1 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 When he saw them, Jacob said, "This is God's army." He called the name of that place Mahanaim. 3 Jacob sent messengers in front of him to Esau, his brother, to the land of Seir, the field of Edom. 4 He commanded them, saying, "This is what you shall tell my lord, Esau: 'This is what your servant, Jacob, says. I have lived as a foreigner with Laban, and stayed until now. 5 I have cattle, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.'" 6 The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "We came to your brother Esau. Not only that, but he comes to meet you, and four hundred men with him." 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two companies; 8 and he said, "If Esau comes to the one company, and strikes it, then the company which is left will escape." 9 Jacob said, "God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, Yahweh, who said to me, 'Return to your country, and to your relatives, and I will do you good,' 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the loving kindnesses, and of all the truth, which you have shown to your servant; for with just my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I have become two companies. 11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he come and strike me, and the mothers with the children. 12 You said, 'I will surely do you good, and make your seed as the sand of the sea, which can't be numbered because there are so many.'" 13 He lodged there that night, and took from that which he had with him, a present for Esau, his brother: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty milk camels and their colts, forty cows, ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals. 16 He delivered them into the hands of his servants, every herd by itself, and said to his servants, "Pass over before me, and put a space between herd and herd." 17 He commanded the foremost, saying, "When Esau, my brother, meets you, and asks you, saying, 'Whose are you? Where are you going? Whose are these before you?' 18 Then you shall say, 'They are your servant, Jacob's. It is a present sent to my lord, Esau. Behold, he also is behind us.'" 19 He commanded also the second, and the third, and all that followed the herds, saying, "This is how you shall speak to Esau, when you find him. 20 You shall say, 'Not only that, but behold, your servant, Jacob, is behind us.'" For, he said, "I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face. Perhaps he will accept me." 21 So the present passed over before him, and he himself lodged that night in the camp. 22 He rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two handmaids, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them, and sent them over the stream, and sent over that which he had. 24 Jacob was left alone, and wrestled with a man there until the breaking of the day. 25 When he saw that he didn't prevail against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was strained, as he wrestled. 26 The man said, "Let me go, for the day breaks." Jacob said, "I won't let you go, unless you bless me." 27 He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." 28 He said, "Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed." 29 Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." He said, "Why is it that you ask what my name is?" He blessed him there. 30 Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for, he said, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." 31 The sun rose on him as he passed over Peniel, and he limped because of his thigh. 32 Therefore the children of Israel don't eat the sinew of the hip, which is on the hollow of the thigh, to this day, because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew of the hip.
Jacob, proceeding on his Journey, is met by the angels of God, Genesis 32:1, Genesis 32:2. Sends messengers before him to his brother Esau, requesting to be favourably received, Genesis 32:3-5. The messengers return without an answer, but with the intelligence that Esau, with four hundred men, was coming to meet Jacob, Genesis 32:6. He is greatly alarmed, and adopts prudent means for the safety of himself and family, Genesis 32:7, Genesis 32:8. His affecting prayer to God, Genesis 32:9-12. Prepares a present of five droves of different cattle for his brother, Genesis 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, Genesis 32:15-20. Sends his wives, servants, children and baggage, over the brook Jabbok, by night, Genesis 32:21-23. Himself stays behind, and wrestles with an angel until the break of day, Genesis 32:24. He prevails and gets a new name, Genesis 32:25-29. Calls the name of the place Peniel, Genesis 32:30. Is lame in his thigh in consequence of his wrestling with the angel, Genesis 32:31, Genesis 32:32.
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, Genesis 32:1; of his sending messengers to his brother Esau, acquainting him with his increase, and desiring his favour and good will, Genesis 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, Genesis 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, Genesis 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, Genesis 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, Genesis 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, Genesis 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, Genesis 32:31.
(Genesis 32:1-8) Jacob's vision at Mahanaim, His fear of Esau.
(Genesis 32:9-23) Jacob's earnest prayer for deliverance, He prepares a present for Esau.
(Genesis 32:24-32) He wrestles with the Angel.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.