Genesis 32:2

When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s army camp!” So he named that place Mahanaim, which means ‘two camps’.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

In Context

1As Jacob and his family continued traveling, some angels, whom God sent, met him.

3Jacob told some of the men to go ahead of him to his older brother Esau, who was living in Seir, the land where the descendants of Edom lived.

Read all of Genesis 32

Cross References

Joshua 5:14The man replied, “I am not planning to fight with you or against you. Instead, I am the commander of Yahweh’s army in heaven, and I have come down from there to assure you that Yahweh will help you.” Then Joshua bowed down with his face on the ground ◄to show his respect for/to worship► the man, and said to him, “Tell me what you want me to do.”

2 Samuel 2:8While this was happening, Ner’s son Abner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ishbosheth and went across the Jordan River to Mahanaim town.

2 Samuel 17:24David and his soldiers arrived at Mahanaim. And Absalom and all his Israeli soldiers also crossed the Jordan River.

1 Kings 2:8Also, you remember Gera’s son Shimei from Bahurim town in the area where the descendants of Benjamin live. You know what he did to me. He cursed me terribly on the day I left Jerusalem and went to Mahanaim town. But when he later came down to see me at the Jordan River, I solemnly promised, while Yahweh listened [MTY], that I would not cause him to be executed.

2 Kings 6:17Then he prayed, “Yahweh, I request that you open my servant’s eyes in order that he can see what is out there!” So Yahweh enabled the servant to look out and see that surrounding the hill on which the town was built was a huge number of horses, and chariots made of fire!

Psalms 103:21Praise Yahweh, you armies/thousands of angels who serve him and do what he desires!

Matthew Henry on Genesis 32:2-3

Jacob Pursuing His Journey. ( b. c. 1739.) 1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. 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, 1. Here is Jacob's convoy in his journey ( v. 1 ): The angels of God met him, in a visible… Read the whole commentary →

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