¹⁷ Jacob gave them their orders. To the servant with the first group of animals he said, “My brother Esau will come to you and ask, ‘·Whose servant are you [^LTo whom do you belong]? Where are you going and whose ·animals are these [^Lare these ahead of you]?’ ¹⁸ Then you will answer, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. He sent them as a ·gift [or tribute] to you, my ·master [lord] Esau, and he also is coming behind us.’ ”

¹⁹ Jacob ordered the second servant, the third servant, and all the ·other servants [^Lothers who followed the droves of animals] to do the same thing. He said, “Say the same thing to Esau when you meet him.