1Und Laban stand des Morgens früh auf und küßte seine Söhne und seine Töchter und segnete sie; und Laban zog hin und kehrte zurück an seinen Ort. 2Und Jakob zog seines Weges, und es begegneten ihm Engel Gottes. 3Und Jakob sprach, als er sie sah: Dies ist das Heerlager Gottes. Und er gab jenem Orte den Namen Machanaim. 4Und Jakob sandte Boten vor sich her zu seinem Bruder Esau, in das Land Seir, das Gefilde Edom. 5Und er gebot ihnen und sprach: So sollt ihr zu meinem Herrn, zu Esau, sprechen: So spricht dein Knecht Jakob: Bei Laban habe ich mich aufgehalten und bin geblieben bis jetzt; 6und ich habe Rinder und Esel, Kleinvieh und Knechte und Mägde erworben; und ich habe gesandt, es meinem Herrn kundzutun, um Gnade zu finden in deinen Augen. 7Und die Boten kehrten zu Jakob zurück und sprachen: Wir sind zu deinem Bruder, zu Esau, gekommen, und er zieht dir auch entgegen und vierhundert Mann mit ihm. 8Da fürchtete sich Jakob sehr, und ihm ward angst; und er teilte das Volk, das bei ihm war, und das Kleinvieh und die Rinder und die Kamele in zwei Züge. 9Und er sprach: Wenn Esau wider den einen Zug kommt und ihn schlägt, so wird der übriggebliebene Zug entrinnen können. 10Und Jakob sprach: Gott meines Vaters Abraham und Gott meines Vaters Isaak, Jehova, der du zu mir geredet hast: Kehre zurück in dein Land und zu deiner Verwandtschaft, und ich will dir wohltun! 11Ich bin zu gering all der Gütigkeiten und all der Treue, die du deinem Knechte erwiesen hast; denn mit meinem Stabe bin ich über diesen Jordan gegangen, und nun bin ich zu zwei Zügen geworden. 12Rette mich doch von der Hand meines Bruders, von der Hand Esaus! denn ich fürchte ihn, daß er etwa komme und mich schlage, die Mutter samt den Kindern. 13Du hast ja gesagt: Gewißlich werde ich dir wohltun und werde deinen Samen machen wie den Sand des Meeres, der nicht gezählt wird vor Menge. 14Und er übernachtete daselbst in jener Nacht; und er nahm von dem, was in seine Hand gekommen war, ein Geschenk für seinen Bruder Esau: 15Zweihundert Ziegen und zwanzig Böcke, zweihundert Mutterschafe und zwanzig Widder, 16dreißig säugende Kamele mit ihren Füllen, vierzig Kühe und zehn Stiere, zwanzig Eselinnen und zehn junge Esel. 17Und er gab sie in die Hand seiner Knechte, je eine Herde besonders, und er sprach zu seinen Knechten: Ziehet vor mir her und lasset Raum zwischen Herde und Herde. 18Und er gebot dem ersten und sprach: Wenn mein Bruder Esau dir begegnet und dich fragt und spricht: Wem gehörst du an, und wohin gehst du, und wem gehören diese da vor dir? 19so sollst du sagen: Deinem Knechte Jakob; es ist ein Geschenk, gesandt meinem Herrn, dem Esau; und siehe, er selbst ist hinter uns. 20Und er gebot auch dem zweiten, auch dem dritten, auch allen, die hinter den Herden hergingen, und sprach: Nach diesem Worte sollt ihr zu Esau reden, wenn ihr ihn findet, 21und sollt sagen: Siehe, dein Knecht Jakob ist selbst hinter uns. Denn er sagte: Ich will ihn versöhnen durch das Geschenk, das vor mir hergeht, und danach will ich sein Angesicht sehen; vielleicht wird er mich annehmen. 22Und das Geschenk zog vor ihm her, und er übernachtete in jener Nacht im Lager. 23Und er stand in jener Nacht auf und nahm seine zwei Weiber und seine zwei Mägde und seine elf Söhne und zog über die Furt des Jabbok; 24und er nahm sie und führte sie über den Fluß und führte hinüber, was er hatte. 25Und Jakob blieb allein übrig; und es rang ein Mann mit ihm, bis die Morgenröte aufging. 26Und als er sah, daß er ihn nicht übermochte, da rührte er sein Hüftgelenk an; und das Hüftgelenk Jakobs ward verrenkt, indem er mit ihm rang. 27Da sprach er: Laß mich los, denn die Morgenröte ist aufgegangen; und er sprach: Ich lasse dich nicht los, du habest mich denn gesegnet. 28Da sprach er zu ihm: Was ist dein Name? Und er sprach: Jakob. 29Da sprach er: Nicht Jakob soll hinfort dein Name heißen, sondern Israel; denn du hast mit Gott und mit Menschen gerungen und hast obsiegt. 30Und Jakob fragte und sprach: Tue mir doch deinen Namen kund! Da sprach er: Warum doch fragst du nach meinem Namen? Und er segnete ihn daselbst. 31Und Jakob gab dem Orte den Namen Pniel: denn ich habe Gott von Angesicht zu Angesicht gesehen, und meine Seele ist gerettet worden! 32Und die Sonne ging ihm auf, als er über Pniel hinaus war; und er hinkte an seiner Hüfte. 33Darum essen die Kinder Israel nicht die Spannader, die über dem Hüftgelenk ist, bis auf den heutigen Tag, weil er das Hüftgelenk Jakobs, die Spannader, angerührt hat.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 VISION OF ANGELS. (
