Genesis 32:3

 Genesis 32:3

And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

a. ASV: And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the field of Edom.  [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT:  And Jacob sendeth messengers before him unto Esau his brother, towards the land of Seir, the field of Edom,  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. NLT:  Then Jacob sent messengers ahead to his brother, Esau, who was living in the region of Seir in the land of Edom.  [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

e. Stone Edition THE CHUMASH, Rabbinic Commentary: Genesis 32:3 in our Bible is Genesis 32:4 in the Jewish Translation; Then Jacob sent angels ahead of him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the field of Edom.  [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]

1. “And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.’

a.  [And] Jacob [Strong: 3290 Yaʻăqôb, yah-ak-obe'; from H6117; heel-catcher (i.e. supplanter); Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch:—Jacob.]

b. sent [Strong: 7971 shâlach, shaw-lakh'; a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications):—× any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, × earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).]

c. messengers [Strong: 4397 mălʼâk, mal-awk'; from an unused root meaning to despatch as a deputy; a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher):—ambassador, angel, king, messenger.]

1). Same Hebrew word as “angels” in Genesis 32:1. Rabbanic teaching on this declares the messengers [Our English translations] were the angels of Genesis 32:1.

a). Stone Edition THE CHUMASH, Rabbinic Commentary: Genesis 32:3 in our Bible is Genesis 32:4 in the Jewish Translation; Then Jacob sent angels ahead of him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the field of Edom.

b). Stone Edition THE CHUMASH, Rabbinic Commentary: (Rashi) He sent real angels in order to impress and terrify esau. This teaches that righteous people are greater than angels, for when Jacob had need of emissaries, he had the right to summon angels to do his bidding (Tanchuma)...According to another view in the Midrash and the commentators, Jacob’s emissaries were human.  

2). Josephus says that Jacob sent “messengers”, and does not distinguish them as angels. 

3). The Israel Bible says Jacob sent “messengers” and does not distinguish them as angels.

d. before [him] [Strong: 6440 pânîym, paw-neem'; plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה pâneh; from H6437); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.):— accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, × as (long as), at, battle, because (of), beseech, countenance, edge, employ, endure, enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, × him(-self), honourable, impudent, in, it, look(-eth) (-s), × me, meet, × more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), × on, open, out of, over against, the partial, person, please, presence, prospect, was purposed, by reason of, regard, right forth, serve, × shewbread, sight, state, straight, street, × thee, × them(-selves), through ( -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), upon, upside ( down), with(-in, -stand), × ye, × you.]

e. to [Strong: 413 ʼêl, ale; (but only used in the shortened constructive form אֶל ʼel ); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or among; often in general, to:—about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, × hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).]

f. Esau [Strong: 6215 ʻÊsâv, ay-sawv'; apparently a form of the passive participle of H6213 in the original sense of handling; rough (i.e. sensibly felt); Esav, a son of Isaac, including his posterity:—Esau.]

g. [his] brother [Strong: 251 ʼâch, awkh; a primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance [like H1]):—another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other.]

h. [unto the] land [Strong: 776 ʼerets, eh'-rets; from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):—× common, country, earth, field, ground, land, × natins, way, + wilderness, world.]

i. [of] Sier [Strong: 8165 Sêʻîyr, say-eer'; formed like H8163; rough; Seir, a mountain of Idumaea and its aboriginal occupants, also one in Palestine:—Seir.]

j. [the] country [Strong: 7704 sâdeh, saw-deh'; or שָׂדַי sâday; from an unused root meaning to spread out; a field (as flat):—country, field, ground, land, soil, × wild.]

k. [of] Edom [Strong: 123 ʼĔdôm, ed-ome'; or (fully) אֱדוֹם ʼĔdôwm ; from H122; red (see Genesis 25:25); Edom, the elder twin-brother of Jacob; hence the region (Idumaea) occupied by him:—Edom, Edomites, Idumea.]