Chapter 32:
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Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Revelation Exodus
Genesis 32
We have here Jacob still upon his journey towards
Canaan. Never did so many memorable things occur in any
march, as in this in Jacob's little family. By the way he meets,
I. With good tidings from his God, ver. 1, 2.
II. With bad tidings from his brother, to whom he sent a message
to notify his return, ver. 2-7. In his distress,
1. He divides his company, ver. 8.
2. He makes his prayer to God, ver. 9-12.
3. He sends a present to his brother, ver. 13-23.
4. He wrestles with the angel, ver. 24-32.
Verse 1. And the Angel of God met him - In a visible appearance;
whether in a vision by day, or in a dream by night, as when he
saw them upon the ladder, is uncertain. They met him to bid him
welcome to Canaan again; a more honourable reception than ever
any prince had that was met by the magistrates of a city. They met
him to congratulate his arrival, and his escape from Laban. They
had invisibly attended him all along, but now they appeared,
because he had greater dangers before him. When God designs his
people for extraordinary trials, he prepares them by extraordinary
comforts.
Verse
2. This is God's house - A good man may, with an eye of faith, see
the same that Jacob saw with his bodily eyes. What need we
dispute whether he has a guardian angel, when we are sure he has
a guard of angels about him? To preserve the remembrance of this
favour, Jacob gave a name to the place from it, Mahanaim, two
hosts, or two camps probably they appeared to him in two hosts,
one on either side, or one in the front, and the other in the rear, to
protect him from Laban behind, and Esau before, that they might
be a compleat guard. Here was Jacob's family that made one
army, representing the church militant and itinerant on earth; and
the angels another army, representing the church triumphant, and
at rest in heaven.
Verse
4. He calls Esau his Lord, himself his servant, to intimate that he
did not insist upon the prerogatives of the birth-right and blessing
he had obtained for himself, but left it to God to fulfil his own
purpose in his seed. He gives him a short account of himself, that
he was not a fugitive and a vagabond, but though long absent had
dwelt with his own relations. I have sojourned with Laban, and
staid there till now: and that he was not a beggar, nor likely to be
a charge to his relations; no, I have oxen and asses - This he knew
would (if any thing) recommend him to Esau's good affection.
And, he courts his favour; I have sent that I may find grace in thy
sight - It is no disparagement to those that have the better cause to
become petitioners for reconciliation, and to sue for peace as well
as right.
Verse
6. He cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him - He is
now weary of waiting for the days of mourning for his father, and
before those come resolves to slay his brother. Out he marches
with four hundred men, probably such as used to hunt with him,
armed no doubt, ready to execute the word of command.
Verse
7. Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed - A lively
apprehension of danger, may very well consist with a humble
confidence in God's power and promise.
Verse
9. He addresseth himself to God as the God of his fathers: such
was the sense he had of his own unworthiness, that he did not call
God his own God, but a God in covenant with his ancestors. O
God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac. And this
he could better plead, because the covenant was entailed upon
him. Thou saidst unto me, Return unto thy country - He did not
rashly leave his place with Laban, out of a foolish fondness for his
native country; but in obedience to God's command.
Verse
10. I am not worthy - It is a surprising plea. One would think he
should have pleaded that what was now in danger was his own
against all the world, and that he had earned it dear enough; no, he
pleads, Lord, I am not worthy of it. Of the least of all the mercies
- Here is mercies in the plural number, an inexhaustible spring,
and innumerable streams; mercies and truth, past mercies given
according to the promise and farther mercies secured by the
promise. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, much less
am I worthy of so great a favour as this I am now suing for. Those
are best prepared for the greatest mercies that see themselves
unworthy of the least. For with my staff I passed over this Jordan
- Poor and desolate, like a forlorn and despised pilgrim: He had no
guides, no companions, no attendants. And now I am become two
bands - Now I am surrounded with a numerous retinue of children
and servants. Those whose latter end doth greatly increase, ought
with humility and thankfulness to remember how small their
beginning was.
Verse
11. Lord, deliver me from Esau, for I fear him - The fear that
quickens prayer is itself pleadable. It was not a robber, but a
murderer that he was afraid of: nor was it his own life only that
lay at stake, but the mothers, and the childrens.
