Or HaChaim on Genesis 32:21/אור החיים על בראשית ל״ב:כ״א

1 ואמרתם גם הנה עבדך יעקב אחרנו, you will say: "your servant Jacob is also following behind us." The messengers explained why Jacob neither preceded nor accompanied them. The reason was simply that Jacob wanted to appease Esau's anger so that the latter would receive him in a good frame of mind.