Jacob Makes Plans to Meet Esau
Jacob’s Plan to Apprise His Brother (1-6)
As Jacob journeyed back home, he came to a place where the Angel of God met him. He named the place Mahanaim, or two camps, for he perceived two camps: the Angel’s camp and his own (1-2).
Being encouraged by the visit of the angel, he sent messengers to his brother Esau, hoping to pacify all the remaining animosity between them. Jacob equipped the messengers with the news that he considered himself to be Esau’s servant, and was a servant with great wealth. Jacob was hoping his tone and his wealth would be seen as a payoff for his deceit. Esau was living south of the Dead Sea and determined to go and meet his twin brother. The messengers returned to Jacob in haste with the grim news that Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men (3-6).
Jacob’s Plan to Appease His Brother (7-23)
Jacob, of course, was frightened out of his mind and did four things to try to appease his brother Esau (7):
He divided his people into two camps, hoping if Esau attacked one camp, the other could escape (8).
Jacob prayed to Yahweh, reminding Him that it was under His direction he was returning home. He also reminded Yahweh of His great care and blessing during his time in Haran, and then asked Yahweh to deliver him from the hand of Esau. Jacob finally reminded Yahweh of His promise to multiply His seed (9-12).
Jacob then prepared a long line of peace offerings for Esau: a drove of goats, a drove of ewes, a drove of rams, a drove of milking camels with calves, a drove of cows and bulls, and a drove of donkeys. Each drove was separated by space, so when Esau met each drove, they would become a long line of gifts. Jacob was hoping to assuage Esau’s anger. The servants of each drove were told by Jacob to remind Esau that he was his servant, and all the wealth he was sending ahead of him were his gifts of peace (13-19).
Of course, Jacob was hoping all of this would soften the heart of Esau so when Jacob arrived, Esau would find Jacob acceptable (20-21).
Finally, Jacob took his family and, by night, helped them cross the Jabbok, a river 30- to 40-feet wide and at least waist-deep. Here, Jacob was getting his family across the river in the cloak of night, seeking to avoid a surprise attack by Esau’s men during daylight hours if his peace offerings had failed (22-23).
Jacob Contends with the Angel (24-31)
After Jacob helped his family across the Jabbok, he remained alone on the other side, and a man came to wrestle with him. It is unclear at the beginning who Jacob thought the man was—he may have thought him to be Esau, or it may not have been physical wrestling at all. They wrestled for some time with no victor. Just before the sun was to begin to light up the sky, it became clear that the man, using no supernatural powers, could not prevail against the 99-year-old Jacob or, better said, could not get Jacob to surrender to his will.
With the dawn pending, the wrestling match changed into an encounter with God, and the One who had been wrestling with Jacob transformed his life with three actions. It became clear to Jacob now that this was no man and no angel—he was face-to-face with Yahweh.
Yahweh touched Jacob’s hip and put it out of joint (24-25).
Jacob then held on to the One wrestling with him, realizing he was grasping Yahweh, and he was determined not to let Him go until He had blessed him (26).
Just before dawn, when it would have been dangerous for Jacob to see Yahweh's face, Yahweh sought to bring the encounter to a close. He asked Jacob his name, and Jacob answered, essentially, “Heel-grabber” or “Deceiver” (27). Yahweh then changed Jacob's name to Israel. The meaning of Israel for Jacob was, “One who struggled with Yahweh and men until Yahweh became his ultimate desire” (28).
Jacob wanted to know the name of the “Angel,” but He would not answer because His identity was obvious to Jacob. Yahweh then blessed Jacob (29).
Due to his realization that he had been face-to-face, and even hand-to-hand, with Yahweh, Jacob named the place Peniel, or “Face of God” (30).
When the sun rose, Jacob was seen limping, all the weaker, as he made his way toward his brother Esau (31).
The Holy Tendon (32)
A side note is added here: those of Jacob’s family discontinued eating the tendon in the thigh of any animal that was attached to the socket. The tendon had been touched by Yahweh and was considered by the Israelites as belonging to Yahweh (32).
Yahweh, My Steadfast Love
Psalm 33 is a “Thanksgiving Psalm,” and while the author is unknown, the Greek (Septuagint) version attributes it to David who is its most likely author. The occasion is also unknown, but it was probably written after some great national deliverance.
The Psalm can be divided into five units:
The spontaneous praise of Yahweh (1-2)
The word of Yahweh in creation (3-9)
The word of Yahweh in the nations (10-12)
The word of Yahweh in troubles (13-19)
The determination to wait for Yahweh (20-22)
Observation: When a great battle is won, David returns to describing in detail the greatness of God so as not to assume his own might and wisdom did the winning. He notes God as the Creator and the real power as Yahweh's word (6); he further asserts God's hand in the counsel of the nations (10) and declares the might of a king worthless (17). He finally proclaims hope in Yahweh's steadfast love as the true source of his victories (18)—David's determination is to remain humble in times of great success.
Purpose: To show us how to pray when we have just won a great victory so we will not assume too much of the credit and drift into pride.