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Genesis 32

1And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

2And Jacob said when he saw them, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

1And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

2And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

Commentary · verses 1-2

"Mahanaim" meant "two camps."

3And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the field of Edom.

3And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

Commentary · verse 3

Jacob saw God's angels and was ready to see Esau.

4And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye say unto my lord Esau: Thus saith thy servant Jacob, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now: 5and I have oxen, and asses, and flocks, and men-servants, and maid-servants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in thy sight.

4And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:

5And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

Commentary · verses 4-5

Jacob sent the angels to Esau with a message.

6And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and moreover he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

7Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed: and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two companies; 8and he said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the company which is left shall escape.

6And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

7Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;

8And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.

Commentary · verses 6-8

Jacob was afraid Esau would attack him. Jacob came up with a plan to save half of the people and possessions.

9And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, O Jehovah, who saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will do thee good: 10I am not worthy of the least of all the lovingkindnesses, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two companies.

11Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he come and smite me, the mother with the children.

12And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

9And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:

10I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

11Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.

12And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

Commentary · verses 9-12

Jacob reestablished his vow to God.

13And he lodged there that night, and took of that which he had with him a present for Esau his brother: 14two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15thirty milch camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and ten foals.

16And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.

13And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;

14Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,

15Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.

16And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.

Commentary · verses 13-16

Jacob prepared a gift for Esau.

17And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?

18then thou shalt say, They are thy servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, he also is behind us.

19And he commanded also the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him; 20and ye shall say, Moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept me.

17And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?

18Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.

19And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.

20And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

Commentary · verses 17-20

Jacob did not present the entire gift at once. He presented it in waves to soften up Esau.

21So the present passed over before him: and he himself lodged that night in the company.

22And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two handmaids, and his eleven children, and passed over the ford of the Jabbok.

23And he took them, and sent them over the stream, and sent over that which he had.

24And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

21So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.

22And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.

23And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.

24And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

Commentary · verses 21-24

Jacob made sure everyone was protected, then wrestled with an angel. Angels take a physical form.

25And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was strained, as he wrestled with him.

26And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

27And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

28And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

25And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

26And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

27And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

28And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

Commentary · verses 25-28

Jacob's name was changed to Israel because he had striven with God and with men and he prevailed. "Israel" meant "God prevails." Notice, Abram's name was changed, but Isaac's was not. Also, God changing a person's name allowed God to view the person as separate from the previous person:

  • Abram was the one who tried to accomplish God's Covenant in his own strength. Abraham was the one who began the everlasting Covenant with God.
  • Isaac was the one offered as a sacrifice to God. Apparently, God did not want to stop seeing Isaac as that person.
  • God wanted to see Israel as the person who humbled himself and handled Justice well and different than the person who supplanted. For example, during the prophetic sections of the Bible, God used the name "Jacob" to refer to the sinful nation and the name "Israel" to refer to the righteous nation.

29And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

30And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for, said he, I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

29And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

30And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

Commentary · verses 29-30

"Peniel" meant "facing God."

31And the sun rose upon him as he passed over Penuel, and he limped upon his thigh.

32Therefore the children of Israel eat not the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew of the hip.

31And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

32Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew that shrank.

Commentary · verses 31-32

The "sinew of the hip" was the nerve that fastens the thigh bone in its socket.

Commentary · verse 32

Did the angel not give his name because he had to injure Jacob during the match?

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