Yaakov's Dividing of his Camp/1
Yaakov's Dividing of his Camp
Introduction
Conflicting Divisions
Bereshit 32 describes Yaakov's preparations for his encounter with Esav. After hearing that his brother is approaching with 400 men, Yaakov is filled with fear and decides to split his camp into two:
(ח) וַיִּירָא יַעֲקֹב מְאֹד וַיֵּצֶר לוֹ וַיַּחַץ אֶת הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ וְאֶת הַצֹּאן וְאֶת הַבָּקָר וְהַגְּמַלִּים לִשְׁנֵי מַחֲנוֹת. (ט) וַיֹּאמֶר אִם יָבוֹא עֵשָׂו אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה הָאַחַת וְהִכָּהוּ וְהָיָה הַמַּחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָה.
(8) Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed. And he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two camps. (9) And he said: 'If Esau come to the one camp, and smite it, then the camp which is left shall escape.'
Surprisingly, though, shortly thereafter, when Esav approaches at the beginning of Chapter 33, we read about another division (using the same word "וַיַּחַץ"), this time into three groups:
(א) וַיִּשָּׂא יַעֲקֹב עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה עֵשָׂו בָּא וְעִמּוֹ אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ וַיַּחַץ אֶת הַיְלָדִים עַל לֵאָה וְעַל רָחֵל וְעַל שְׁתֵּי הַשְּׁפָחוֹת. (ב) וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת הַשְּׁפָחוֹת וְאֶת יַלְדֵיהֶן רִאשֹׁנָה וְאֶת לֵאָה וִילָדֶיהָ אַחֲרֹנִים וְאֶת רָחֵל וְאֶת יוֹסֵף אַחֲרֹנִים.
What is the relationship between Yaakov's two different acts of dividing his camp – are they for similar or completely different purposes? Additionally, from the latter verses, it sounds as if Yaakov's entire camp is waiting together in one location to meet Esav, and it is simply a question of the order in which to arrange them. But, if so, what happened to the original two-camp plan?
Who and Why?
While the latter verses specify that it was Yaakov's wives and children who were divided up, there is some ambiguity in the words "וַיַּחַץ אֶת הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ" of the earlier division. Does the word "הָעָם" include Yaakov's family or merely his entourage? Did Yaakov split his family and possessions evenly between the two original camps, did he place his wives and children in one camp and his property in the other, or was his family in an entirely separate third camp? These various options bear on the objective of Yaakov's plan. Was Yaakov preparing for fight or flight? What does he mean when he says "וְהָיָה הַמַּחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָה" – does this phrase refer to survival by being victorious in battle or to survival by escaping before Esav arrives?
Additional Questions
In order to fully understand Yaakov' plan, one must also take into account his other actions in the chapter, especially as they bear on his relationship with Esav:
- Sending to Seir – If Yaakov was so afraid of an encounter with Esav, why did he send messengers to him in Seir in the first place? Could he not have simply headed directly back to his father in Chevron and completely avoided an encounter with Esav?
- Prayer – After splitting his camp, Yaakov prays to Hashem but receives no immediate answer or reassurance that all will end well. Why does Hashem not respond to Yaakov's prayer? What does this suggest about how Hashem viewed Yaakov's preparations for the meeting?
- Present –
- Crossing the Yabbok
