Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,
The verse belongs to the account of Jacob's return to his homeland after twenty years away, returning by God's command with his wives and children and flocks and herds. The chapter connects with his remorse over deceiving his father and his remembrance of God's favor and promises of help and guidance. He was troubled by his brother's possible claim to their father's wealth and desire for revenge when he learned at the border that Esau was approaching with a band of warriors, four hundred men, bent on revenge, while his own company was unarmed and defenseless and seemed about to fall as helpless victims.
The verse gives part of the large, substantial, generous gift of livestock he prepared and sent for Esau in preparation for meeting him, namely two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams. The gift was what Jacob did on his own part to atone and make amends for his wrong to Esau and to avert the threatened danger; with anxiety and fear he felt the crushing weight of self-reproach because his own sin had brought the danger, his only hope was in the mercy of God and his only defense was prayer, yet he left nothing undone to make amends to his brother. He told Esau that he possessed livestock and servants to show that he was not returning as a destitute wanderer to claim their father's inheritance.
Jacob represents believers and Esau represents unbelievers, so Jacob's trouble is a pattern for a similar crisis of future distress for the saints during the closing conflict with the image beast. In the same way, the followers of Christ as they approach the time of trouble must make every exertion to place themselves in a proper light before the people, to disarm prejudice, and to avert the danger threatening liberty of conscience.
The verse belongs to the account of Jacob's return to his homeland after twenty years away, returning by God's command with his wives and children and flocks and herds. The chapter connects with his remorse over deceiving his father and his remembrance of God's favor and promises of help and guidance. He was troubled by his brother's possible claim to their father's wealth and desire for revenge when he learned at the border that Esau was approaching with a band of warriors, four hundred men, bent on revenge, while his own company was unarmed and defenseless and seemed about to fall as helpless victims.
The verse gives part of the large, substantial, generous gift of livestock he prepared and sent for Esau in preparation for meeting him, namely two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams. The gift was what Jacob did on his own part to atone and make amends for his wrong to Esau and to avert the threatened danger; with anxiety and fear he felt the crushing weight of self-reproach because his own sin had brought the danger, his only hope was in the mercy of God and his only defense was prayer, yet he left nothing undone to make amends to his brother. He told Esau that he possessed livestock and servants to show that he was not returning as a destitute wanderer to claim their father's inheritance.
Jacob represents believers and Esau represents unbelievers, so Jacob's trouble is a pattern for a similar crisis of future distress for the saints during the closing conflict with the image beast. In the same way, the followers of Christ as they approach the time of trouble must make every exertion to place themselves in a proper light before the people, to disarm prejudice, and to avert the danger threatening liberty of conscience.