‘And he stayed there that night and took from what he had with him a present for Esau his brother. Two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred yews and twenty rams, thirty milch camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty she-asses (or donkeys) and ten foals.'
The giving of a gift to honour someone important was a regular custom of the time (compare 43:11) and its acceptance would indicate a willingness to treat peacefully.
The present was munificent. Again the numbers are round numbers indicating approximate quantity, although he may have numbered them exactly. But exact counting was not a feature of the times except among learned men and men of business and is therefore unlikely. It is noteworthy that of the camels and donkeys he does not provide males (except possibly as colts and foals). This may indicate that he had few of them, and those for breeding. This is evidence of the accuracy and genuineness of the narrative.