16. He delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, "Pass on before me, and put a space between droves."
17. He commanded the one in front, saying, "When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, saying, 'To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and to whom do these animals in front of you belong?'
18. then you shall say, 'These belong to your servant Jacob; it is a present sent to my lord Esau. And behold, he also is behind us.'"
19. Then he commanded also the second and the third, and all those who followed the droves, saying, "After this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him;
20. and you shall say, 'Behold, your servant Jacob also is behind us.'" For he said, "I will appease him with the present that goes before me. Then afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me."
21. So the present passed on before him, while he himself spent that night in the camp.
22. Now he arose that same night and took his two wives and his two maids and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
23. He took them and sent them across the stream. And he sent across whatever he had.
24. Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.