Genesis 32:1 Kommentar

We have here Jacob still upon his journey towards Canaan. Never did so many memorable things occur in any march as in this of Jacob's little family. By the way he meets, I. With good tidings from his God (Gen 32:1, Gen 32:2). II. With bad tidings from his brother, to whom he sent a message to notify his return (Gen 32:3-6). In his distress, 1. He divides his company (Gen 32:7, Gen 32:8). 2. He makes his prayer to God (Gen 32:9-12). 3. He sends a present to his brother (Gen 32:13-23). 4. He wrestles with the angel (Gen 32:24-32).

Jacob, having got clear of Laban, pursues his journey homewards towards Canaan: when God has helped us through difficulties we should go on our way heaven-ward with so much the more cheerfulness and resolution. Now, 1. Here is Jacob's convoy in his journey (Gen 32:1): The angels of God met him, in a visible appearance, whether in a vision by da or in a dream by night, as when he saw them upon the ladder (Gen 28:12), is uncertain. Note, Those that keep in a good way have always a good guard; angels themselves are ministering spirits for their safety, Heb 1:14. Where Jacob pitched his tents, they pitched theirs about him, Psa 34:7. They met him, to bid him welcome to Canaan again; a more honourable reception this was than ever any prince had, that was met by the magistrates of a city in their formalities. They met him to congratulate him on his arrival, as well as on his escape from Laban; for they have pleasure in the prosperity of God's servants. They had invisibly attended him all along, but now they appeared to him, because he had greater dangers before him than those he had hitherto encountered. Note, When God designs his people for extraordinary trials, he prepares them by extraordinary comforts. We should think it had been more seasonable for these angels to have appeared to him amidst the perplexity and agitation occasioned first by Laban, and afterwards by Esau, than in this calm and quiet interval, when he saw not himself in any imminent peril; but God will have us, when we are in peace, to provide for trouble, and, when trouble comes, to live upon former observations and experiences; for we walk by faith, not by sight. God's people, at death, are returning to Canaan, to their Father's house; and then the angels of God will meet them, to congratulate them on the happy finishing of their servitude, and to carry them to their rest. 2. The comfortable notice he took of this convoy, Gen 32:2. This is God's host, and therefore, (1.) It is a powerful host; very great is he that is thus attended, and very safe that is thus guarded. (2.) God must have the praise of this protection: "This I may thank God for, for it is his host." A good man may with an eye of faith see the same that Jacob saw with his bodily eyes, by believing that promise (Psa 91:11), He shall give his angels charge over thee. What need have we to dispute whether every particular saint has a guardian angel, when we are sure he has a guard of angels about him? To preserve the remembrance of this favour, Jacob gave a name to the place from it, Mahanaim, two hosts, or two camps. That is, say some of the rabbin, one host of the guardian angels of Mesopotamia, who conducted Jacob thence, and delivered him safely to the other host of the angels of Canaan, who met him upon the borders where he now was. Rather, they appeared to him in two hosts, one on either side, or one in the front and the other in the rear, to protect him from Laban behind and Esau before, that they might be a complete guard. Thus he is compassed with God's favour. Perhaps in allusion to this the church is called Mahanaim, two armies, Sol 6:13. Here were Jacob's family, which made one army, representing the church militant and itinerant on earth; and the angels, another army, representing the church triumphant and at rest in heaven.

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 32 This chapter informs us of Jacob's proceeding on in his journey, and of his being met and guarded by an host of angels, Gen 32:1; of his sending messengers to his brother Esau, acquainting him with his increase, and desiring his favour and good will, Gen 32:3, who return and report to him, that Esau was coming to him with four hundred men, which put him into a panic, and after devising ways and means for the security of himself; and those with him, at least a part, if not the whole, Gen 32:6; then follows a prayer of his to God, pressing his unworthiness of mercies, and his sense of them, imploring deliverance from his brother, and putting the Lord in mind of his promises, Gen 32:9; after which we have an account of the wise methods he took for the safety of himself and family, by sending a present to his brother, dividing those who had the charge of it into separate companies, and directing them to move at a proper distance from each other, he, his wives and children, following after, Gen 32:13; when they were over the brook Jabbok, he stopped, and being alone, the Son of God in an human form appeared to him, and wrestled with him, with whom Jacob prevailed, and got the blessing, and hence had the name of Israel, Gen 32:24; and though he could not get his name, he perceived it was a divine Person he had wrestled with, and therefore called the name of the place Penuel, Gen 32:29; the hollow of his thigh being touched by him with whom he wrestled, which put it out of joint, he halted as he went over Penuel, in commemoration of which the children of Israel eat not of that part of the thigh, Gen 32:31.

And Jacob went on his way,.... From Gilead towards the land of Canaan: and the angels of God met him; to comfort and help him, to protect and defend him, to keep him in all his ways, that nothing hurt him, Psa 91:11; these are ministering spirits sent forth by God to minister to his people, the heirs of salvation; and such an one Jacob was.

After Jacob and Laban had parted from each other, “angels of God met Jacob” to make known to him that if Laban did not obey God, who had appeared to him in the evening, he and those with him would be destroyed at dawn by the hands of those angels who protect Jacob. Just as God had shown Jacob the angels that accompanied him when he went down, he also showed him angels when he was going up to make him know that the word was true which God had spoken to him: “I will go down with you, and I will bring you up from there.” The army of angels that God had shown Jacob was so that he would not fear Esau, for there were many more [angels] with Jacob than were with Esau.

