28 And he said, H559 Thy name H8034 shall be called H559 no more Jacob, H3290 but Israel: H3478 for as a prince hast thou power H8280 with God H430 and with men, H582 and hast prevailed. H3201
And God H430 said H559 unto him, Thy name H8034 is Jacob: H3290 thy name H8034 shall not be called H7121 any more Jacob, H3290 but Israel H3478 shall be thy name: H8034 and he called H7121 his name H8034 Israel. H3478
He that hath G2192 an ear, G3775 let him hear G191 what G5101 the Spirit G4151 saith G3004 unto the churches; G1577 To him G846 that overcometh G3528 will I give G1325 to eat G5315 of G575 the hidden G2928 manna, G3131 and G2532 will give G1325 him G846 a white G3022 stone, G5586 and G2532 in G1909 the stone G5586 a new G2537 name G3686 written, G1125 which G3739 no man G3762 knoweth G1097 saving G1508 he that receiveth G2983 it.
Unto this day H3117 they do H6213 after the former H7223 manners: H4941 they fear H3373 not the LORD, H3068 neither do H6213 they after their statutes, H2708 or after their ordinances, H4941 or after the law H8451 and commandment H4687 which the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 the children H1121 of Jacob, H3290 whom he named H7760 H8034 Israel; H3478
Neither shall thy name H8034 any more be called H7121 Abram, H87 but thy name H8034 shall be Abraham; H85 for a father H1 of many H1995 nations H1471 have I made thee. H5414
He took his brother H251 by the heel H6117 in the womb, H990 and by his strength H202 he had power H8280 with God: H430 Yea, he had power H7786 over the angel, H4397 and prevailed: H3201 he wept, H1058 and made supplication H2603 unto him: he found H4672 him in Bethel, H1008 and there he spake H1696 with us; Even the LORD H3068 God H430 of hosts; H6635 the LORD H3068 is his memorial. H2143
And Esau H6215 ran H7323 to meet him, H7125 and embraced H2263 him, and fell H5307 on his neck, H6677 and kissed him: H5401 and they wept. H1058
And Elijah H452 took H3947 twelve H8147 H6240 stones, H68 according to the number H4557 of the tribes H7626 of the sons H1121 of Jacob, H3290 unto whom the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came, saying, H559 Israel H3478 shall be thy name: H8034
And G2532 he brought G71 him G846 to G4314 Jesus. G2424 And G1161 when Jesus G2424 beheld G1689 him, G846 he said, G2036 Thou G4771 art G1488 Simon G4613 the son G5207 of Jona: G2495 thou G4771 shalt be called G2564 Cephas, G2786 which G3739 is by interpretation, G2059 A stone. G4074
And the Gentiles H1471 shall see H7200 thy righteousness, H6664 and all kings H4428 thy glory: H3519 and thou shalt be called H7121 by a new H2319 name, H5344 which the mouth H6310 of the LORD H3068 shall name. H8034 Thou shalt also be a crown H5850 of glory H8597 in the hand H3027 of the LORD, H3068 and a royal H4410 diadem H6797 H6797 in the hand H3709 of thy God. H430 Thou shalt no more be termed H559 Forsaken; H5800 neither shall thy land H776 any more be termed H559 Desolate: H8077 but thou shalt be called H7121 Hephzibah, H2657 and thy land H776 Beulah: H1166 for the LORD H3068 delighteth H2654 in thee, and thy land H776 shall be married. H1166
And he sent H7971 by the hand H3027 of Nathan H5416 the prophet; H5030 and he called H7121 his name H8034 Jedidiah, H3041 because of the LORD. H3068
And he erected H5324 there an altar, H4196 and called it H7121 Elelohe-Israel. H415
And Jacob H3290 was left H3498 alone; and there wrestled H79 a man H376 with him until the breaking H5927 of the day. H7837
And Jacob H3290 was wroth, H2734 and chode H7378 with Laban: H3837 and Jacob H3290 answered H6030 and said H559 to Laban, H3837 What is my trespass? H6588 what is my sin, H2403 that thou hast so hotly pursued H1814 after me? H310 Whereas H3588 thou hast searched H4959 all my stuff, H3627 what hast thou found H4672 of all thy household H1004 stuff? H3627 set H7760 it here H3541 before my brethren H251 and thy brethren, H251 that they may judge H3198 betwixt H996 us both. H8147 This twenty H6242 years H8141 have I been with thee; thy ewes H7353 and thy she goats H5795 have not cast their young, H7921 and the rams H352 of thy flock H6629 have I not