Commentary on Genesis, Chapter 32
CHAP. XXXII.
Ver. 1. THE Angels of God met him.] To incourage and comfort him, with the aſſurance that God was with him. This is a remarkable Paſſage, ſhowing the ſingular Care God had of him: Who, as he appeared to him when he went from Canaan, ſo now appeared to him again in his return thither; that he might depend upon the Promiſe he then made him, XXVIII. 13, 14, 15.
Ver. 2. This is God's hoſt.] Which attend upon the SCHECHINAH, or Divine Majeſty; to execute his Commands.
Mahanaim.] i. e. Two Hoſts, or Camps, as it is in the Margin. Either, becauſe there were ſeveral Squadrons (as we ſpeak) of the Angels; drawn up like an Army, ready for his defence: Or, becauſe, beſides his own Family, which was pitched here in order like a Camp, there was that of the Angels alſo. The former ſeems moſt probable, becauſe this Name relates to God's Hoſt, mentioned before; which conſiſted of ſeveral Troops of Angels.
Ver. 3. And Jacob ſent meſſengers before him, &c.] As he was about to paſs over Jordan (verſe 10.) he ſent ſome to wait upon his Brother.
Ʋnto the Land of Seir.] Which Eſau, it ſeems, had conquered in Jacob's abſence, according to the Bleſſing of his Father, XXVII. 40. By thy Sword ſhalt thou live. This Jacob thought fit to congratulate to him; and at the ſame time to try how he ſtood affected towards himſelf.
The Country of Edom.] So it was called in Moſes his time.
Ver. 4. Thus ſhall ye ſpeak to my Lord Eſau.] He calls him his Lord, that he might mollifie his Anger, if any remained, by humble Language. Which ſounded as if he had no thoughts of the Birth-right he had purchaſed of him. This alſo was the Style wherein others addreſſed themſelves to Eſau, after he had won the Principality of Seir.
Thy Servant Jacob.] Theſe are ſubmiſſive words alſo; importing his Inferiority.
I have ſojourned with Laban, &c.] This hath the ſame deſign with the foregoing words; to inſinuate that he was much inferior to Eſau; having been a Servant a long time to Laban.
Ver. 5. And I have Oxen, &c.] Yet he adds this, That he was plentifully provided for, leſt Eſau ſhould think he came a begging, and might prove a burden to him; ſo the Hebrews underſtand it. And Maimonides obſerves, that he mentions only Oxen, Aſſes, and Flocks, (i. e. of Sheep and Goats) becauſe theſe were the common Poſſeſſions of all Men, and in all Countries, that had any thing. But Horſes and Camels were not ordinary Goods, but the Poſſeſſions of a few great Perſons, and in ſome Countries only. More Nevochim, Par. III. cap. 39. Jacob indeed had Camels, (verſe 7, 15. and XXXI. 17.) but, it is likely, they were not many, and he had no great breed of them.
Men-Servants and Maid-Servants.] Theſe were a part of their Poſſeſſions, as Oxen and Sheep were; which they bought and ſold; and were no where more plentiful than in Syria, (from whence Jacob came) if it were then ſuch a Country, as it was in after-times, when the Roman Writers ſay, they were ſervituti nati, born to ſlavery.
That I may find grace in thy ſight.] He courts his Friendſhip, and deſires he would favour him, and not hinder him in his Paſſage to their old Father.
Ver. 6. We came to thy Brother Eſau, and alſo he cometh to meet thee.] They reported, no doubt, what he reply'd to Jacob's Meſſage; and this coming to meet him ſignifies, that he gave them a civil reception: And pretended, at leaſt, to be glad to hear of his Brother's return; and therefore prepared to come and welcome him into his own Country.
Four hundred Men with him.] Nobly attended; partly to ſhow his Greatneſs, and partly to do honour to Jacob by a Publick Salutation.
Ver. 7. Then Jacob was greatly afraid, &c.] Being conſcious to himſelf what cauſe Eſau had not to love him. He interpreted his coming to meet him, with ſuch a Number, otherwiſe than it was repreſented. The Viſion of Angels indeed, who met him (verſe 1.) might have fortified him againſt all fear of Eſau's meeting him: But the firſt Motions of ſuch Paſſions cannot always be prevented.
He divided the People that were with him, &c.] Put his Family and all belonging to him, in as good a Poſture, as he was able.
Ver. 9. O God of my Father Abraham, &c.] As he had prudently diſpoſed all things for the preſervation of his Family, at leaſt of ſome of them: So he addreſſes himſelf to God, (of whoſe Goodneſs both Abraham and Iſaac had had very long experience) without whoſe Favour, he knew the Angels themſelves could do nothing for him. For they are his Hoſt, verſe 2. and act only by his Command.
Return unto thy Country.] He repreſents to God that he was in the way of Obedience to his Orders: And then remembers him of his gracious Promiſe, I will deal well with thee.
