The Genesis Project
Genesis 32

The Flock are Last

121 words · January 6, 2026

וַֽיְהִי־לִי֙ שׁ֣וֹר וַחֲמ֔וֹר צֹ֖אן וְעֶ֣בֶד וְשִׁפְחָ֑ה וָֽאֶשְׁלְחָה֙ לְהַגִּ֣יד לַֽאדֹנִ֔י לִמְצֹא־חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃

I have acquired cattle, asses, sheep, and male and female slaves; and I send this message to my lord in the hope of gaining your favor.’”
Genesis 32:6 (5) (The Contemporary Torah, JPS 2006)

The rabbis note that Jacob describes the animals in a strange order: cattle, asses, and then flock. Flock often is a mix of sheep and goats, and they are almost always listed first, as they have great importance in the Torah. But they're listed last here.

They suggest that Jacob may be trying to draw attention away from the flock, as his last wounding of his brother involved the flock specifically. Goat hair, goat soup, etc.

Esau Jacob guilt sheep

All tags

Quiet dispatches.

New releases, events, and reflections from the press, sent only when there is something to say.