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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Genesis 33:20

GENESIS—NOTE ON Genesis 33:20 This is the first altar mentioned in connection with Jacob, and it signals his commitment to worship the Lord. This is seen by the name he gives the altar: El-Elohe-Israel means “God, the God of Israel.” Jacob identifies the God worshiped at this altar as the One whom he had encountered at Peniel and who had changed his name.

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See also Genesis 33:20 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Genesis 33:20. _AND HE ERECTED THERE AN ALTAR_] It appears that Jacob had a very correct notion of the _providence_ and _mercy_ of God; hence he says, Genesis 33:5: _The children which God hath...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - Jacob and Esau Meet 17. סכת _sûkkôth_, Sukkoth, “booths,” consisting of poles forming a roof covered with branches, leaves, or grass. 19. חמור _chămôr_ Chamor, “ass, red, heap.” קשׂיטה _q__e__s...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 33 THE RECONCILIATION OF ESAU _ 1. Jacob meets Esau (Genesis 33:1)_ 2. In the city of Shechem and the altar erected (Genesis 33:18) The reconciliation is effected, but Jacob is the same man...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    GENESIS 33. THE RECONCILIATION OF JACOB AND ESAU. Genesis 33:1 is in the main from J, but bits of E have been woven in (Genesis 33:5_ b_, Genesis 33:10_ b_,...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _erected_ Lit. "set up." A verb used elsewhere, not of an altar, but of a "pillar" or upright stone. Cf. Genesis 35:14; Genesis 35:20 and Joshua 24:26. Hence many prefer here to read "pillar" (_maṣṣêb...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Jacob at Shechem 18. _in peace_ R.V. marg. _to Shalem, a city of_. The rendering in the margin is possible. It is supported by LXX and Vulg. There is a village, _Salim_, still to be found near Sheche...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    HE ERECTED THERE AN ALTAR— At the same place where Abraham had built his first altar, ch. Genesis 12:7. Abraham dedicated his, _To Jehovah appearing to him;_ Jacob his, _To God, the God of Israel,_ wh...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND HE ERECTED THERE AN ALTAR, AND CALLED IT EL-ELOHE-ISRAEL._ Erected ... an altar. Abraham had, on his landing on the same spot in Canaan, erected an altar; and now Jacob, on his arrival from Pada...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    33:20 El-Elohe-Israel. (f-11) *God, the *God of Israel....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    1-16.Jacob and Esau meet peaceably. 17-20. Jacob settles in Canaan....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    EL-ELOHE-ISRAEL] i.e. El (God) is the God of Israel (Jacob's new name)....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ‘El-Elohe-Israel’ means ‘God is Israel’s God’. CANAAN ~ the country where the Canaanites lived. (See Canaanites.) It is approximately the same land as the modern country Israel together with the land...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 33 ESAU AND JACOB MEET V1 Jacob saw that Esau approached. And 400 men came with him. So Jacob divided the children into 4 groups. Leah and Rachel...

  • 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

    HE ERECTED THERE AN ALTAR. — Abraham had already built an altar in this neighbourhood (Genesis 12:7), and Jacob now followed his example — partly as a thanksoffering for his safe return, partly also a...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יַּצֶּב ־שָׁ֖ם מִזְבֵּ֑חַ וַ יִּ֨קְרָא ־לֹ

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    JACOB WITH THE SHECHEMITES Genesis 33:18; Genesis 34:1 Jacob was tempted by the fat pastures of Shechem, without thought or care of the character of its people, and he lived to bitterly rue his choic...

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

    The morning broke and Jacob-or Israel as he had now become- went forward to meet Esau. How strange a mixture there was in the make-up of this man is once more clearly evident. It is patent that fear o...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    THE REUNION WITH ESAU When Jacob saw Esau coming, he divided his family into three groups. The maidservants formed a group with their children, Leah formed one with hers and Rachel brought up the rear...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And he erected there an altar, and called (g) it Elelohe-Israel. (g) He calls the sign, the thing which it signifies, in token that God had mightily delivered him....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _The most, &c. El Elohe Yisrael. By this name he dignified the altar, consecrating his field and all his possessions to God, and acknowledging that all was his gift. (Haydock)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    El-elohe-Israel, is God, the God of Israel; meaning God in a covenant way. REFLECTIONS How sweetly doth grace induce all the finer affections of the heart, and constrain all our angry passions into l...

