶ֥ה הַנִּשְׁאָ֖ר לִפְלֵיטָֽה׃

He said to his traveling companions, or to himself: If Esau will come to wage war upon the one camp, and smite it, we may not be capable of defending ourselves; however, at least the remaining camp will escape; it will be spared.

וַיֹּאמֶר֮ יַעֲקֹב֒ אֱלֹהֵי֙ אָבִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם וֵאלֹהֵ֖י אָבִ֣י יִצְחָ֑ק יְהוָ֞ה הָאֹמֵ֣ר אֵלַ֗י שׁ֧וּב לְאַרְצְךָ֛ וּלְמוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וְאֵיטִ֥יבָה עִמָּֽךְ׃

Jacob then prayed, and said: God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, Lord, who says to me: Return to your land, and to the land of your birth, and I will benefit you. I turn to You now because You commanded me to return home.

קָטֹ֜נְתִּי מִכֹּ֤ל הַחֲסָדִים֙ וּמִכָּל־הָ֣אֱמֶ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתָ אֶת־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֣י בְמַקְלִ֗י עָבַ֙רְתִּי֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֣ן הַזֶּ֔ה וְעַתָּ֥ה הָיִ֖יתִי לִשְׁנֵ֥י מַחֲנֽוֹת׃

Despite the dangers he faces, Jacob begins his prayer with thanksgiving: I am unworthy of all the kindnesses and of all the truth that You have performed for Your servant; for with my staff alone I crossed this Jordan River when I fled from Canaan. I was by myself and I had nothing, and now I have become two camps. I am therefore grateful.

הַצִּילֵ֥נִי נָ֛א מִיַּ֥ד אָחִ֖י מִיַּ֣ד עֵשָׂ֑ו כִּֽי־יָרֵ֤א אָנֹכִי֙ אֹת֔וֹ פֶּן־יָב֣וֹא וְהִכַּ֔נִי אֵ֖ם עַל־בָּנִֽים׃

However, I am now in trouble: Deliver me please from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and smite me, mother and children alike. He is liable to kill all of us.

וְאַתָּ֣ה אָמַ֔רְתָּ הֵיטֵ֥ב אֵיטִ֖יב עִמָּ֑ךְ וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּח֣וֹל הַיָּ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יִסָּפֵ֖ר מֵרֹֽב׃

And You said in the vision of the ladder at Beit El: I will benefit you, and render your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be enumerated for multitude. You promised to shield me, and I am now in need of Your protection.

וַיָּ֥לֶן שָׁ֖ם בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֑וּא וַיִּקַּ֞ח מִן־הַבָּ֧א בְיָד֛וֹ מִנְחָ֖ה לְעֵשָׂ֥ו אָחִֽיו׃

He stayed there that night; he took from that which was in his possession a gift for Esau his brother:

עִזִּ֣ים מָאתַ֔יִם וּתְיָשִׁ֖ים עֶשְׂרִ֑ים רְחֵלִ֥ים מָאתַ֖יִם וְאֵילִ֥ים עֶשְׂרִֽים׃

Two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,

גְּמַלִּ֧ים מֵינִיק֛וֹת וּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם שְׁלֹשִׁ֑ים פָּר֤וֹת אַרְבָּעִים֙ וּפָרִ֣ים עֲשָׂרָ֔ה אֲתֹנֹ֣ת עֶשְׂרִ֔ים וַעְיָרִ֖ם עֲשָׂרָֽה׃

thirty nursing camels and their offspring, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. Of every species that Jacob sent, he included both males and females, so that they would be able to reproduce. This is also the reason for the various proportions between the males and females, as different ratios are more suitable for the reproduction of different animals. One can infer from the impressive size of the present that Jacob must have owned an enormous amount of livestock.

וַיִּתֵּן֙ בְּיַד־עֲבָדָ֔יו עֵ֥דֶר עֵ֖דֶר לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַ֤יֹּאמֶר אֶל־עֲבָדָיו֙ עִבְר֣וּ לְפָנַ֔י וְרֶ֣וַח תָּשִׂ֔ימוּ בֵּ֥ין עֵ֖דֶר וּבֵ֥ין עֵֽדֶר׃

He placed them in the charge of his servants, each drove by itself, handled by a different cattle herder. And he, Jacob, said to his servants: Go ahead of me, to reach my brother before me, and make space between one drove and the other drove. The gift was spread out so that it would appear even more impressive to Esau.

