Source: http://yhwh-qra.com/gen-32-net-notes.aspx
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 14:04:27+00:00

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The phrase angels of Yahweh occurs only here and in Gen 28:12LEB in the OT. Jacob saw a vision of angels just before he left the promised land. Now he encounters angels as he prepares to return to it. The text does not give the details of the encounter, but Jacob’s response suggests it was amicable. This location was a spot where heaven made contact with earth, and where Yahweh made his presence known to the patriarch. See C. Houtman, "Jacob at Mahanaim: Some Remarks on Genesis XXXII 2–3, " VT 28 (1978): 37-44.
"and Jacob said when he saw them."
The name Mahanaim apparently means "two camps." Perhaps the two camps were those of Yahweh and of Jacob.
Your servant. The narrative recounts Jacob’s groveling in fear before Esau as he calls his brother his "lord," as if to minimize what had been done twenty years ago.
Or "I am sending." The form is a preterite with the vav consecutive; it could be rendered as an English present tense – as the Hebrew perfect/preterite allows – much like an epistolary aorist in Greek. The form assumes the temporal perspective of the one who reads the message.
The words "this message" are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
"If Esau comes to one camp and attacks it."
אָמַר (’amar) here represents Jacob’s thought or reasoning, and is therefore translated "he thought." The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
"the surviving camp will be for escape." The word "escape" is a feminine noun. The term most often refers to refugees from war.
"I will cause good" or "I will treat well [or "favorably"]." The idea includes more than prosperity, though that is its essential meaning. Here the form is subordinated to the preceding imperative and indicates purpose or result. Jacob is reminding Yahweh of his promise in the hope that Yahweh will honor his word.
"the loving deeds and faithfulness" (see Gen 24:27LEB, Gen 24:49LEB).
"for with my staff." The Hebrew word מַקֵל (maqel), traditionally translated "staff," has been rendered as "walking stick" because a "staff" in contemporary English refers typically to the support personnel in an organization.
The imperative has the force of a prayer here, not a command.
The "hand" here is a metonymy for "power."
"from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau."
"for I am afraid of him, lest he come."
"me, [the] mother upon [the] sons." The first person pronoun "me" probably means here "me and mine," as the following clause suggests.
"But you, you said." One of the occurrences of the pronoun "you" has been left untranslated for stylistic reasons.
Some commentators have thought this final verse of the prayer redundant, but it actually follows the predominant form of a lament in which Yahweh is motivated to act. The primary motivation Jacob can offer to Yahweh is Yahweh’s promise, and so he falls back on that at the end of the prayer.
Or "will certainly deal well with you." The infinitive absolute appears before the imperfect, underscoring Yahweh’s promise to bless. The statement is more emphatic than in v. 9.
The form is the perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive, carrying the nuance of the preceding verb forward.
"which cannot be counted because of abundance." The imperfect verbal form indicates potential here.
"and he took from that which was going into his hand," meaning that he took some of what belonged to him.
The Hebrew noun translated gift can in some contexts refer to the tribute paid by a subject to his lord. Such a nuance is possible here, because Jacob refers to Esau as his lord and to himself as Esau’s servant (v. 4).
"and he put them in the hand of."
"a herd, a herd, by itself," or "each herd by itself." The distributive sense is expressed by repetition.
"the first"; this has been specified as "the servant leading the first herd" in the translation for clarity.
"and to whom are these before you?"
The form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive; it has the nuance of an imperfect of instruction.
The words "they belong" have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
"to your servant, to Jacob."
"to my lord, to Esau."
"and look, also he [is] behind us." The referent of the pronoun "he" (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
"And he commanded also the second, also the third, also all the ones going after the herds, saying: ‘According to this word you will speak when you find him.’"
"and look, your servant Jacob [is] behind us."
"for he said." The referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew word מַקֵל (maqel), traditionally represents Jacob’s thought or reasoning, and is therefore translated "thought."
"I will appease his face." The cohortative here expresses Jacob’s resolve. In the Book of Leviticus the Hebrew verb translated "appease" has the idea of removing anger due to sin or guilt, a nuance that fits this passage very well. Jacob wanted to buy Esau off with a gift of more than five hundred and fifty animals.
"with a gift going before me."
"I will see his face."
"Perhaps he will lift up my face." In this context the idiom refers to acceptance.
"and the gift passed over upon his face."
The disjunctive clause is circumstantial/temporal.
"and he arose in that night and he took." The first verb is adverbial, indicating that he carried out the crossing right away.
The Hebrew term used here is יֶלֶד (yeled) which typically describes male offspring. Some translations render the term "children" but this is a problem because by this time Jacob had twelve children in all, including one daughter, Dinah, born to Leah (Gen 30:21LEB). Benjamin, his twelfth son and thirteenth child, was not born until later (Gen 35:16–19LEB).
