It has been at least twenty years since Jacob last saw Esau. Time heals all wounds, so the saying goes. Sometimes time intensifies wounds. Jacob is far from believing that with Esau all is forgotten and forgiven. To that end he makes preparations to meet Esau, with fear and trepidation (32:1–21). The skeletons in Jacob’s closet are now coming out. Jacob moves from crisis to crisis, from hot water to hot water. Laban confronted him in chapter 31, and now he is about to meet Esau. Jacob is as diplomatic as possible. He identifies himself, through his messengers, as “your servant” (32:4, not “your brother”), and he refers to Esau as “my lord” (32:5). Terrified to learn that Esau has four hundred men with him, Jacob divides his entourage into two, breathes a quick prayer, and prepares a lavis…