And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

2And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

3And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

4And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:

5And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

6And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

7Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;

8And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.

9And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:

10I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

11Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.

12And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

13And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;

14Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,

15Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.

16And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.

17And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?

18Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.

19And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.

20And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

21So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.

22And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.

23And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.

24And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

25And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

26And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

27And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

28And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

29And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

30And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

31And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

32Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.

And Iacob went on his way, and the Angels of God met him.

2And when Iacob saw them, he said, This is Gods hoste: and hee called the name of that place Mahanaim.

3And Iacob sent messengers before him, to Esau his brother, vnto the land of Seir, the countrey of Edom.

4And he commaunded them, saying, Thus shall ye speake vnto my lord Esau, Thy seruant Iacob saith thus, I haue soiourned with Laban, and stayed there vntill now.

5And I haue oxen, and asses, flockes, and men seruants and women seruants: and I haue sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

6 And the messengers returned to Iacob, saying, Wee came to thy brother Esau, and also he commeth to meet thee, and foure hundred men with him.

7Then Iacob was greatly afraid, and distressed, and he diuided the people that was with him, and the flockes, and herdes, and the camels into two bands,

8And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left, shall escape.

9 And Iacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst vnto me, Returne vnto thy countrey, and to thy kinred, and I will deale well with thee:

10I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the trueth, which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant: for with my staffe I passed ouer this Iordan, and now I am become two bands.

11Deliuer me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I feare him, lest he will come, and smite me, and the mother with the children.

12And thou saidst, I will surely doe thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbred for multitude.

13 And he lodged there that same night, and tooke of that which came to his hand, a present for Esau his brother:

14Two hundred shee goats, and twentie hee goats, two hundred ewes, and twentie rammes,

15Thirtie milch camels with their colts, fortie kine, and ten bulles, twenty shee ashes, and ten foales.

16And hee deliuered them into the hand of his seruants, euery droue by themselues, and said vnto his seruants, Passe ouer before me, and put a space betwixt droue and droue.

17And he commanded the formost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?

18Then thou shalt say, They be thy seruant Iacobs: it is a present sent vnto my lord Esau: and behold also, he is behind vs.

19And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droues, saying, On this maner shal you speake vnto Esau, when you find him.

20And say ye moreouer, Beholde, thy seruant Iacob is behind vs: for he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peraduenture he will accept of me.

21So went the present ouer before him: and himselfe lodged that night in the company.

22And hee rose vp that night, and tooke his two wiues, and his two women seruants, and his eleuen sonnes, and passed ouer the foord Iabbok.

23And he tooke them, and sent them ouer the brooke, and sent ouer that hee had.

24 And Iacob was left alone: and there wrestled a man with him, vntill the breaking of the day.

25And when he saw, that he preuailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh: and the hollow of Iacobs thigh was out of ioynt, as hee wrestled with him.

26And he said, Let me goe, for the day breaketh: and he said, I will not let thee goe, except thou blesse me.

27And he said vnto him, what is thy name? and he said, Iacob.

28And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Iacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God, and with men, and hast preuailed.

29And Iacob asked him, and saide, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name: and he said, wherefore is it, that thou doest aske after my name? and he blessed him there.

30And Iacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I haue seene God face to face, and my life is preserued.

31And as he passed ouer Penuel, the sunne rose vpon him, and he halted vpon his thigh.

32Therefore the children of Israel eate not of the sinewe which shranke, which is vpon the hollow of the thigh, vnto this day: because hee touched the hollow of Iacobs thigh, in the sinewe that shranke.

 

II == Josh 5:14 ; Ps 103:21 ; 148:2 ; Luke 2:13

 

III == Gen 33:14 , 16 ; 36:6-8 ; Deut 2:5 ; Josh 24:4

IV == Prov 15:1

 

 

V == Gen 30:43 ; 33:8 , 15

 

 

VI == Gen 33:1

 

 

 

VII == Gen 35:3

 

 

 

 

 

IX == Gen 28:13 ; 31:3 , 13 ; Ps 50:15

 

 

 

X == Gen 24:27 ; Job 8:7

 

 

XI == Ps 59:1-2 ; Hos 10:14

 

 

XII == Gen 28:13-15

 

 

XIII == Gen 43:11 ; Prov 18:16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XX == Job 42:8-9 ; Prov 21:14

XXII == Deut 3:16

 

XXIV == Hos 12:3-4 ; Eph 6:12

 

XXV == Matt 26:41 ; 2nd Cor 12:7

 

XXVI == Hos 12:4 ; Luke 24:28

 

XXVIII == Gen 25:31 ; 27:33 ; 35:10 ; 2nd Kings 17:34 ; Hos 12:3-4

 

XXIX == Judg 13:18

 

 

XXX == Gen 16:13 ; Ex 24:11 ; 33:20 ; Deut 5:24 ; Judg 6:22 ; 13:22 Isa 6:5

 

1 Early the next morning, Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters goodbye; then he set out on his journey back home,

2 while Jacob continued on his own way. Then God's messengers encountered Jacob.

3 When he saw them he said, "This is God's encampment." So he named that place Mahanaim.

4 Jacob sent messengers ahead to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom,

5 with this message: "Thus shall you say to my lord Esau: 'Your servant Jacob speaks as follows: I have been staying with Laban and have been detained there until now.

6 I own cattle, asses and sheep, as well as male and female servants. I am sending my lord this information in the hope of gaining your favor.'"

7 When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, "We reached your brother Esau. He is now coming to meet you, accompanied by four hundred men."

