Prayer changes things. Prayer changes the hearts of men. The prayers of men matter! What changed Esau’s heart? I am convinced that it was prayer, because, when he wrestled with Jacob, the Lord as much as told him that his prayer had been answered (Genesis 32:28). Yet, how should we understand the power of God turning Esau’s heart? Did he simply change him, as though it were a spell that he put on him, or was it something else? More often than not, the works of God are done through men. Perhaps a trusted advisor to Esau recommended that he didn’t slay his brother, but, instead, wait to see Jacob’s heart. It may be that his absence of twenty years has made Jacob an ally. Perhaps, it was the abundance of gifts that Jacob sent his brother that changed Esau’s heart. Perhaps, it was a combination of the two, advice from a trusted friend/servant, and Jacob’s present. The text doesn’t say, but it seems that we can be assured that Esau did have an evil intent in mind, when he came to meet his brother with 400 men. The question, therefore, would be, at what point before that meeting, did Esau have a change of heart, and why? The only clear implication is that Jacob prayed (Genesis 32:9-12), and the Lord granted his request (Genesis 32:28).
When Jacob looked up in the morning, he was able to see Esau’s approach with his 400 men, and with them was his present. So, it seems that, if nothing else, Jacob’s present slowed down Esau’s journey to see his brother. Originally, Jacob had sent his messengers on a journey of about 100 miles to announce to his brother, Esau, at Seir that he had returned to the Land of Canaan (Genesis 32:3, 6). Assuming that both Jacob’s messengers and Esau and his men traveled by horses or camels, we have reason to believe that Esau told Jacob’s messengers that he would come to meet his brother with 400 men, before he had gathered the men together. Otherwise, how did the messengers arrive at Mahanaim, where Jacob had camped, a full day prior to the arrival of Esau and his men?
The delay of a day permitted Jacob to arrange his family in a manner that would help insure the survival of some, at least this was Jacob’s hope, if, indeed, the Lord’s answer to his prayer involved the loss of some. Therefore, he placed his family on the other side of the brook, Jabbok (Genesis 32:22), arranging the handmaids, Bilhah and Zilpah and their children, first, then Leah and her children, and finally Rachel and Joseph (Genesis 33:1-2).
As Esau drew near, Jacob passed over the brook alone to meet him, bowing seven times before him, as a token of respect toward his elder brother, which was a custom of the eastern people to honor the superior authority (Genesis 33:3).[1]
For Esau’s part, he ran to meet his brother and embraced him. Both men were overcome with emotion kissing and weeping on one another’s necks (Genesis 33:4), which was another custom of men in the east, who welcomed someone they hadn’t seen in a long time (cp Genesis 45:14). The punctuation of the Masoretic text regards Esau’s emotions as suspicious,[2] but there doesn’t seem to be any evidence for such an opinion. In other words, the Lord’s answer to Jacob’s prayer was completely trustworthy. Esau’s heart had changed toward his brother. There is no evidence in the text that Esau put off or delayed his intention to slay Jacob for a later time. Why would he do that? This was the most opportune time to exercise his wrath and gain his revenge, if that’s what was in his heart. Prayer truly changes things, even the hardest of hearts.
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[1] According to the “Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges,” a letter from a Canaanite king to Pharaoh of Egypt reads: “At the feet of the king, my lord, seven times and seven times do I fall.” See the Tel-el-Amarna Tablets.
[2] See Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament at Genesis 33:1-4.
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