  • 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...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    20._And he erected there an altar_. Jacob having obtained a place in which he might provide for his family, set up the solemn service of God; as Moses before testified concerning Abraham and Isaac. Fo...

  • 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 HE ERECTED THERE AN ALTAR,.... To offer sacrifice upon to God, by way of thanksgiving, for the many mercies he had received since he went out of the land of Canaan, whither he was now returned; an...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel. Ver. 20. _And he erected there an altar._] (1.) As a memorial of the promises, and a symbol of God's presence; (2.) As an external profess...

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

    _He erected there an altar_ 1st, In thankfulness to God, for the good hand of his providence over him. 2d, That he might keep up religion and the worship of God in his family. He dedicated this altar...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The kindnesse of Iacob and Esau at their meeting. 17 Iacob commeth to Succoth. 18 At Salem he buyeth a field, and buildeth an Altar called Elohe Israel. 1 AND Iacob lifted vp his eyes, and looked...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe Israel (God, the God of Israel). That was Jacob's confession after the many years of travel and sojourn in strange countries: The strong God is the...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Jacob Returns to Canaan...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    SIXTH SECTION _Jacobs settlement in Canaan. At Succoth. At Shechem. Dinah. Simeon and Levi. The first manifestation of Jewish fanaticism. Jacob’s rebuke, and removal to Bethel_ GENESIS 33:17 TO GENE...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE BROTHERS MEET AGAIN Jacob's trepidation is not eased when he sees that Esau has passed by all the droves and is coming with his four hundred men to meet Jacob. He even divides his family at this...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    ELELOHEISRAEL: that is, God, the God of Israel...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    17-20 Jacob did not content himself with words of thanks for God's favour to him, but gave real thanks. Also he kept up religion, and the worship of God in his family. Where we have a tent, God must...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Or, _called upon_ EL-ELOHE-ISRAEL, the particle _lo_ being redundant, as such pronouns oft are, as GENESIS 12:1 JOSHUA 20:2....

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    & Gen 34:1-31 We may here see how groundless were all Jacob's fears, and how useless all his plans. Notwithstanding the wrestling, the touching the hollow of the thigh, and the halting, we find Jacob...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 33:20 erected H5324 (H8686) altar H4196 called H7121 (H8799) Israel H415 altar - Genesis 8:20

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    JACOB MOVES INTO THE LAND OF PROMISE - REVENGE FOR DINAH (GENESIS 33:18 TO GENESIS 34:31) Some years have passed and now Jacob feels the time has come to return to the land of the covenant. This parti...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    EL-ELOHE-ISRAEL That is, God, the God of Israel. Jacob's act of faith, appropriating his new name, but also claiming Elohim in this new sense as the God through whom alone he could walk according to...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 33:20 ; GENESIS 34:1 In erecting this altar Jacob both set up a witness against the false worship and idolatry of the people among whom he dwelt, and at the same time provided a church or cent...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Jacob meets Esau. Settles in Canaan. CHARACTERS: Jacob, Esau, Leah, Rachael, Joseph. CONCLUSION: How groundless are all the Christian's fears and how useless all his self-devised plans. «W...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 33:3. _Bowed himself to the ground._ He then rose and walked a little farther, and bowed again; so he did seven times until he approached his brother. Homage of this kind was first paid to the...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And he bought a parcel of a field_ JACOB’S FAITH AND PIETY I. HIS FAITH. He bought a parcel of ground as a pledge of his faith in the future possession of that country by his posterity (Genesis 33:1...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Genesis 33:17. Made booths for his cattle.] “_Booths,_ or folds, composed of upright stakes wattled together, and sheltered with leafy branches.” (_Murphy._)— GENESIS 33:18. SHALEM,...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 33:1, GENESIS 33:2 AND JACOB, having the day before dispatched his conciliatory gift to Esau, turned his back upon the Jabbok, having crossed to the south bank, if the previous nig...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and the two handmaidens (Genesis 33:1). In oth...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    altar. Genesis 8:20 Genesis 12:7 Genesis 12:8 Genesis 13:18 Genesis 21:33

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    He erected an altar — In thankfulness to God for the good hand of his providence over him. That he might keep up religion, and the worship of God in his family. He dedicated this altar to the honour o...

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