10 I am not worthy of the least H6994 of all the mercies, H2617 and of all the truth, H571 which thou hast shewed H6213 unto thy servant; H5650 for with my staff H4731 I passed over H5674 this Jordan; H3383 and now I am become two H8147 bands. H4264
And he said, H559 Blessed H1288 be the LORD H3068 God H430 of my master H113 Abraham, H85 who hath not left destitute H5800 H5973 my master H113 of his mercy H2617 and his truth: H571 I being in the way, H1870 the LORD H3068 led me H5148 to the house H1004 of my master's H113 brethren. H251
Thou hast also given H5414 me the shield H4043 of thy salvation: H3468 and thy right hand H3225 hath holden me up, H5582 and thy gentleness H6037 hath made me great. H7235
And G2532 I thank G2192 G5485 Christ G5547 Jesus G2424 our G2257 Lord, G2962 who G3588 hath enabled G1743 me, G3165 for G3754 that he counted G2233 me G3165 faithful, G4103 putting me G5087 into G1519 the ministry; G1248 Who G3588 was G5607 before G4386 a blasphemer, G989 and G2532 a persecutor, G1376 and G2532 injurious: G5197 but G235 I obtained mercy, G1653 because G3754 I did G4160 it ignorantly G50 in G1722 unbelief. G570 And G1161 the grace G5485 of our G2257 Lord G2962 was exceeding abundant G5250 with G3326 faith G4102 and G2532 love G26 which G3588 is in G1722 Christ G5547 Jesus. G2424 This is a faithful G4103 saying, G3056 and G2532 worthy G514 of all G3956 acceptation, G594 that G3754 Christ G5547 Jesus G2424 came G2064 into G1519 the world G2889 to save G4982 sinners; G268 of whom G3739 I G1473 am G1510 chief. G4413
Then went H935 king H4428 David H1732 in, and sat H3427 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and he said, H559 Who am I, O Lord H136 GOD? H3069 and what is my house, H1004 that thou hast brought H935 me hitherto? H1988
Mercy H2617 and truth H571 are met together; H6298 righteousness H6664 and peace H7965 have kissed H5401 each other.
If G1437 we say G2036 that G3754 we have G2192 no G3756 sin, G266 we deceive G4105 ourselves, G1438 and G2532 the truth G225 is G2076 not G3756 in G1722 us. G2254 If G1437 we confess G3670 our G2257 sins, G266 he is G2076 faithful G4103 and G2532 just G1342 to G2443 forgive G863 us G2254 our sins, G266 and G2532 to cleanse G2511 us G2248 from G575 all G3956 unrighteousness. G93 If G1437 we say G2036 that G3754 we have G264 not G3756 sinned, G264 we make G4160 him G846 a liar, G5583 and G2532 his G846 word G3056 is G2076 not G3756 in G1722 us. G2254
Likewise, G3668 ye younger, G3501 submit yourselves G5293 unto the elder. G4245 Yea, G1161 all G3956 of you be subject G5293 one to another, G240 and be clothed G1463 with humility: G5012 for G3754 God G2316 resisteth G498 the proud, G5244 and G1161 giveth G1325 grace G5485 to the humble. G5011
I am become G1096 a fool G878 in glorying; G2744 ye G5210 have compelled G315 me: G3165 for G1063 I G1473 ought G3784 to have been commended G4921 of G5259 you: G5216 for G1063 in nothing G3762 am I behind G5302 the very chiefest G3029 apostles, G652 G5228 though G1499 I be G1510 nothing. G3762
When G1161 Simon G4613 Peter G4074 saw G1492 it, he fell down at G4363 Jesus' G2424 knees, G1119 saying, G3004 Depart G1831 from G575 me; G1700 for G3754 I am G1510 a sinful G268 man, G435 O Lord. G2962
Thou wilt perform H5414 the truth H571 to Jacob, H3290 and the mercy H2617 to Abraham, H85 which thou hast sworn H7650 unto our fathers H1 from the days H3117 of old. H6924
O Lord, H136 to us belongeth confusion H1322 of face, H6440 to our kings, H4428 to our princes, H8269 and to our fathers, H1 because we have sinned H2398 against thee. To the Lord H136 our God H430 belong mercies H7356 and forgivenesses, H5547 though we have rebelled H4775 against him;
I will mention H2142 the lovingkindnesses H2617 of the LORD, H3068 and the praises H8416 of the LORD, H3068 according to all that the LORD H3068 hath bestowed H1580 on us, and the great H7227 goodness H2898 toward the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 which he hath bestowed H1580 on them according to his mercies, H7356 and according to the multitude H7230 of his lovingkindnesses. H2617
And Abraham H85 answered H6030 and said, H559 Behold now, I have taken upon me H2974 to speak H1696 unto the Lord, H136 which H595 am but dust H6083 and ashes: H665
O my soul, thou hast said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 Thou art my Lord: H136 my goodness H2896 extendeth not to thee;
The righteous H6662 also shall hold H270 on his way, H1870 and he that hath clean H2890 hands H3027 shall be H3254 stronger and stronger. H555
Then Jacob H3290 was greatly H3966 afraid H3372 and distressed: H3334 and he divided H2673 the people H5971 that was with him, and the flocks, H6629 and herds, H1241 and the camels, H1581 into two H8147 bands; H4264
And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep H8104 thee in all places whither H834 thou goest, H3212 and will bring thee again H7725 into this land; H127 for I will not leave H5800 thee, until H834 I have done H6213 that which I have spoken H1696 to thee of.
