Joseph and Issachar as Ox and Donkey and the Bribe That Blinds Edom

Another interpretation: "And I have ox and donkey" (Genesis 32:6). "Ox" is Joseph, as it is written, "His firstling ox, majesty is his" (Deuteronomy 33:17). "Donkey" is Issachar, as it is written, "Issachar is a strong-boned donkey" (Genesis 49:14). And the grandson of Joseph stands to destroy Amalek, as it is written, "And Joshua weakened" Amalek and his people (Exodus 17:13). And the sons of Issachar know what the Holy One, blessed be He, does in His world, as it is said, "And of the children of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times" (I Chronicles 12:33). "And flock" refers to Israel, as it is said, "And you are My flock" (Ezekiel 34:31). "And servant" is David, as it is said, "I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant" (Psalms 116:16). "And maidservant" is Abigail, as it is said, "Behold, your maidservant is a servant" (I Samuel 25:41). In that hour those messengers went and saw Esau, that armed warriors were with him. "And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to your brother, to Esau" (Genesis 32:7): you treat him as a brother, but he treats you like Esau. "And he is also coming to meet you, and four hundred men with him": Resh Lakish said, "with him" means like him; just as he is set over four hundred men, so each of them is set over four hundred men. "With him": Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said, four hundred crown-binders were with him. And some say, four hundred officers were with him. Rabbi Yannai says, four hundred troop-commanders were with him. (Genesis 32:8-10) Rabbi Levi said: he went and took a tax-document from Egypt. He said, if I can prevail over him, well and good; and if not, I will say to him, "Bring the toll," and from within that I will rise against him and kill him. When they told Jacob all that grandeur, he was afraid of him, and he was dividing his children and his wives into two camps, as it is said, "And Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed" (Genesis 32:8). In that hour Jacob stood in prayer before the Holy One, blessed be He. He said before Him: Master of the universe, You wrote in Your Torah, "And whether it be an ox or a sheep, you shall not slaughter it and its young in one day" (Leviticus 22:28). And if this wicked one comes and destroys my children and their mother together, the scroll of Torah that You are destined to give at Mount Sinai, who will read it? I beg of You, deliver me from his hand, that he not come and strike me, mother together with children, as it is said, "Deliver me, I pray" (Genesis 32:12). What did Jacob do? Immediately he sent him a gift to blind his eyes, as it is said, "For the bribe blinds the eyes of the wise" (Deuteronomy 16:19); and "the wise" here means none other than Edom, as it is said, "And I will destroy the wise out of Edom" (Obadiah 1:8).