Verse
12. Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good - The best we can say
to God in prayer is, what he hath said to us. God's promises as
they are the surest guide of our desires in prayer, and furnish us
with the best petitions, so they are the firmest ground of our
hopes, and furnish us with the best pleas. Thou saidst, I will do
thee good - Lord, do me good in this matter. He pleads also a
particular promise, that of the multiplying of his seed. Lord, what
will become of that promise, if they be all cut off?
Verse
13. 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 hand of Esau - His
prayer did not make him presume upon God's mercy, without the
use of means.
Verse
17. He sent him also a very humble message, which he ordered
his servants to deliver in the best manner. They must call Esau
their Lord, and Jacob his servant: they must tell him the cattle
they had was a small present which Jacob had sent him. They
must especially take care to tell him that Jacob was coming after,
that he might not suspect him fled. A friendly confidence in mens
goodness may help to prevent the mischief designed us by their
badness.
Verse
24. Very early in the morning, a great while before day. Jacob had
helped his wives and children over the river, and he desired to be
private, and was left alone, that he might again spread his cares
and fears before God in prayer. 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, one of those
that always behold the face of our Father. Rather it was the angel
of the covenant, who often appeared in a human shape, before he
assumed the human nature. We are told by the prophet, Hosea xii,
4, how Jacob wrestled, he wept and made supplication; prayers
and tears were his weapons. It was not only a corporal, but a
spiritual wrestling by vigourous faith and holy desire.
Verse
25. The angel prevailed not against him - That is, this
discouragement did not shake his faith, nor silence his prayer. It
was not in his own strength that he wrestled, nor by his own
strength that he prevails; but by strength derived from heaven.
That of Job illustrates this, Job xxiii, 6. Will he plead against me
with his great power? No; had the angel done so, Jacob had been
crushed; but he would put strength in me: and by that strength
Jacob had power over the angel, Hosea xii, 3. The angel put out
Jacob's thigh, to shew him what he could do, and that it was God
he was wrestling with, for no man could disjoint his thigh with a
touch. Some think that Jacob felt little or no pain from this hurt; it
is probable be did not, for he did not so much as halt 'till the
struggle was over, ver. 31, and if so, that was an evidence of a
divine touch indeed, which wounded and healed at the same time.
Verse
26. Let me go - The angel, by an admirable condescension, speaks
Jacob fair to let him go, as God said to Moses, Exod. xxxii, 10.
Let me alone. Could not a mighty angel get clear of Jacob's
grapples? He could; but thus he would put an honour upon Jacob's
faith and prayer. The reason the angel gives why he would be
gone is because the day breaks, and therefore he would not any
longer detain Jacob, who had business to do, a journey to go, a
family to look after. And he said, I will not let thee go except thou
bless me - He resolves he will have a blessing, and rather shall all
his bones be put out of joint, than he will go away without one.
Those that would have the blessing of Christ must be in good
earnest, and be importunate for it.
Verse
27. What is thy name? - Jacob (saith he) a supplanter, so Jacob
signifies. Well, (faith the angel) be thou never so called any more:
thou shalt be called Israel, a prince with God. He is a prince
indeed, that is a prince with God; and those are truly honourable
that are mighty, in prayer. Yet this was not all; having, power with
God, he shall have power with men too; having prevailed for a
blessing from heaven, he shall, no doubt, prevail for Esau's
favour. Whatever enemies we have, if we can but make God our
friend, we are well enough; they that by faith have power in
heaven, have thereby as much power on earth as they have
occasion for.
Verse
29. Wherefore dost thou ask after my name? - What good will it
do thee to know that? The discovery of that was reserved for his
death-bed, upon which he was taught to call him Shiloh. But
instead of telling him his name, he gave him his blessing, which
was the thing he wrestled for; he blessed him there, repeated and
ratified the blessing formerly given him. See how wonderfully
God condescends to countenance and crown importunate prayer?
Those that resolve though God slay them, yet to trust in him, will
at length be more than conquerors.
Verse
30. Peniel - That is, the face of God, because there he had seen the
appearance of God, and obtained the favour of God.
Verse
31. He halted on his thigh - And some think he continued to do so
to his dying day. If he did, he had no reason to complain, for the
honour and comfort he obtained by his struggle was abundantly
sufficient to countervail the damage, though he went limping to
his grave.
Chapter 32:
| Calvin
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Revelation Exodus
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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