Hebrew narrative style often includes a summary statement of the whole passage followed by a more detailed report of the event. Here v. 22 is the summary statement, while v. 23 begins the detailed account.
"and he sent across what he had."
Reflecting Jacob’s perspective at the beginning of the encounter, the narrator calls the opponent simply "a man." Not until later in the struggle does Jacob realize his true identity.
The verb translated "wrestled" (וַיֵּאָבֵק, vayye’aveq) sounds in Hebrew like the names "Jacob" (יַעֲקֹב, ya’aqov) and "Jabbok" (יַבֹּק, yabboq). In this way the narrator links the setting, the main action, and the main participant together in the mind of the reader or hearer.
"until the rising of the dawn."
"he"; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Or "injured"; traditionally "touched." The Hebrew verb translated "struck" has the primary meanings "to touch; to reach; to strike." It can, however, carry the connotation "to harm; to molest; to injure." Yahweh’s "touch" cripples Jacob – it would be comparable to a devastating blow.
"and he said, ‘I will not let you go.’" The referent of the pronoun "he" (Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
Jacob wrestled with a man thinking him to be a mere man, and on that basis was equal to the task. But when it had gone on long enough, the night visitor touched Jacob and crippled him. Jacob’s request for a blessing can only mean that he now knew that his opponent was supernatural. Contrary to many allegorical interpretations of the passage that make fighting equivalent to prayer, this passage shows that Jacob stopped fighting, and then asked for a blessing.
"and he said to him." The referent of the pronoun "he" (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
What is your name? The question is rhetorical, since Yahweh obviously knew Jacob’s identity. But since Yahweh is going to change Jacob’s name, this question is designed to bring focus Jacob’s attention on all that his name had come to signify.
"and he said." The referent of the pronoun "he" (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
The name Israel is a common construction, using a verb with a theophoric element (אֵל, ’el) that usually indicates the subject of the verb. Here it means "Yahweh fights." This name will replace the name Jacob; it will be both a promise and a call for faith. In essence, Yahweh was saying that Jacob would have victory and receive the promises because Yahweh would fight for him.
You have fought. The explanation of the name Israel includes a sound play. In Hebrew the verb translated "you have fought" (שָׂרִיתָ, sarita) sounds like the name "Israel" (יִשְׂרָאֵל, yisra’el ), meaning "Yahweh fights" (although some interpret the meaning as "he fights [with] Yahweh"). The name would evoke the memory of the fight and what it meant. A. Dillmann says that ever after this the name would tell the Israelites that, when Jacob contended successfully with Yahweh, he won the battle with man (Genesis, 2:279). To be successful with Yahweh meant that he had to be crippled in his own self-sufficiency (A. P. Ross, "Jacob at the Jabboq, Israel at Peniel," BSac 142 : 51-62).
Tell me your name. In primitive thought to know the name of a deity or supernatural being would enable one to use it for magical manipulation or power (A. S. Herbert, Genesis 12–50 [TBC], 108). For a thorough structural analysis of the passage discussing the plays on the names and the request of Jacob, see R. Barthes, "The Struggle with the Angel: Textual Analysis of Genesis 32:23–33LEB, " Structural Analysis and Biblical Exegesis (PTMS), 21–33.
The question uses the enclitic pronoun "this" to emphasize the import of the question.
"and he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’" The referent of the pronoun "he" (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
The verb here means that Yahweh endowed Jacob with success; he would be successful in everything he did, including meeting Esau.
The name Peniel means "face of Yahweh." Since Jacob saw Yahweh face to face here, the name is appropriate.
The word "explaining" is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
I have seen Yahweh face to face. See the note on the name "Peniel" earlier in the verse.
"and my soul [= life] has been preserved."
I have survived. It was commonly understood that no one could see Yahweh and live (Gen 48:16LEB; Exod 19:21LEB, Exod 24:10LEB; and Judg 6:11-22LEB). On the surface Jacob seems to be saying that he saw Yahweh and survived. But the statement may have a double meaning, in light of his prayer for deliverance in v. 11. Jacob recognizes that he has survived his encounter with Yahweh and that his safety has now been guaranteed.
The name is spelled Penuel here, apparently a variant spelling of Peniel (see v. 30).
The disjunctive clause draws attention to an important fact: He may have crossed the stream, but he was limping.
On the use of the expression to this day, see B. S. Childs, "A Study of the Formula ‘Until This Day’," JBL 82 (1963): 279-92.
Or "because the socket of Jacob’s hip was struck." Some translations render this as an impersonal passive. On the translation of the word "struck" see the note on this term in v. 25.

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