Genesis 32:16
And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove. And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.
The verse belongs to Jacob's preparations for meeting Esau after returning from exile at God's command with his wives, children, flocks and herds, after years of exile for deceiving his father to secure Esau's blessing. Esau was approaching with four hundred armed men, and his coming threatened the safety of Jacob's unarmed and helpless company and Jacob's claim to the family wealth, leaving Jacob's only hope and defense in the mercy of God through prayer. In the verse Jacob sends his servants on ahead of him with generous gifts from his flocks, arranged as separate droves with space between drove and drove, accompanied by a friendly message to make amends for his wrong to his brother and to avert the threatened danger. With the same purpose Jacob also divided his company into two bands so that one might escape if the other were attacked, while pleading with God for protection. The verse teaches that practical effort must accompany prayer.
Jacob stands as a figure of believers and Esau as a figure of unbelievers, and Jacob's distress at Esau's approach foreshadows the fear and distress believers will face in the final conflict over worship of the image of the beast. As they approach the time of trouble, the followers of Christ must likewise make every exertion to place themselves in a proper light before the people, to disarm prejudice, and to avert the danger that threatens liberty of conscience.