Gen 32:1-
Gen 32:2)
angels of God met him--It is not said whether this angelic manifestation was made in a vision by day, or a dream by night. There is an evident allusion, however, to the appearance upon the ladder (compare
Gen 28:12), and this occurring to Jacob on his return to Canaan, was an encouraging pledge of the continued presence and protection of God (
Ps 34:7;
Heb 1:14).
2 Mahanaim--"two hosts," or "camps." The place was situated between mount Gilead and the Jabbok, near the banks of that brook.
3 MISSION TO ESAU. (OTGen:32:3-32)
Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau--that is, "had sent." It was a prudent precaution to ascertain the present temper of Esau, as the road, on approaching the eastern confines of Canaan, lay near the wild district where his brother was now established.
land of Seir--a highland country on the east and south of the Dead Sea, inhabited by the Horites, who were dispossessed by Esau or his posterity (
Deut 11:12). When and in what circumstances he had emigrated thither, whether the separation arose out of the undutiful conduct and idolatrous habits of his wives, which had made them unwelcome in the tent of his parents, or whether his roving disposition had sought a country from his love of adventure and the chase, he was living in a state of power and affluence, and this settlement on the outer borders of Canaan, though made of his own free will, was overruled by Providence to pave the way for Jacob's return to the promised land.
4 Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau--The purport of the message was that, after a residence of twenty years in Mesopotamia, he was now returning to his native land, that he did not need any thing, for he had abundance of pastoral wealth, but that he could not pass without notifying his arrival to his brother and paying the homage of his respectful obeisance. Acts of civility tend to disarm opposition and soften hatred (
Eccl 10:4).
Thy servant Jacob--He had been made lord over his brethren (compare
Gen 27:29). But it is probable he thought this referred to a spiritual superiority; or if to temporal, that it was to be realized only to his posterity. At all events, leaving it to God to fulfil that purpose, he deemed it prudent to assume the most kind and respectful bearing.
6 The messengers returned to Jacob--Their report left Jacob in painful uncertainty as to what was his brother's views and feelings. Esau's studied reserve gave him reason to dread the worst. Jacob was naturally timid; but his conscience told him that there was much ground for apprehension, and his distress was all the more aggravated that he had to provide for the safety of a large and helpless family.
9 Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham--In this great emergency, he had recourse to prayer. This is the first recorded example of prayer in the Bible. It is short, earnest, and bearing directly on the occasion. The appeal is made to God, as standing in a covenant relation to his family, just as we ought to put our hopes of acceptance with God in Christ. It pleads the special promise made to him of a safe return; and after a most humble and affecting confession of unworthiness, it breathes an earnest desire for deliverance from the impending danger. It was the prayer of a kind husband, an affectionate father, a firm believer in the promises.