8 Jacob was very much frightened. In his anxiety, he divided the people who were with him, as well as his flocks, herds and camels, into two camps.

9 "If Esau should attack and overwhelm one camp," he reasoned, "the remaining camp may still survive."

10 Then he prayed: "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac! You told me, O LORD, 'Go back to the land of your birth, and I will be good to you.'

11 I am unworthy of all the acts of kindness that you have loyally performed for your servant: although I crossed the Jordan here with nothing but my staff, I have now grown into two companies.

12 Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau! Otherwise I fear that when he comes he will strike me down and slay the mothers and children.

13 You yourself said, 'I will be very good to you, and I will make your descendants like the sands of the sea, which are too numerous to count.'"

14 After passing the night there, Jacob selected from what he had with him the following presents for his brother Esau:

15 two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats; two hundred ewes and twenty rams;

16 thirty milch camels and their young; forty cows and ten bulls; twenty she-asses and ten he-asses.

17 He put these animals in charge of his servants, in separate droves, and he told the servants, "Go on ahead of me, but keep a space between one drove and the next."

18 To the servant in the lead he gave this instruction: "When my brother Esau meets you, he may ask you, 'Whose man are you? Where are you going? To whom do these animals ahead of you belong?'

19 Then you shall answer, 'They belong to your brother Jacob, but they have been sent as a gift to my lord Esau; and Jacob himself is right behind us.'"

20 He gave similar instructions to the second servant and the third and to all the others who followed behind the droves, namely: "Thus and thus shall you say to Esau, when you reach him;

21 and be sure to add, 'Your servant Jacob is right behind us.'" For Jacob reasoned, "If I first appease him with gifts that precede me, then later, when I face him, perhaps he will forgive me."

22 So the gifts went on ahead of him, while he stayed that night in the camp.

23 In the course of that night, however, Jacob arose, took his two wives, with the two maidservants and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

24 After he had taken them across the stream and had brought over all his possessions,

25 Jacob was left there alone. Then some man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.

26 When the man saw that he could not prevail over him, he struck Jacob's hip at its socket, so that the hip socket was wrenched as they wrestled.

27 The man then said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go until you bless me."

28 "What is your name?" the man asked. He answered, "Jacob."

29 Then the man said, "You shall no longer be spoken of as Jacob, but as Israel, because you have contended with divine and human beings and have prevailed."

30 Jacob then asked him, "Do tell me your name, please." He answered, "Why should you want to know my name?" With that, he bade him farewell.

31 Jacob named the place Peniel, "Because I have seen God face to face," he said, "yet my life has been spared."

32 At sunrise, as he left Penuel, Jacob limped along because of his hip.

33 That is why, to this day, the Israelites do not eat the sciatic muscle that is on the hip socket, inasmuch as Jacob's hip socket was struck at the sciatic muscle.

v 1,2. God continues appearances with Jacob. Mahanaim means “two camps”, Jacob’s camp and an angelic camp, or God’s army (probably encircling his).

 

v 6-8. Having burned with hatred for twenty years, at last Esau’s chance had come to destroy Jacob. Forty men would have been more than enough, but he is not taking chances and brings an army. Jacob was for peace, Esau for war, Ps. 120:71. Word came of 400 men, Jacob assumed armed, and he took precaution to divide up.

v 9-12. Jacob calls out to the God of his father, reminding Him that He had told Jacob to return, that He had blessed in spite of Jacob’s unworthiness, and begs for protection from Esau in order that God’s promise of a multitude of descendants can be fulfilled. Apparently Jacob crossed the headwaters of the Jordan when he left. Now he sees the main Jordan valley in the distance or in his mind.

v 13--20. Jacob should have prayed before dividing his group, and after praying, he goes back to a personal plan, as though he hadn’t fully trusted God to answer. It is a grand attempt at appeasement, hoping to gain Esau’s acceptance. It is easy for us to criticize that, but ask ourselves how we would act if we were going to face a killer army. We might also take the view that having prayed, God expects us to take prudent measures, and certainly these gifts would indicate he is sharing blessings with Esau.

v 21-23. This stream is about ten yards wide at the ford. Apparently Jacob arose in the night, waded across to assure if it was safe, took his family across, and came back for some heart searching and calling upon God.

v 24-26. This man was an angel, and v 30 would seem to indicate none other than pre-incarnate Christ. Some think this was a vision like at Bethel, but this was real as we see in v 31 he went on limping. Also it is recorded in Hosea 12:4. It was the angel who started the “fight”, but Jacob would not be subdued. This is not an example of persistent prayer, but his resistance to God in his own strength. Of course the angel could have overcome, but allowed him to wrestle on. At daybreak, the angel touched Jacob so he could not wrestle, so he just clung, and would not let him go. Jacob did not get the blessing by wrestling with God, but by clinging to Him.

v 27. Jacob had given his father a false name 20 years before. Now he meekly gives his own name, Jacob, the supplanter and swindler.

v 28. Jacob is given a new name, Israel, “prince with God” or “power with God”, and he would also have power with men. The blessing he had craved turned out to be spiritual, and he now has room in his heart to receive it.

v 29. It was more important that he receive the blessing of God, rather than the knowing the name, which might become a source of pride in accomplishment.

PHANUEL The word signifies the face of God, or the sight, or seeing of God. v 30. Peniel, “face of God”, also indicates this to be pre-incarnate Christ.

v 31. The sun is full up and he is actually limping.

v 32. The Jews have a permanent reminder by not eating the hip muscle holding the hip socket in place. Israel is sometimes called Jacob after this, perhaps indicating that he had ups and down in his spiritual experience, just as we do.