And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:
Jacob gave his messengers specific instructions, saying, 'This is what you should say to my master Esau: Your servant Jacob says, I have been living with Laban and have stayed there all this time.'
Jacob is humbly reaching out to his brother Esau through messengers, calling himself Esau's servant and explaining where he's been all these years.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs as Jacob is returning to his homeland after twenty years of living with his uncle Laban in Paddan-aram. Jacob had fled there originally after deceiving his father Isaac and stealing Esau's blessing, fearing his brother's anger. Now he's approaching the land where Esau lives, uncertain of how his brother will receive him after all these years.
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