‘And the messengers returned to Jacob saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and moreover he comes to meet you and four hundred men with him.” '
The fact that the messengers were allowed to return without a threatening reply should have assured him that Esau's intentions were not evil. And indeed had they been so Esau and his men would have arrived first. The only purpose then in allowing the messengers to return first would have been to tell Jacob what would happen to him. Esau necessarily comes accompanied by his men. He wants his brother to know that he is powerful and respected. But there is nothing like a guilty conscience for distorting the facts. What is natural behaviour takes on an ominous significance for Jacob.
“Four hundred men.” A round number meaning a goodly company. The ‘four' may indicate that Esau's men are seen as being outside the covenant community. (Compare on the four kings in Genesis 14).