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Genesis 32:1

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

Angels of God met. It is not said whether this angelic manifestation was made in a vision by day, or a dream by night, It was most probably the former-an internal occurrence, a mental spectacle, analogous, as in many similar cases (cf. Genesis 15:1; Genesis 15:5; Genesis 15:12; Genesis 21:12-14; Genesis 22:2-3), to the dream which he had on his journey to Mesopotamia. For there is an evident allusion to the appearance upon the ladder (cf. Genesis 28:12); and this occurring to Jacob on his return to Canaan, was an encouraging pledge of the continued presence and protection of God (Psalms 34:7; Hebrews 1:14).

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See also Genesis 32:1 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER XXXII _Jacob, proceeding on his Journey, is met by the angels of God_, 1, 2. _Sends messengers before him to his brother Esau, requesting_ _to be favourably received_, 3-5. _The messengers...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - Jacob Wrestles in Prayer 3. מחנים _machănāyı̂m_, Machanaim, “two camps.” 22. יבק _yaboq_, Jabboq; related: בקק _bāqaq_ “gush or gurgle out” or אבק _'ābaq_ in niphal, “wrestle.” Now Wady Zurka....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 32 JACOB'S FEAR OF ESAU AND PRAYER AT PENIEL _ 1. The vision at Mahanaim (Genesis 32:1)_ 2. The message to Esau (Genesis 32:3) 3. Esau's coming and Jacob's fear (Genesis 32:6) 4. Jacob's p...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    GENESIS 31:22 TO GENESIS 32:2. AFTER MUTUAL RECRIMINATIONS, JACOB AND LABAN MAKE A COVENANT TO REFRAIN FROM AGGRESSION ON EACH OTHER'S TERRITORIES. The analysis is uncertain; Gunkel assigns Genesis 31...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    ANGELS OF GOD. Compare Psalms 34:7, to assure him of God's presence with him, and of His protection....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _the angels of God_ See note on Genesis 28:12. The appearance of the angels to Jacob on his return from Haran, as on his journey thither, gives him the assurance of God's presence. In chap. 28 it was...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THE ANGELS OF GOD, &C.— When Jacob embarked in this enterprize, and left Canaan, God was pleased to encourage him by a vision of angels, and by the assurance of his protection: and now that he was ret...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    2. _Jacob's Reconciliation with Esau: The Biblical Account_ (Genesis 32:1 to Genesis 33:17) 1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And Jacob said when he saw them, This is God's...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE APPROACH OF ESAU. JACOB WRESTLES WITH THE ANGEL 1. The angels of God] God had given Jacob, by an angelic vision, a pledge of His watchful love, when he left his home (Genesis 28:12). Now that he...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 32 JACOB PREPARES TO MEET ESAU V1 Jacob continued his journey. God’s *angels met him V2 and Jacob saw them. He said, ‘This is God’s army!’ So he c...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    God’s *angels did not give any message to Jacob, but Jacob saw them. So Jacob knew that God was guarding him. ‘Mahanaim’ means ‘two armies’ or ‘two camps’. Perhaps he meant God’s army and his own peop...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE TÔLDÔTH ISAAC (Genesis 25:19 to Genesis 35:29). THE BIRTH OF ISAAC’S SONS. Abraham begat Isaac — The _Tôldôth_ in its original form gave probably a complete genealogy of Isaac, tracing up his des...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    XXXII. (1) JACOB WENT ON HIS WAY. — The meeting of Jacob and Laban had been on the dividing line between the Aramean and the Canaanite lands, and consequently at a spot where Laban would have found no...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Genesis 32:2]_ וְ יַעֲקֹ֖ב הָלַ֣ךְ לְ דַרְכֹּ֑ו...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    JACOB AT PENIEL Genesis 32:1 "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." James 4:10 JACOB had a double reason for wishing to leave Padan-aram. He believed in the promise...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    JACOB FEARS TO MEET ESAU Genesis 32:1 Before we encounter our Esaus we are sure to meet God's angels. If only our eyes are not holden we shall perceive them. The world is full of angel help! There ar...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This is unquestionably one of the great Chapter s 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 thi...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    WRESTLING WITH GOD As Jacob continued his journey toward home, angels met him. He called the name of that place Mahanaim, or "two camps" because there were two armies encamped there, the angels and h...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Angels. Guardians of Chanaan and Mesopotamia. (Jarchi.) --- The latter escorted him as far as the torrent Jaboc. That angels guard different provinces, is well attested, Daniel xii. 1, and Acts xvi....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS This Chapter relates some very extraordinary events, which occurred in the Patriarch Jacob's journey towards Canaan, after his separation from Laban. He is first met by an host of angels. He...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Having already shown the position of Isaac, I resume briefly with the remark that he stands before us clearly as the representative of the Son, and this too as dead, risen, and in heaven. All will und...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _ANGELS ON LIFE’S PATHWAY_ ‘Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.’ Genesis 32:1 Every man lives two lives—an outward and an inward. The one is that denoted in our present text: _ Ja...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _THE ANGELS OF GOD_ ‘The angels of God.’ Genesis 32:1 To the Christian, to the member of the Church of England, with his Prayer Book in his hand, there is a prayer in which we speak to God and reca...