וַיְצַ֥ו אֶת־הָרִאשׁ֖וֹן לֵאמֹ֑ר כִּ֣י יִֽפְגָּשְׁךָ֞ עֵשָׂ֣ו אָחִ֗י וִשְׁאֵֽלְךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְמִי־אַ֙תָּה֙ וְאָ֣נָה תֵלֵ֔ךְ וּלְמִ֖י אֵ֥לֶּה לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃

He commanded the shepherd of the first herd, saying: When Esau my brother meets you, and asks you, saying: To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and whose are these animals before you?

וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ לְעַבְדְּךָ֣ לְיַעֲקֹ֔ב מִנְחָ֥ה הִוא֙ שְׁלוּחָ֔ה לַֽאדֹנִ֖י לְעֵשָׂ֑ו וְהִנֵּ֥ה גַם־ה֖וּא אַחֲרֵֽינוּ׃

You shall say: They are from your servant, Jacob; and as for this collection of animals, it is a gift sent to my lord, to Esau, and behold, he, Jacob, too, is behind us. He is sending you these gifts in anticipation of your meeting.

וַיְצַ֞ו גַּ֣ם אֶת־הַשֵּׁנִ֗י גַּ֚ם אֶת־הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י גַּ֚ם אֶת־כָּל־הַהֹ֣לְכִ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֥י הָעֲדָרִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר כַּדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ תְּדַבְּר֣וּן אֶל־עֵשָׂ֔ו בְּמֹצַאֲכֶ֖ם אֹתֽוֹ׃

He commanded also the second, and also the third, and also all that followed the droves, saying: In this manner shall you speak to Esau when you find him. You shall tell him that you are Jacob’s servants, and that this entire herd is a gift to his lord, Esau.

וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם גַּ֗ם הִנֵּ֛ה עַבְדְּךָ֥ יַעֲקֹ֖ב אַחֲרֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־אָמַ֞ר אֲכַפְּרָ֣ה פָנָ֗יו בַּמִּנְחָה֙ הַהֹלֶ֣כֶת לְפָנָ֔י וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן֙ אֶרְאֶ֣ה פָנָ֔יו אוּלַ֖י יִשָּׂ֥א פָנָֽי׃

You shall say: Moreover, here is your servant Jacob coming behind us to meet you. He is not running away, and there is no need to chase him. For he, Jacob, said to himself: I will appease him, Esau, with the gift that goes before me, and thereafter, when he has received the gift, I will see his face; perhaps he will favor me for what I have done for him.

וַתַּעֲבֹ֥ר הַמִּנְחָ֖ה עַל־פָּנָ֑יו וְה֛וּא לָ֥ן בַּלַּֽיְלָה־הַה֖וּא בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃

The gift went before him, Jacob, for his inspection; and he stayed that night in the camp.

וַיָּ֣קָם ׀ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה ה֗וּא וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־שְׁתֵּ֤י נָשָׁיו֙ וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּ֣י שִׁפְחֹתָ֔יו וְאֶת־אַחַ֥ד עָשָׂ֖ר יְלָדָ֑יו וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֔ר אֵ֖ת מַעֲבַ֥ר יַבֹּֽק׃

He, Jacob, arose during that night, after sending off the gifts, and he personally took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Yabok. 1 The exact location of the ford is unknown, but there is still a stream called Yabok in central present-day Jordan, nowadays also called the Zarqa River. The river, which is not deep, can be crossed by foot.

וַיִּקָּחֵ֔ם וַיַּֽעֲבִרֵ֖ם אֶת־הַנָּ֑חַל וַֽיַּעֲבֵ֖ר אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ׃

He took them, and brought them over the stream, and brought over that which he had in order to meet Esau south of the Yabok River. Obviously, Jacob did not cross the river with all his wives, children of different ages, and his belongings all at once. Instead, he made the crossing several times.

וַיִּוָּתֵ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֵּאָבֵ֥ק אִישׁ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ עַ֖ד עֲל֥וֹת הַשָּֽׁחַר׃

Eventually, after the entire camp had crossed, Jacob remained alone on the riverbank; and a mysterious, unnamed man wrestled with him until dawn.

