BRAGADAYJAH 111

May it be supposed that Esau was playing a little mind game with his brother Jacob? The messengers of his brother had gone to him and conveyed to him Jacob’s message of peace and humility. But clearly Esau did not give them any message to give to Jacob which would indicate his intentions towards him, except to say to them, I and my army are on our way to meet my brother. On the other hand it may be suggested that up to that point, Esau was still bent on revenge against his brother. Clearly then Jacob with his scraggly little flock would have been scared to death of his brother. If that was Esau’s intention, it worked; for Jacob was indeed scared to death. So distressed he was that he divided his company into two groups, reasoning that if Esau attacked one group, the other may have a chance to escape. So having made his plan of how he might avoid been completely destroyed, he turned to God in prayer. “O God of my father, Abraham and of my father Isaac, you told me to return unto my country and to my kindred and you would deal well with me. I am not worthy of the least of all your mercy and truth which you have showed unto me. With your staff I was able to pass over the Jordon; and now I have become two groups. Deliver me please God from the hand of my brother Esau for I fear he will come and kill me and my whole family. I remember Lord, God that you did promise to be good to me, and to multiply my seed after me; and so now Lord, this is the moment of truth. This is the hour that I need you to show me that I can trust you.” Having prayed to God and reminded Him of His promises towards him, Jacob could do no more than wait. In the meantime, one could aver, out of abundant caution, Jacob gathered out of his flock, some choice animals as a gift for his brother. He then sent one of his servants forward with the gift, and instructed him that when he met with Esau and he enquired of him about the ownership of the livestock, he should inform him that the animals were a gift sent from his brother Jacob to him. Clearly Jacob had a lot of livestock, since he was able to also form a second and a third and subsequent groups of gift bearers all of whom were instructed to respond to Esau the same way; while Jacob himself following up at the very rear of his company. Jacob’s thinking was that if his brother Esau accepted all the groups of gifts he was presenting to him up front, he would, when he finally came face to face with him, have forgotten their differences and make up. More.