13 took . . . a present for Esau--Jacob combined active exertions with earnest prayer; and this teaches us that we must not depend upon the aid and interposition of God in such a way as to supersede the exercise of prudence and foresight. Superiors are always approached with presents, and the respect expressed is estimated by the quality and amount of the gift. The present of Jacob consisted of five hundred fifty head of cattle, of different kinds, such as would be most prized by Esau. It was a most magnificent present, skilfully arranged and proportioned. The milch camels alone were of immense value; for the she camels form the principal part of Arab wealth; their milk is a chief article of diet; and in many other respects they are of the greatest use.
16 every drove by themselves--There was great prudence in this arrangement; for the present would thus have a more imposing appearance; Esau's passion would have time to cool as he passed each successive company; and if the first was refused, the others would hasten back to convey a timely warning.
17 he commanded the foremost--The messengers were strictly commanded to say the same words [
Gen 32:18,
Gen 32:20], that Esau might be more impressed and that the uniformity of the address might appear more clearly to have come from Jacob himself.
21 himself lodged--not the whole night, but only a part of it.
22 ford Jabbok--now the Zerka--a stream that rises among the mountains of Gilead, and running from east to west, enters the Jordan, about forty miles south of the Sea of Tiberias. At the ford it is ten yards wide. It is sometimes forded with difficulty; but in summer it is very shallow.
he rose up and took--Unable to sleep, Jacob waded the ford in the night time by himself; and having ascertained its safety, he returned to the north bank and sent over his family and attendants, remaining behind, to seek anew, in silent prayer, the divine blessing on the means he had set in motion.
24 There wrestled a man with him--This mysterious person is called an angel (
Hos 12:4) and God (
Gen 32:28,
Gen 32:30;
Hos 12:5); and the opinion that is most supported is that he was "the angel of the covenant," who, in a visible form, appeared to animate the mind and sympathize with the distress of his pious servant. It has been a subject of much discussion whether the incident described was an actual conflict or a visionary scene. Many think that as the narrative makes no mention in express terms either of sleep, or dream, or vision, it was a real transaction; while others, considering the bodily exhaustion of Jacob, his great mental anxiety, the kind of aid he supplicated, as well as the analogy of former manifestations with which he was favored--such as the ladder--have concluded that it was a vision [CALVIN, HESSENBERG, HENGSTENBERG]. The moral design of it was to revive the sinking spirit of the patriarch and to arm him with confidence in God, while anticipating the dreaded scenes of the morrow. To us it is highly instructive; showing that, to encourage us valiantly to meet the trials to which we are subjected, God allows us to ascribe to the efficacy of our faith and prayers, the victories which His grace alone enables us to make.
26 I will not let thee go, except thou bless me--It is evident that Jacob was aware of the character of Him with whom he wrestled; and, believing that His power, though by far superior to human, was yet limited by His promise to do him good, he determined not to lose the golden opportunity of securing a blessing. And nothing gives God greater pleasure than to see the hearts of His people firmly adhering to Him.
28 Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel--The old name was not to be abandoned; but, referring as it did to a dishonorable part of the patriarch's history, it was to be associated with another descriptive of his now sanctified and eminently devout character.
29 Jacob asked, Tell me . . . thy name--The request was denied that he might not be too elated with his conquest nor suppose that he had obtained such advantage over the angel as to make him do what he pleased.
31 halted upon his thigh--As Paul had a thorn in the flesh given to humble him, lest he should be too elevated by the abundant revelations granted him [
2Cor 12:7], so Jacob's lameness was to keep him mindful of this mysterious scene, and that it was in gracious condescension the victory was yielded to him. In the greatest of these spiritual victories which, through faith, any of God's people obtain, there is always something to humble them.
32 the sinew which shrank--the nerve that fastens the thigh bone in its socket. The practice of the Jews in abstaining from eating this in the flesh of animals, is not founded on the law of Moses, but is merely a traditional usage. The sinew is carefully extracted; and where there are no persons skilled enough for that operation, they do not make use of the hind legs at all.
