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[325]
NOW as Jacob was proceeding on his journey to the land of Canaan,
angels appeared to him, and suggested to him good hope of his future condition;
and that place he named the Camp of God. And being desirous of knowing
what his brother's intentions were to him, he sent messengers, to give
him an exact account of every thing, as being afraid, on account of the
enmities between them. He charged those that were sent, to say to Esau,
"Jacob had thought it wrong to live together with him while he was
in anger against him, and so had gone out of the country; and that he now,
thinking the length of time of his absence must have made up their differences,
was returning; that he brought with him his wives, and his children, with
what possessions he had gotten; and delivered himself, with what was most
dear to him, into his hands; and should think it his greatest happiness
to partake together with his brother of what God had bestowed upon him."
So these messengers told him this message. Upon which Esau was very glad,
and met his brother with four hundred men. And Jacob, when he heard that
he was coming to meet him with such a number of men, was greatly afraid:
however, he committed his hope of deliverance to God; and considered how,
in his present circumstances, he might preserve himself and those that
were with him, and overcome his enemies if they attacked him injuriously.
He therefore distributed his company into parts; some he sent before the
rest, and the others he ordered to come close behind, that so, if the first
were overpowered when his brother attacked them, they might have those
that followed as a refuge to fly unto. And when he had put his company
in this order, he sent some of them to carry presents to his brother. The
presents were made up of cattle, and a great number of four-footed beasts,
of many kinds, such as would be very acceptable to those that received
them, on account of their rarity. Those who were sent went at certain intervals
of space asunder, that, by following thick, one after another, they might
appear to be more numerous, that Esau might remit of his anger on account
of these presents, if he were still in a passion. Instructions were also
given to those that were sent to speak gently to him.
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