16. He separated these herds and gave them to his servants. He said to them, "Go ahead of me and put some distance between each of the herds."
17. He ordered the first group, "When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, ‘Who are you with? Where are you going? And whose herds are these in front of you?’
18. say, ‘They are your servant Jacob’s, a gift sent to my master Esau. And Jacob is actually right behind us.’"
19. He also ordered the second group, the third group, and everybody following the herds, "Say exactly the same thing to Esau when you find him.
20. Say also, ‘Your servant Jacob is right behind us.’" Jacob thought, I may be able to pacify Esau with the gift I’m sending ahead. When I meet him, perhaps he will be kind to me.
21. So Jacob sent the gift ahead of him, but he spent that night in the camp.
22. Jacob got up during the night, took his two wives, his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the Jabbok River’s shallow water.
23. He took them and everything that belonged to him, and he helped them cross the river.