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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 32:3

Verse 3 3.And Jacob sent messengers. It now happened, by the providence of God, that Esau, having left his father, had gone to Mount Seir of his own accord; and had thus departed from the land of promise, by which means the possession of it would remain void for the posterity of Jacob, without slaughter among brethren. For it was not to be believed that he had changed his habitation, either because he was compelled by his father’s command, or because he was willing to be accounted inferior to... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 32:4

Verse 4 4.Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau. Moses here relates the anxiety of Jacob to appease his brother. For this suppliant deprecation was extorted only by great and severe torture of mind. It seems, however, to be an absurd submission, whereby he cedes to his brother that dominion for which he had contended at the hazard of his life. For if Esau has the primogeniture, what does Jacob reserve for himself? For what end did he bring upon himself such hatred, expose himself to such... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 32:5

Verse 5 5.I have oxen. Jacob does not proclaim his riches for the sake of boasting, but that by this method Esau might be inclined to humanity. For it would have been exceedingly disgraceful, cruelly to drive away one who had been enriched, by the favor of God, in a distant land. Besides, he cuts off occasion of future emulation: for if he had come empty and famishing, Esau might conceive fresh indignation against him, through fear of the expense which might be entailed on himself. Therefore... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 32:6

Verse 6 6.And the messengers returned. Esau advances to meet his brother with a feeling of benevolence: but Jacob, reflecting on his cruel ferocity, inflated spirits, and savage threats, expects no humanity from him. And the Lord willed that the mind of his servant should be oppressed by this anxiety for a time, although without any real cause, in order the more to excite the fervor of his prayer. For we know what coldness, on this point, security engenders. Therefore, lest our faith, being... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 32:7

Verse 7 7.And he divided the people. Moses relates that Jacob formed his plans according to the existing state of affairs. He divides his family into two parts, (102) and puts his maids in the foremost place, that they may bear the first assault, if necessary; but he places his free wives further from the danger. Hence indeed we gather, that Jacob was not so overcome with fear as to be unable to arrange his plans. We know that when a panic seizes the mind, it is deprived of discretion; and they... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 32:1-23

Mahanaim, or preparing for Esau. I. THE ANGELIC APPARITION . 1. The time when it occurred . 2. The impression which it made. Whether completely surrounding him, or divided into two companies, one on either side of him, Jacob's angelic visitors, from their number, their orderly array, their military dispositions, assumed the appearance of a heavenly army lying encamped over against His own; and the sight of the two companies immediately suggested the ejaculation, "This is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 32:3

And Jacob sent messengers (with the messengers of Jacob, the messengers of Elohim form a contrast which can scarcely have been accidental) before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir ,— vide on Genesis 14:6 . Seir, nearly equivalent in force to Esau (Ewald), and meaning the rough or bristling mountain (Gesenius), was originally occupied by the Horites , but afterwards became the seat of Esau and his descendants ( Deuteronomy 2:4 ; 2 Chronicles 20:10 ), though as yet... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 32:3-8

Faith and fellowship. Jacob's preparation against danger betokened his sense of duty to do his utmost under the circumstances, and his sense of past errors and ill desert towards his brother. There is an exercise of our own judgment in times of distress and extremity which is quite consistent with dependence upon God.— R . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 32:4-5

And he commanded them , saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus ;—the expression "my lord "may have been designed to intimate to Esau that he (Jacob) did not intend to assert that superiority or precedency which had been assigned him by Isaac's blessing ( Genesis 27:29 ), at least so far as to claim a share in Isaac's wealth (Calvin, Bush, Gerlach), but was probably due chiefly to the extreme courtesy of the East (Gerlach), or to a desire to conciliate... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 32:6

And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee ( vide Genesis 33:1 ), and four hundred men with him . That Esau was attended by 400 armed followers was a proof that he had grown to be a powerful chieftain. If the hypothesis be admissible that he had already begun to live by the sword ( Genesis 27:40 ), and was now invading the territory of the Horites, which he afterwards occupied (Delitzsch, Keil, Kurtz), it will serve to... read more

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