You see, once fear of Laban faded and was no more, then fear of his brother took hold of Jacob; so the loving Lord wanted to give the good man heart and drive out all his apprehension. Thus he caused Jacob to see the angels’ camp. “God’s angels accosted him,” the text says, remember. “Jacob said, ‘This is God’s camp,’ and he called that place Camps,” with the result that from the name there was a constant reminder of the vision that occurred to him there.

(Chapter XXXII.—Verse 1 and 2.) And the angels of God met him, and when Jacob saw them, he said: These are the camps of God, and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. Where these camps were placed, in Hebrew it means Mahanaim (); so that we may know, if it is ever mentioned in another place without interpretation, what place it signifies. And beautifully, as he goes to meet his enemy brother, he is received by choirs of accompanying angels.

Jacob, proceeding on his Journey, is met by the angels of God, Gen 32:1, Gen 32:2. Sends messengers before him to his brother Esau, requesting to be favourably received, Gen 32:3-5. The messengers return without an answer, but with the intelligence that Esau, with four hundred men, was coming to meet Jacob, Gen 32:6. He is greatly alarmed, and adopts prudent means for the safety of himself and family, Gen 32:7, Gen 32:8. His affecting prayer to God, Gen 32:9-12. Prepares a present of five droves of different cattle for his brother, Gen 32:13-15. Sends them forward before him, at a certain distance from each other, and instructs the drivers what to say when met by Esau, Gen 32:15-20. Sends his wives, servants, children and baggage, over the brook Jabbok, by night, Gen 32:21-23. Himself stays behind, and wrestles with an angel until the break of day, Gen 32:24. He prevails and gets a new name, Gen 32:25-29. Calls the name of the place Peniel, Gen 32:30. Is lame in his thigh in consequence of his wrestling with the angel, Gen 32:31, Gen 32:32.

The angels of God met him - Our word angel comes from the Greek αγγελος aggelos, which literally signifies a messenger; or, as translated in some of our old Bibles, a tidings-bringer. The Hebrew word מלאך malach, from לאך laach, to send, minister to, employ, is nearly of the same import; and hence we may see the propriety of St. Augustine's remark: Nomen non naturae sed officii, "It is a name, not of nature, but of office;" and hence it is applied indifferently to a human agent or messenger, Sa2 2:5; to a prophet, Hag 1:13; to a priest, Mal 2:7; to celestial spirits, Psa 103:19, Psa 103:20, Psa 103:22; Psa 104:4. "We often," says Mr. Parkhurst, "read of the מלאך יהוה malach Yehovah, or מלאכי אלהים malakey Elohim, the angel of Jehovah, or the angels of God, that is, his agent, personator, mean of visibility or action, what was employed by God to render himself visible and approachable by flesh and blood." This angel was evidently a human form, surrounded or accompanied by light or glory, with or in which Jehovah was present; see Gen 19:1, Gen 19:12, Gen 19:16; Jdg 13:6, Jdg 13:21; Exo 3:2, Exo 3:6. "By this vision," says Mr. Ainsworth, "God confirmed Jacob's faith in him who commanded his angels to keep his people in all their ways, Psa 91:11. Angels are here called God's host, camp, or army, as in wars; for angels are God's soldiers, Luk 2:13; horses and chariots of fire, Kg2 2:11; fighting for God's people against their enemies, Dan 10:20; of them there are thousand thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand, Dan 7:10; and they are all sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of salvation, Heb 1:14; and they pitch a camp about them that fear God, Psa 34:7." One of the oldest of the Greek poets had a tolerably correct notion of the angelic ministry: - Αυταρ επειπεν τουτο γενος κατα γαια καλυψεν Τοι μεν Δαιμονες εισι, Διος μεγαλου δια βουλας, Εσθλοι, επιχθονιοι, φυλακες θνητων ανθρωπων· κ. τ. λ. Hesiod. Op. & Dies, l. i., ver. 120. When in the grave this race of men was laid, Soon was a world of holy demons made, Aerial spirits, by great Jove design'd To be on earth the guardians of mankind. Invisible to mortal eyes they go, And mark our actions good or bad below; The immortal spies with watchful care preside, And thrice ten thousand round their charges glide: They can reward with glory or with gold, A power they by Divine permission hold - Cooke.

VISION OF ANGELS. (Gen 32:1-2) angels of God met him--It is not said whether this angelic manifestation was made in a vision by day, or a dream by night. There is an evident allusion, however, to the appearance upon the ladder (compare Gen 28:12), and this occurring to Jacob on his return to Canaan, was an encouraging pledge of the continued presence and protection of God (Psa 34:7; Heb 1:14).

The Host of God. - When Laban had taken his departure peaceably, Jacob pursued his journey to Canaan. He was then met by some angels of God, in whom he discerned an encampment of God; and he called the place where they appeared Mahanaim, i.e., double camp or double host, because the host of God joined his host as a safeguard. This appearance of angels necessarily reminded him of the vision of the ladder, on his flight from Canaan. Just as the angels ascending and descending had then represented to him the divine protection and assistance during his journey and sojourn in a foreign land, so now the angelic host was a signal of the help of God for the approaching conflict with Esau of which he was in fear, and a fresh pledge of the promise (Gen 28:15), "I will bring thee back to the land," etc. Jacob saw it during his journey; in a waking condition, therefore, not internally, but out of or above himself: but whether with the eyes of the body or of the mind (cf. Kg2 6:17), cannot be determined. Mahanaim was afterwards a distinguished city, which is frequently mentioned, situated to the north of the Jabbok; and the name and remains are still preserved in the place called Mahneh (Robinson, Pal. Appendix, p. 166), the site of which, however, has not yet been minutely examined (see my Comm. on Joshua, p. 259).