eaten. H398 That which was torn H2966 of beasts I brought H935 not unto thee; I bare the loss H2398 of it; of my hand H3027 didst thou require H1245 it, whether stolen H1589 by day, H3117 or stolen H1589 by night. H3915 Thus I was; in the day H3117 the drought H2721 consumed H398 me, and the frost H7140 by night; H3915 and my sleep H8142 departed H5074 from mine eyes. H5869 Thus have I been twenty H6242 years H8141 in thy house; H1004 I served thee H5647 fourteen H702 H6240 years H8141 for thy two H8147 daughters, H1323 and six H8337 years H8141 for thy cattle: H6629 and thou hast changed H2498 my wages H4909 ten H6235 times. H4489 Except H3884 the God H430 of my father, H1 the God H430 of Abraham, H85 and the fear H6343 of Isaac, H3327 had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away H7971 now empty. H7387 God H430 hath seen H7200 mine affliction H6040 and the labour H3018 of my hands, H3709 and rebuked H3198 thee yesternight. H570 And Laban H3837 answered H6030 and said H559 unto Jacob, H3290 These daughters H1323 are my daughters, H1323 and these children H1121 are my children, H1121 and these cattle H6629 are my cattle, H6629 and all that thou seest H7200 is mine: and what can I do H6213 this day H3117 unto these my daughters, H1323 or H176 unto their children H1121 which they have born? H3205 Now therefore come thou, H3212 let us make H3772 a covenant, H1285 I and thou; and let it be for a witness H5707 between me and thee. And Jacob H3290 took H3947 a stone, H68 and set it up H7311 for a pillar. H4676 And Jacob H3290 said H559 unto his brethren, H251 Gather H3950 stones; H68 and they took H3947 stones, H68 and made H6213 an heap: H1530 and they did eat H398 there upon the heap. H1530 And Laban H3837 called H7121 it Jegarsahadutha: H3026 but Jacob H3290 called H7121 it Galeed. H1567 And Laban H3837 said, H559 This heap H1530 is a witness H5707 between me and thee this day. H3117 Therefore was the name H8034 of it called H7121 Galeed; H1567 And Mizpah; H4709 for H834 he said, H559 The LORD H3068 watch H6822 between me and thee, when we are absent H5641 one H376 from another. H7453 If thou shalt afflict H6031 my daughters, H1323 or if thou shalt take H3947 other wives H802 beside H5921 my daughters, H1323 no man H376 is with us; see, H7200 God H430 is witness H5707 betwixt me and thee. And Laban H3837 said H559 to Jacob, H3290 Behold this heap, H1530 and behold this pillar, H4676 which I have cast H3384 betwixt me and thee; This heap H1530 be witness, H5707 and this pillar H4676 be witness, H5713 that I will not pass over H5674 this heap H1530 to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over H5674 this heap H1530 and this pillar H4676 unto me, for harm. H7451 The God H430 of Abraham, H85 and the God H430 of Nahor, H5152 the God H430 of their father, H1 judge H8199 betwixt us. And Jacob H3290 sware H7650 by the fear H6343 of his father H1 Isaac. H3327 Then Jacob H3290 offered H2076 sacrifice H2077 upon the mount, H2022 and called H7121 his brethren H251 to eat H398 bread: H3899 and they did eat H398 bread, H3899 and tarried all night H3885 in the mount. H2022 And early H7925 in the morning H1242 Laban H3837 rose up, H7925 and kissed H5401 his sons H1121 and his daughters, H1323 and blessed H1288 them: and Laban H3837 departed, H3212 and returned H7725 unto his place. H4725
And God H430 came H935 to Laban H3837 the Syrian H761 in a dream H2472 by night, H3915 and said H559 unto him, Take heed H8104 that thou speak H1696 not to H5973 Jacob H3290 either good H2896 or H5704 bad. H7451
And Isaac H3327 trembled H2729 very H1419 exceedingly, H3966 H2731 and said, H559 Who? where H645 is he that hath taken H6679 venison, H6718 and brought H935 it me, and I have eaten H398 of all before thou camest, H935 and have blessed H1288 him? yea, and he shall be blessed. H1288 And when Esau H6215 heard H8085 the words H1697 of his father, H1 he cried H6817 with a great H1419 and exceeding H3966 bitter H4751 cry, H6818 and said H559 unto his father, H1 Bless H1288 me, even me also, O my father. H1 And he said, H559 Thy brother H251 came H935 with subtilty, H4820 and hath taken away H3947 thy blessing. H1293 And he said, H559 Is not he rightly H3588 named H7121 H8034 Jacob? H3290 for he hath supplanted me H6117 these H2088 two times: H6471 he took away H3947 my birthright; H1062 and, behold, now he hath taken away H3947 my blessing. H1293 And he said, H559 Hast thou not reserved H680 a blessing H1293 for me?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 32