וַיַּ֗רְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָכֹל֙ ל֔וֹ וַיִּגַּ֖ע בְּכַף־יְרֵכ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֙קַע֙ כַּף־יֶ֣רֶךְ יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּהֵֽאָבְק֖וֹ עִמּֽוֹ׃

He, the man, saw that he could not prevail against him, and therefore he touched, struck, Jacob and injured the joint of his thigh; and the joint of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated as he wrestled with him. Despite the great pain, Jacob remained standing and refused to be defeated.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שַׁלְּחֵ֔נִי כִּ֥י עָלָ֖ה הַשָּׁ֑חַר וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲשַֽׁלֵּחֲךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־בֵּרַכְתָּֽנִי׃

While the pair were grappling each other, he, the man, said: Release me, for the dawn has broken. I cannot remain here for I am a nocturnal being. Here the verse clearly indicates that the strange figure was a spiritual entity. Nevertheless, Jacob felt that he was capable of subduing him, and he said: I will not release you unless you bless me. Jacob demanded neither surrender nor apology, but submission, expressed in the form of a blessing. The stranger’s agreement to the request, and the bestowal of a blessing, would indicate his acceptance of Jacob.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו מַה־שְּׁמֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַעֲקֹֽב׃

He, the angel, said to him: What is your name? He said: Jacob. Had this been a normal conversation between people, Jacob presumably would have asked the figure why he attacked him if he was unaware of his identity. However, he understood that the angel knew his name, and his question was a ceremonial introduction to his blessing.

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֤א יַעֲקֹב֙ יֵאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ שִׁמְךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־שָׂרִ֧יתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִ֛ים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַתּוּכָֽל׃

He, the angel, said: No more shall Jacob be said to be your name; rather, you shall be called Israel; for you have striven [ sarita ] with God [ elohim ], an angel, a supernatural force, and with men, and you have prevailed.

וַיִּשְׁאַ֣ל יַעֲקֹ֗ב וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה תִּשְׁאַ֣ל לִשְׁמִ֑י וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֹת֖וֹ שָֽׁם׃

Jacob asked the angel and said: Tell me, please, your name, your essence or function. This request was not merely due to curiosity; rather, Jacob sought to clarify the meaning of the fight. Jacob did not know whether this angel represented Esau or his own alter-ego, and whether their confrontation was a trial from God or an actual threat from dark heavenly forces. He said: Why is it that you ask of my name? It is unnecessary for you to know my name. And he, the angel, blessed him there again.

וַיִּקְרָ֧א יַעֲקֹ֛ב שֵׁ֥ם הַמָּק֖וֹם פְּנִיאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־רָאִ֤יתִי אֱלֹהִים֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים וַתִּנָּצֵ֖ל נַפְשִֽׁי׃

Jacob named the place Peniel: For I have seen God face-to-face and my life was saved. Other people who saw angels expressed fear that they might perish. In the book of Judges, after Mano’ah and his wife encounter an angel, he says: “We will die, because we have seen God.” Jacob, by contrast, knew that his life had been spared despite knowing for certain that he had met an angel face-to-face.

וַיִּֽזְרַֽח־ל֣וֹ הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָבַ֖ר אֶת־פְּנוּאֵ֑ל וְה֥וּא צֹלֵ֖עַ עַל־יְרֵכֽוֹ׃

The angel left Jacob at daybreak. The sun then rose upon him as he passed Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh. Jacob was certainly shaken both by the encounter itself and from his injury.

עַל־כֵּ֡ן לֹֽא־יֹאכְל֨וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־גִּ֣יד הַנָּשֶׁ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־כַּ֣ף הַיָּרֵ֔ךְ עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֤י נָגַע֙ בְּכַף־יֶ֣רֶךְ יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּגִ֖יד הַנָּשֶֽׁה׃

At this juncture, the Torah inserts a legal statement: Therefore, the children of Israel do not eat the sciatic nerve, which is upon the joint of the thigh, the large nerve that extends along the entire thigh and leg all the way to the heel, to this day, because he touched the joint of Jacob’s thigh, at the sciatic nerve, a vulnerable area of the body. Due to Jacob’s injury, his descendants are prohibited from eating the sciatic nerve of animals throughout their generations.