Genesis 32:1-12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 32:8

And said, if Esau come to the one company, and smite it ,.... The first, which perhaps consisted only of some servants, with a part of his cattle; so that if Esau should come in an hostile manner, and fall upon that, and slay the servants, and take the cattle as a booty: then the other company which is left shall escape ; by flight, in which most probably were he himself, his wives and children, and the camels to carry them off who would have notice by what should happen to the first... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 32:9

And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac ,.... In this distress he does not consult the teraphim Rachel had taken from her father; nor does he call upon the hosts of angels that had just appeared to him, to help, protect, and guard him; but to God only, the God of his fathers, who had promised great things to them, and had done great things for them; who was their God in covenant, as he was his also, though he makes no mention of it, and who was heir of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 32:10

I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies ,.... Or of any of them, according to his humble sense of things his mind was now impressed with; he was not worthy of the least mercy and favour that had been bestowed upon him; not even of any temporal mercy, and much less of any spiritual one, and therefore did not expect any from the hands of God, on account of any merit of his own: or "I am less than all thy mercies" F23 קטנתי מכל החסדים "minor sum cunctis misericordiis",... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 32:11

Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau ,.... For though his brother, it was his brother Esau, that had formerly vowed revenge upon him, and had determined to kill him, Genesis 27:41 , and he knew not but that he was still of the same mind; and now having an opportunity, and in his power to do it, being accompanied with four hundred men, he feared he would attempt it; and therefore entreats the Lord, who was greater than he, to deliver him from falling... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 32:12

And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good ,.... All kind of good, most certainly and constantly; so Jacob rightly interpreted the promise, "I will be with thee", Genesis 31:3 ; for the promise of God's presence includes and secures all needful good to his people; and from this general promise Jacob draws an argument for a special and particular good, the preservation of him and his family, he was now pleading for; and the rather he might hope to succeed, since the following promise was... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 32:1

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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 32:2

Mahanaim - The two hosts, if read by the points, the angels forming one, and Jacob and his company forming another; or simply hosts or camps in the plural. There was a city built afterwards here, and inhabited by the priests of God, Joshua 21:38 . For what purpose the angels of God met Jacob, does not appear from the text; probably it was intended to show him that he and his company were under the care of an especial providence, and consequently to confirm his trust and confidence in God. ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 32:3

Jacob sent messengers - מלאכים malachim , the same word which is before translated angels. It is very likely that these messengers had been sent some time before he had this vision at Mahanaim, for they appear to have returned while Jacob encamped at the brook Jabbok, where he had the vision of angels; see Genesis 32:6 , Genesis 32:23 . The land of Seir, the country of Edom - This land, which was, according to Dr. Wells, situated on the south of the Dead Sea, extending from... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 32:4

Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau - Jacob acknowledges the superiority of his brother; for the time was not yet come in which it could be said, The elder shall serve the younger. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 32:6

Esau - cometh - and four hundred men with him - Jacob, conscious that he had injured his brother, was now apprehensive that he was coming with hostile intentions, and that he had every evil to fear from his displeasure. Conscience is a terrible accuser. It was a fine saying of a heathen, Hic murus aheneus esto, Nil conscire sibi, nulla pallescere culpa. read more

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