This provides the servants with the replies they are to give Esau.

They belong to your servant Jacob: your servant Jacob is the same as used in the first message taken to Esau in Gen 32.4.

They are a present sent to my lord Esau: for present see the term used in verse 13. My lord repeats what was used in verse 5, and contrasts Jacob as servant with Esau as lord.

And moreover he is behind us: moreover translates the Hebrew hinneh, usually translated “behold,” which here introduces an unexpected bit of news for Esau. Is behind must often be rendered “is coming behind us” or “is on his way here.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .