What Does Genesis 32:23 Mean in the King James?

And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.

Genesis 32:23 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

The repeated Hebrew root means Jacob causes his people to cross, then causes everything he has to cross after them.

THE MEANING

The passage speaks to the lived work of crossing: the people go over the brook, and what belongs to Jacob crosses too. The same root binds both movements, holding the people and what accompanies them within one passage.

THE ROOT

וַיַּעֲבִרֵם

wayyaʿăvîrēm

GROWS FROM

עָבַר

ʿāvar

to cross over, pass through

“sent them over / sent over” in this verse is wayyaʿăvîrēm. The same three-letter root appears twice: Jacob causes the people to cross, then causes all he has to cross. English “sent” keeps the action, while the Hebrew repetition makes both movements one crossing over a threshold.

ALSO GROWS

ʿēver: the other side; what is beyond

עֵבֶר

The noun gives the root’s movement a destination: crossing means arriving on the far side.

maʿăbār: a passage or crossing-place

מַעֲבָר

This branch names the route across, making the brook a threshold the people and possessions pass through together.

THE PATTERN

A crossing carries people or whole communities through a threshold, and can name movement between states as well as places.

And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

Joshua 3:17 · KJVThe Hebrew root ⁨עָבַר⁩ (ʿāvar, “cross over”) names the community’s movement over Jordan, extending the crossing from Jacob’s household to an entire people.

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Isaiah 43:2 · KJVThe same Hebrew root ⁨עָבַר⁩ (ʿāvar, “cross over”) describes passing through waters; the threshold remains real, and the movement carries through it.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 5:24 · KJVThe Greek verb ⁨μεταβέβηκεν⁩ (metabebēken, “has crossed over”) makes the movement from death to life a crossing between states.

THE THREAD

Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.

Exodus 15:16 · KJV

The song uses the same root ⁨עָבַר⁩ (ʿāvar, “cross over”) for a people moving through a boundary. Genesis uses its causative form as Jacob brings his people and possessions across; Exodus sings of an entire people passing over.

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