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    1._And Jacob went on his way_. After Jacob has escaped from the hands of his father-in-law, that is, from present death, he meets with his brother, whose cruelty was as much, or still more, to be drea...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 29 THROUGH 35. I have no doubt that in the two wives, as I have said, we have the Gentiles and Israel: Rachel first loved on the earth, but not possessed; but...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND JACOB WENT ON HIS WAY,.... From Gilead towards the land of Canaan: AND THE ANGELS OF GOD MET HIM; to comfort and help him, to protect and defend him, to keep him in all his ways, that nothing hur...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. Ver. 1. _Angels of God met him._] Sensibly and visibly, as servants meet their masters, as the guard their prince. Oh, the dignity and safety...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _The angels of God met him_ In some visible and glorious forms, as they frequently appeared to the patriarchs. Probably only Jacob saw them. They met him to bid him welcome to Canaan again; a more hon...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Iacobs vision at Mahanaim. 3 His message to Esau. 6 He is afraid of Esaus comming. 9 He prayeth for deliuerance. 13 Hee sendeth a present to Esau. 24 He wrestleth with an Angel at Peniel, where...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The Messengers to Esau...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him, literally, they came up with him, joined him. Their protection had shielded him on Mount Gilead, and the meeting with them at this time gave h...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    FOURTH SECTION _Jacob’s flight. Laban’s persecution. The covenant between the two on the mountain of Gilead. Departure._ GENESIS 31:4 TO GENESIS 32:2 , 4And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    RETURNING TO FACE ESAU As Jacob continues his journey we are told that the angels of God met him (v.1). It was not God Himself as yet who met him, but the angels were no doubt intended as an encourage...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-8 The angels of God appeared to Jacob, to encourage him with the assurance of the Divine protection. When God designs his people for great trials, he prepares them by great comforts. While Jacob, t...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    GENESIS CHAPTER 32 The angels of God meet Jacob, GENESIS 32:1. He calls them God's host, and the place Mahanaim, GENESIS 32:2. Sends messengers to his brother Esau, GENESIS 32:3. They return, and brin...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him." Still God's grace follows him, notwithstanding all. "Nothing changeth God's affection." Whom He loves, and as He loves, He loves to the end....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 32:1 Jacob H3290 went H1980 (H8804) way H1870 angels H4397 God H430 met H6293 (H8799) angels -...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    ANGEL (_ See Scofield) - (Hebrews 1:4). _...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 32 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...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 32:1 I. Notice first the angels themselves. (1) Their number is very great. (2) They are swift as the flames of fire. (3) They are also strong: "Bless the Lord, ye His angels that excel in st...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 32:1 , GENESIS 32:24 Every man lives two lives an outward and an inward. The one is that denoted in the former text: _Jacob went on his way._The other is denoted in the latter text: _Jacob wa...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Genesis 32:1. _And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him._ When he left the promised land, he had a vision of angels, ascending and descending upon the ladder, as if to bid him farewel...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Jacob had just come out of a great trouble. God's gracious interposition had delivered him out of the hand of the angry Laban, Laban the churl, who cared for Jacob only for what he could get out of hi...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Genesis 32:1. _And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him._ What an encouragement the visit of these angels must have been to Jacob after the strife which he had had with Laban! But, de...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Genesis 32:1. _And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim._ Jacob was about to enter...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Jacob becomes Israel. Preparation for meeting Esau. Wrestling against the angel. CHARACTERS: Jacob, Esau, angel. CONCLUSION: Either we lean on God or on our own plans. The arrangements of...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    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 hi...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him._ And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim THE MINISTRY OF ANGELS I. THE ANGELS...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 32:1 After separating peacefully from Laban, Jacob prepares to meet his estranged brother Esau. Jacob is naturally hesitant about how he will be received some 20 years after fl...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Genesis 32:1_ JACOB’S VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE WORLD I. Jacob’s visible world. He had just escaped the persecutions of his father-in-law, and was now expecting to mee...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 32:1 AND JACOB (after Laban's departure) WENT ON HIS WAY (from Galeed and Mizpah, in a southerly direction towards the Jabbok), AND THE ANGELS OF GOD—literally, _the messengers of...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    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 an...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    angels. Psalms 91:11 Hebrews 1:4 1 Corinthians 3:22 Ephesians 3:10...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    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...

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