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G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Genesis 32:1-32

This is unquestionably one of the great chapters of the Bible, and it is significant how constant and powerful is its appeal to all who live on the principle of faith. It gives the account of the third direct communication of God to Jacob. As he returned to his own land, the same conflicting principles which have been evident throughout are still manifest. His going at all was in direct obedience to the distinct command of God. There was really no other reason to return. He might still have... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 32:7-8

‘Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed. And he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and the herds and the camels, into two companies. And he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and smites it then the other company which is left will escape.” ’ Jacob is seized with terror and he decides on a strategy to deceive his brother. He divides his possessions into ‘two companies’. There may well be a deliberate contrast here with verse 2 where Mahanaim also meant two... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 32:3-21

Genesis 32:3-Ecclesiastes : . Jacob Takes Precautions to Appease Esau. Genesis 32:3-1 Chronicles : a seems to be from J, Genesis 32:13 b – Genesis 32:21 from E. Genesis 32:9-2 Kings : may be an expansion. According to J, Jacob divides his company into two camps, so that one may escape if Esau attacks. E represents Jacob as making up a very valuable present to win Esau’ s favour. This consists of goats, sheep, camels, cattle, and asses. He hits on the plan of arranging them in separate... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Genesis 32:7

Notwithstanding the renewed promise of God, and the late apparition of angels, Jacob was greatly afraid; wherein he showed the weakness of his faith, to which God left him for his trial and exercise, and to quicken him to prayer, that so God might have more glory, and he more comfort in the mercy. read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Genesis 32:3-23

CRITICAL NOTES.—Genesis 32:1. The angels of God met him.] “Lit., came, drew near to him, not precisely that they came from an opposite direction.” (Lange.)—Genesis 32:2. Mahanaim.] Heb. Two camps. Probably alluding to the meeting of his own encampment with that of God. But some contend that this is the usual Hebrew plural of dignity or majesty. Mahanaim was situated S.W. of Mizpah in Gilead, probably the modern Mahneh.—Genesis 32:3. The land of Seir.] This is Arabia Petrea, on the east and... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - Genesis 32:1-32

Genesis 32:0 I. God selects men for His work on earth, not because of their personal agreeableness, but because of their adaptation to the work they have to perform. II. There is something affecting in the way in which guilty persons invoke the God of their fathers. Conscious that they deserve nothing at the hands of God, they seek to bring down on themselves the blessing of the God of their father and mother. III. When a man is overtaken in his transgression, and all his wickedness seems to... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - Genesis 32:7

Genesis 32:7 , Genesis 32:11 , Genesis 32:24 , Genesis 32:28 From this description of a day and a night in the life of Jacob we learn three things. (1) This is a crisis, a turning-point in his career. His experience at the ford of Jabbok is his "conversion" from the craft and cunning and vulturous greed of years to the sweet subjection of his will to the Eternal, and consequent victory over himself and his brother. (2) God is in this crisis from first to last and at every moment of these... read more

Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Genesis 32:1-32

Shall we turn in our Bibles to Genesis chapter thirty-two?Now in the thirty-first chapter we had the parting of Laban, Jacob's uncle as he kisses his grandchildren goodbye, as he sets up the stone and as he gives a heavy-duty charge to Jacob saying, "you take care of my girls and my grandkids. And if you do anything wrong, may God watch over you and take care of you".And so Laban departed with his host and returned back to Padanaram.And Jacob [chapter thirty-two] went on his way, and the angels... read more

Joseph Sutcliffe

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - Genesis 32:1-32

Genesis 32:2. Mahanaim, two camps or hosts, or the camp of God; a city in Gilead, mentioned in Joshua 13:26; Joshua 21:38; denoting that the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him. Psalms 34:7. Genesis 32:4. My lord Esau. Jacob salutes his brother as a prince, but he says nothing of the birthright. That being the gift of God, must not be given to another. Genesis 32:6. Four hundred men. A rabbi remarks here, that Laban followed Jacob with some shame, but that... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Genesis 32:3-9

Genesis 32:3-9And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother.The alarmI. We will consider, in the first place, THE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES WHICH JACOB ADOPTED. In the first instance, as soon as he heard of the evil which apparently awaited him, he immediately divided” the people that were with him into two bands,” in the hope that if one company was suddenly surprised and smitten, the other might in the interim escape. II. But in the second place, let us notice WHAT WAS JACOB’S CHIEF... read more

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