And Jacob H3290 went out H3318 from Beersheba, H884 and went H3212 toward Haran. H2771 And he lighted H6293 upon a certain place, H4725 and tarried there all night, H3885 because the sun H8121 was set; H935 and he took H3947 of the stones H68 of that place, H4725 and put H7760 them for his pillows, H4763 and lay down H7901 in that place H4725 to sleep. H7901
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 32
Commentary on Genesis 32 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 32
We have here Jacob still upon his journey towards Canaan. Never did so many memorable things occur in any march as in this of Jacob's little family. By the way he meets,
Gen 32:1-2
Jacob, having got clear of Laban, pursues his journey homewards towards Canaan: when God has helped us through difficulties we should go on our way heaven-ward with so much the more cheerfulness and resolution. Now,
Gen 32:3-8
Now that Jacob was re-entering Canaan God, by the vision of angels, reminded him of the friends he had when he left it, and thence he takes occasion to remind himself of the enemies he had, particularly Esau. It is probable that Rebekah had sent him word of Esau's settlement in Seir, and of the continuance of his enmity to him. What shall poor Jacob do? He longs to see his father, and yet he dreads to see his brother. He rejoices to see Canaan again, and yet cannot but rejoice with trembling because of Esau.
Gen 32:9-12
Our rule is to call upon God in the time of trouble; we have here an example to this rule, and the success encourages us to follow this example. It was now a time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it; and here we have him praying for that salvation, Jer. 30:7. In his distress he sought the Lord, and he heard him. Note, Times of fear should be times of prayer; whatever frightens us should drive us to our knees, to our God. Jacob had lately seen his guard of angels, but, in this distress, he applied to God, not to them; he knew they were his fellow-servants, Rev. 22:9. Nor did he consult Laban's teraphim; it was enough for him that he had a God to go to. To him he addresses himself with all possible solemnity, so running for safety into the name of the Lord, as a strong tower, Prov. 18:10. This prayer is the more remarkable because it won him the honour of being an Israel, a prince with God, and the father of the praying remnant, who are hence called the seed of Jacob, to whom he never said, Seek you me in vain. Now it is worth while to enquire what there was extraordinary in this prayer, that it should gain the petitioner all this honour.
Gen 32:13-23
Jacob, having piously made God his friend by a prayer, is here prudently endeavouring to make Esau his friend by a present. He had prayed to God to deliver him from the had of Esau, for he feared him; but neither did his fear sink into such a despair as dispirits for the use of means, nor did his prayer make him presume upon God's mercy, without the use of means. Note, When we have prayed to God for any mercy, we must second our prayers with our endeavours; else, instead of trusting god, we tempt him; we must so depend upon God's providence as to make use of our own prudence. "Help thyself, and God will help thee;' God answers our prayers by teaching us to order our affairs with discretion. To pacify Esau,
Gen 32:24-32
We have here the remarkable story of Jacob's wrestling with the angel and prevailing, which is referred to, Hos. 12:4. Very early in the morning, a great while before day, Jacob had helped his wives and his children over the river, and he desired to be private, and was left alone, that he might again more fully spread his cares and fears before God in prayer. Note, We ought to continue instant in prayer, always to pray and not to faint: frequency and importunity in prayer prepare us for mercy. While Jacob was earnest in prayer, stirring up himself to take hold on God, an angel takes hold on him. Some think this was a created angel, the angel of his presence (Isa. 63:9), one of those that always behold the face of our Father and attend on the shechinah, or the divine Majesty, which probably Jacob had also in view. Others think it was Michael our prince, the eternal Word, the angel of the covenant, who is indeed the Lord of the angels, who often appeared in a human shape before he assumed the human nature for a perpetuity; whichsoever it was, we are sure God's name was in him, Ex. 23:21. Observe,