[(Gen. 32:4 [3]:) THEN JACOB SENT MESSENGERS.¹ This text is related (to Prov. 25:26): A MUDDY SPRING, A POLLUTED SOURCE, IS A RIGHTEOUS PERSON WHO WAVERS BEFORE SOMEONE WICKED.², Gen. 1:3; Gen. R. 75:2. R. Judah b. R. Simon said: Just like a muddy spring and a polluted source, so it is when a righteous person wavers before someone wicked. Another interpretation: Just as it is possible for a spring to be muddy and a source to be polluted; so it is possible for a righteous person to waver before someone wicked. And who was this waverer ? This was Jacob when he came from Paddan-aram. What does he do ? He sends out and says to Esau (according to Gen. 32:5 [4]): THUS YOU SHALL SAY TO MY LORD ESAU…. Ergo (in vs. 3): THEN JACOB SENT MESSENGERS.

footnotes: ¹ The bracketed portion extends through the first words of the next section. ² Tanh.