Seder 31: Gen 32-33---Jacob Faces God and His Brother

 Having reached the borders of Canaan on his journey home, Jacob sent  messengers to his brother Esau.  It was time to take care of some unfinished business, and there were two relationships that required his attention---his relationships with Esau and with God.

In his message to Esau he adopted a humble, subservient position, reversing the roles suggested in the blessing he had received (Gen 27:29,37).  Jacob's message concludes:  "I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight (Gen 32:4).

When Jacob's messengers returned, they announced that Esau was coming, accompanied by 400 men.  What were his intentions?  Jacob feared that Esau intended to kill him and his family.  

At this point, Jacob did not have a plan to cover the danger he faced.  The man who had always relied on his wits had reached the limits of his self-sufficiency.  He turned to God in prayer, admitting his own shortcomings and fear and reminding God of the promises He had made (vv 9-12).

As Jacob prepared for Esau's arrival, God set up a test for Jacob, sending "a man" to wrestle with Jacob (vv 24-30).  The struggle, which was at least as much spiritual as physical, continued all night, with Jacob not letting go until he had received a blessing.

Jacob received a new name---Israel, one who strives with God.  Jacob had been a "heel-grabber" or deceiver.  Now he was a prevailer or overcomer.

Hosea would later write about Jacob, "In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God.  He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor." (Hos 12:4-5).

In a sermon at Church of Messiah on Nov 7, 2020, Kyle Kettering spoke on the meaning of Jacob's wrestling match.  

When Jacob and Esau met, it seemed that Jacob's fears were unfounded.  The two embraced in a joyful reunion (Gen 33:4).  Jacob approached Esau humbly, implying an apology, and convinced Esau to accept a lavish gift.  

The two were apparently reconciled, but Jacob did not seem eager to spend more time than necessary with Esau.  He denied Esau's offer of an escort and did not follow Esau back to Seir as he had indicated he would (vv 12-17).

The ambiguity in the reunion has led to lots of speculation over the centuries.  In rabbinic tradition, some sages believed that Jacob and Esau were truly reconciled.  Others, perhaps reading some of the later hostility between Israelites and Edomites back into history, were not so sure.  One midrash, noting the similarity between the Hebrew words for "kiss" and "bite", proposed that Esau actually tried to bite Jacob in the neck in Gen 33:4, but that God had turned Jacob's neck into stone at that instant.  In this midrash, "Esau wept because of his teeth, Jacob because of his neck."