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.

2. When Jacob had made these appointments all the day, and night came
on, he moved on with his company; and, as they were gone over a certain
river called Jabboc, Jacob was left behind; and meeting with an angel,
he wrestled with him, the