Ver. 10. I am not worthy, &c.] Next, he acknowledges what God had done for him already; and how unworthy he was of the ſmalleſt part of it.
With my Staff.] As a poor Traveller, having no more than I could carry about me. Travellers uſed Staffs then, as they do now; for their Eaſe, and for their Defence.
Ver. 11. The Mother with the Children.] i. e. My whole Family: Which could not conſiſt with God's Promiſe, mentioned in the next Verſe.
Ver. 12. As the Sand of the Sea.] The words of God's Promiſe are as the duſt of the Earth, XXVIII. 14. But that ſignified the ſame with what God had ſaid to Abraham, XXII. 17. which this Promiſe authorized him to apply to himſelf, as the Seed whom he intended to bleſs.
Ver. 13. He lodged there.] i. e. In Mahanaim, or thereabouts: Where he hoped God would command the Angels, which he had ſeen, to Protect him.
And took of that which came to his Hand, &c.] According to this Tranſlation, he took what he firſt light upon, without any choice; being ſtill in a Paſſion of Fear. But the Hebrew Phraſe foreign, that which was in his Hand, ſignifies what was in his Power to preſent him withal, viz. Such Cattle as are after mentioned; though he had no Jewels, or precious Raiment. And it appears that he choſe them with great Conſideration, in exact Proportions: For having commended himſelf, upon ſuch good Grounds, to the Protection of the Almighty, his Fear vaniſhed.
Ver. 14. Two hundred She-Goats, and twenty He-Goats, &c.] The Males bear the proportion of one to ten Females. And ſo it was in the Rams and Bulls; which was the proportion Varro ſaith was obſerved in his Days and Country. See Bochart in his Hierozoic. P. I. L. II. cap. 54.
Ver. 15. Milch Camels.] Who had lately foaled: For nothing was more delicious in thoſe Countries (as Bochart obſerves out of Ariſtotle, Pliny, and many other Authors, Ib. Lib. II. cap. 2.) than Camels Milk.
Ver. 18. It is a preſent.] With which he hoped to ſweeten him; there being a great Power in Gifts to win Mens Hearts, even when they are diſaffected: As the wiſe Man obſerves in many places, Prov. XVII. 8. XVIII. 16, &c.
And behold he is behind us.] He would not have Eſau think that he was afraid to ſee him.
Ver. 19. And ſo he commanded the ſecond, &c.] He therefore diſtributed them into ſeveral Droves, that they might make a greater appearance; and that he might ſtill be more and more pleaſed, with the Reſpect which was ſhown him, and the Preſent intended him. For every new Drove, and new Speech, made a new Impreſſion upon him.
Ver. 21. Lodged that night in the company.] Or, Camp, i. e. where he pitched the Tents for his Family.
Ver. 22. He roſe up that night.] Before it was Day; in the laſt Watch of the Night.
His eleven Sons.] i. e. All his Children: For the Daughter is comprehended.
Paſſed over the ford Jabbok.] This was a little River, flowing from the Country of the Ammonites, and falling into Jordan, where it comes out of the Lake of Geneſareth. It was in one place fordable; and there Jacob firſt paſſed over himſelf, to try the depth of it.
Ver. 23. And he took them, and ſent them over, &c.] Having tried the Ford, he returned; and cauſed them all to paſs over: And ſo (as it follows) was left alone, on the Eaſt-ſide of the Brook.
Ver. 24. And there wreſtled a Man with him.] He ſtaid alone, in all likelihood, that he might commend himſelf and his Family to God, by earneſt Prayer: Which ſeems to be confirmed by the Prophet Hoſea, XII. 4. And as he was Praying, or when he had done, a Man encountred him, with whom he grapled; taking him, perhaps, for ſome of Eſau's Attendants come to ſurpriſe him. For it was ſo dark, that he could not ſee what kind of Countenance he had: Or, if he could, Angels were wont to appear ſo like to Men, that at the firſt they did not diſcern the difference. Maimonides fanſies all this was done in a Prophetick Viſion. More Nevoch. P. II. cap. 42. but the whole Narration confutes this. The only queſtion is, whether this was a created Angel, or the Eternal ΛΟΓΟΣ, as many of the ancient Fathers underſtood it. Whoſe Opinion is oppoſed by St. Auſtin, (as I obſerved upon the XVIII Chapter) and ſeems to me not ſo probable, as that this Angel was one of God's Hoſt, mentioned verſe 2. ſent from the SCHECHINAH, or Divine Majeſty: By whoſe Order, and in whoſe Preſence, he ſtrove with Jacob, in ſuch manner, as is here deſcribed. In ſhort, I take him to be one of thoſe, whom the Jews call Angels of the Preſence; that wait continually upon the Divine Majeſty, and make a part of his Retinue. See XXXV. 10.
Ver. 25. And when he ſaw that he prevailed not againſt him.] Though Jacob, no doubt, was extraordinarily ſtrengthned by God, in this Combat, (Hoſea XII. 5.) yet the Angel who repreſented God, could have prevailed againſt him, if his Orders had not been to let Jacob have the better.