Commentary on Genesis 32 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 32
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,
Gen 32:1-2
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,
Gen 32:3-8
Now that Jacob was re-entering Canaan God, by the vision of angels, reminded him of the friends he had when he left it, and thence he takes occasion to remind himself of the enemies he had, particularly Esau. It is probable that Rebekah had sent him word of Esau's settlement in Seir, and of the continuance of his enmity to him. What shall poor Jacob do? He longs to see his father, and yet he dreads to see his brother. He rejoices to see Canaan again, and yet cannot but rejoice with trembling because of Esau.
Gen 32:9-12
Our rule is to call upon God in the time of trouble; we have here an example to this rule, and the success encourages us to follow this example. It was now a time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it; and here we have him praying for that salvation, Jer. 30:7. In his distress he sought the Lord, and he heard him. Note, Times of fear should be times of prayer; whatever frightens us should drive us to our knees, to our God. Jacob had lately seen his guard of angels, but, in this distress, he applied to God, not to them; he knew they were his fellow-servants, Rev. 22:9. Nor did he consult Laban's teraphim; it was enough for him that he had a God to go to. To him he addresses himself with all possible solemnity, so running for safety into the name of the Lord, as a strong tower, Prov. 18:10. This prayer is the more remarkable because it won him the honour of being an Israel, a prince with God, and the father of the praying remnant, who are hence called the seed of Jacob, to whom he never said, Seek you me in vain. Now it is worth while to enquire what there was extraordinary in this prayer, that it should gain the petitioner all this honour.
Gen 32:13-23
Jacob, having piously made God his friend by a prayer, is here prudently endeavouring to make Esau his friend by a present. He had prayed to God to deliver him from the had of Esau, for he feared him; but neither did his fear sink into such a despair as dispirits for the use of means, nor did his prayer make him presume upon God's mercy, without the use of means. Note, When we have prayed to God for any mercy, we must second our prayers with our endeavours; else, instead of trusting god, we tempt him; we must so depend upon God's providence as to make use of our own prudence. "Help thyself, and God will help thee;' God answers our prayers by teaching us to order our affairs with discretion. To pacify Esau,
Gen 32:24-32
We have here the remarkable story of Jacob's wrestling with the angel and prevailing, which is referred to, Hos. 12:4. Very early in the morning, a great while before day, Jacob had helped his wives and his children over the river, and he desired to be private, and was left alone, that he might again more fully spread his cares and fears before God in prayer. Note, We ought to continue instant in prayer, always to pray and not to faint: frequency and importunity in prayer prepare us for mercy. While Jacob was earnest in prayer, stirring up himself to take hold on God, an angel takes hold on him. Some think this was a created angel, the angel of his presence (Isa. 63:9), one of those that always behold the face of our Father and attend on the shechinah, or the divine Majesty, which probably Jacob had also in view. Others think it was Michael our prince, the eternal Word, the angel of the covenant, who is indeed the Lord of the angels, who often appeared in a human shape before he assumed the human nature for a perpetuity; whichsoever it was, we are sure God's name was in him, Ex. 23:21. Observe,