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Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 32:13-23

The crisis at hand. Jacob understood the human heart. I. KINDNESS WILL WORK WONDERS . " I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face." It gave Esau time to think of an altered state of things, a changed brother, and his own brotherly affection, not entirely destroyed. II. IMPORTUNITY IN DOING GOOD . The repeated strokes upon the iron changes its nature. We may learn a lesson from Jacob to prepare human hearts for the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 32:21-23

So (literally, and) went the present over Before him: and himself lodged that night in the company. And he rose up that night ,— i . e . some time before daybreak ( vide Genesis 32:24 ) and took his two wives, and him two women servants (Bilhah and Zilpah), and his eleven sons (Dinah being not mentioned in accordance with the common usage of the Bible), and passed over the ford —the word signifies a place of passing over. Tristram speaks of the strong current reaching the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 32:24

And Jacob was left alone (probably on the north bank of the Jabbok; but vide on Genesis 32:23 ); and there wrestled —thus assaulting in his strong point one who had been a wrestler or heel-catcher from his youth (Murphy). The old word נֶאֱבַק , niph. of אָבַק , unused, a dehorn, from חָבַק , dust, because in wrestling the dust is raised (Aben Ezra, Gesenius), or a weakened form of חָבַק , to wind round, to embrace (Furst), obviously contains an allusion to the Jabbok ( ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 32:24-32

Peniel, or the mysterious contest. I. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE STRUGGLE . 1. The scene. The north bank of Jabbok ( vide Exposition). 2. The time. Night; the most suitable season for soul exercises, such as self-examination ( Psalms 4:4 ), meditation ( Psalms 63:6 ), devotion ( Luke 6:12 ). 3. The circumstances . Jacob was alone. In solitude the human soul discovers most of itself, and enjoys most frequent interviews with God ( Psalms 77:6 ; Daniel 10:8 ; ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 32:24-32

Peniel. The face of God. The patriarchal revelation at its best. The main point, the personal wrestling of the believer with the angel of deliverance. Through that scene Jacob passed as by a baptism (ford Jabbok) into the full enjoyment of confidence in Jehovah, into the theanthropic faith. A man wrestled with him. The faith of Jacob was now to be a faith resting not upon tradition alone, nor upon promises and commandments alone, nor upon past experience alone, but upon a living,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 32:25

And when he (the unknown wrestler) saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched— not struck (Knobel)— the hollow of his thigh (literally, the socket of the hip); and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him— literally, in his wrestling with him . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 32:26

And he (the man) said, Let me go (literally, send me away; meaning that he yielded the victory to Jacob, adding as a reason for his desire to depart), for the day breaketh —literally, for the morning or the dawn ascendeth; and therefore it is time for thee to proceed to other duties (Wilet, Clarke, Murphy), e.g. to meet Esau and appease his anger ('Speaker's Commentary'). Perhaps also the angel was unwilling that the vision which was meant for Jacob only should be seen by others... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 32:27

And he said unto him, What is thy name? (not as if requiring to be informed, but as directing attention to it in view of the change about to be made upon it) And he said, Jacob — i . e . Heel-catcher, or Supplanter ( vide Genesis 25:26 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 32:28

And he said, Thy name shall be called no more ( i . e . exclusively, since both he and his descendants are in Scripture sometimes after this styled) Jacob, but Israel :— יִשְׂרַאֵל , from שָׂרָה , to be chief, to fight, though, after the example of Ishmael, God hears, it might be rendered "God governs" (Kalisch), yet seems in this place to signify either Prince of El (Calvin, Ainsworth, Dathe, Murphy, Wordsworth, and others), or wrestler with God (Furst, Keil, Kurtz, Lange, et... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 32:28

A new name. "Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel." Twenty years before Jacob learned at Bethel to know God as a living and present Protector. This a great step in spiritual life; belief of God in heaven, becoming consciousness of God "in this place," guiding all events. It is the first step towards walking with God. But his training not yet complete. Truth is usually grasped by degrees. Unbelief, cast out, returns in new forms and under new pretences. A common mistake at... read more

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