He touched the hollow of his Thigh.] The Angel gave over the Combat; but made him know, by this light touch, what he could have done, if he had pleaſed, i. e. quite overthrown him, as eaſily as he made him go limping. This diſcovered to Jacob that he was more than a Man, who wreſtled with him: And that he had not prevailed againſt him by his own Strength; but by the Power of God.
The hallow of Jacob's Thigh was out of joynt.] The Thigh-Bone ſlipt out of the Cavity, or Socket, into which it was inſerted.
Ver. 26. And he ſaid, Let me go.] Though the Angel ceaſed to wreſtle any longer, yet Jacob would not let go his hold: And, the more to ſet off his Victory, the Angel ſeems not to be able to break from him, without his Conſent.
For the Day breaks.] It is time for thee to follow thy Family over the Brook.
And he ſaid, I will not let thee go, except thou bleſs me.] By this it plainly appears, Jacob began to underſtand who he was.
Ver. 27. What is thy Name?] The Angel doth not yet own his Quality; but ſpeaks as if he were unacquainted with Jacob.
Ver. 28. Thy Name ſhall be called no more Jacob, but Iſrael.] i. e. Not only Jacob, (as this Expreſſion is uſed 1 Sam. VIII. 7.) or not ſo much Jacob, as Iſrael. Which Name aboliſhed the other, in his Poſterity: Who were called Iſraelites, but never Jacobites.
For as a Prince haſt thou power with God, and with Men.] Theſe words explain the End and Intention of this Combat; which was to ſhow, That he having ſuch Power with God, as to prevail over one of his Miniſters, needed not fear his Brother Eſau. So the Vulgar Latin expreſſes it, If thou haſt been ſtrong againſt God, how much more ſhalt thou prevail with Men? And it is the Sence of our Tranſlation, which more literally renders the Hebrew words, Thou haſt behaved thy ſelf like a Prince (ſo the word Scharitha imports) with God, and with Men, &c. That is, haſt ſhowed ſuch an Heroick Spirit (as we ſpeak) in this Combat, that thou needeſt not fear Eſau and all his followers. This Victory is an aſſurance that thou ſhalt get the better of him.
There is no Body skilled in the Original Language, but eaſily ſees no other Derivation of the Name of Iſrael is to be ſought for, but what is contained in this word Scharitha: Which gives the reaſon of it. For Sar, as St. Hierom obſerves, ſignifies a Prince; and the Jod in the beginning, is the common note of a proper Name. So the meaning of Iſrael is as much as a Prince with God.
Ver. 29. Jacob askt him and ſaid, Tell me, I pray thee, thy Name.] Jacob having told him his own Name, deſires him to requite him in the ſame kind: That thereby he might more certainly know, whether he was an Angel or a Man. For theſe words ſeem to demonſtrate, he did not think him, to be God himſelf.
Wherefore doſt thou ask after my Name?] Do not enquire after it. Raſi thinks Angels changed their Names according to the Offices and Functions to which they were aſſigned.
And he bleſſed him there.] Renewed the Bleſſing which God had promiſed to Abraham and his Seed: Whereby Jacob was fully ſatisfied who he was. For he pronounced this Bleſſing in the Name of God, from whom he came.
Ver. 30. I have ſeen God face to face.] Been admitted to the neareſt Familiarity with him. For he lookt upon this Angel, as a part of the SCHECHINAH; which now alſo, it's likely, viſibly appeared, and made him call this Place Peniel, the Face of God. Which doth not import that the SCHECHINAH appeared in an humane Figure, (for it never did) but that he lookt upon it as a Token of the Divine Preſence, and that it approached very near him; as when one Friend ſpeaks to another face to face, as the ancient Phraſe was.
And my life is preſerved.] This is commonly interpreted by the Opinion, which was in old time, that if they ſaw one of the heavenly Miniſters, they were to be no longer Men of this World, but die preſently. But it may referr (as Menochius obſerves) to the principal Scope of the Combat, which was to confirm Jacob againſt the fear of Eſau: And ſo the meaning is, I doubt not, I am ſafe; God will preſerve me from any hurt by Eſau.
Ver. 31. He halted upon his Thigh.] Becauſe the Hip-Bone was out of its place. Many think this laſted only for a time: And ſome will have it, that the Angel cured him before he gat to Eſau. But there is no certainty of either of theſe Conjectures.
Ver. 32. Therefore the Children of Iſrael eat not of the Sinew which ſhrank, &c.] That Sinew (or Tendon) which faſtens the Hip-Bone in its Socket: Which comprehends the Fleſh of that Muſcle, which is connected to it. He that eat of this was to be beaten, as the Jewiſh Maſters tell us. See Mr. Selden, Lib. II. de Synedriis, p. 552. Hottinger de Leg. Hebr. §. 3. Vorſtius upon Pirke Elieſer, p. 221.