Genesis 32:10, commentary and pictures

He humbly confesses as God's servant that he is unworthy of even the least of the mercies and faithfulness and truth God has shown him. He contrasts crossing the Jordan alone with only his staff with now having become two bands of household and possessions greatly increased as evidence of God's care and prospering. On his return to his homeland after twenty years of exile at God's command, terrified that Esau is approaching with warriors bent on revenge, he appeals with gratitude and dependence to God's mercy and promise for protection and deliverance as his only hope and defense. His plea was heard and his life preserved because he had already repented of securing the blessing by fraud, so although deeply sensing his unworthiness he had no concealed wrongs to reveal. He represents believers in their fear and distress in the closing strife with the Image Beast before Christ's second coming, who will likewise feel their unworthiness and helplessness and plead God's promises through Christ for deliverance, having no hidden sins because their sins have gone beforehand to judgment and been blotted out, for unconfessed sins would overwhelm faith with despair.

Words and Historical Setting

Jacob's words are the humble confession of God's servant that he is unworthy of even the least of the mercies and of the faithfulness and truth shown to him. He makes that acknowledgment while remembering God's favor, help, guidance, promises and mercy toward him. He contrasts crossing the Jordan alone with only his staff in his hand against having now become two bands or two companies. Those two bands are his greatly increased household and people with their possessions, flocks and wealth, which he appeals to as evidence of God's care and goodness in prospering him.

The setting is his return to his homeland and native country after twenty years away and many years of exile. He returns at God's command with wives and children and flocks and herds, his conscience still burdened by his past deception and the exile that followed it. That past was his sin in securing by fraud and his own scheming his father's blessing and the birthright intended for Esau, instead of trusting God's power to carry out His purpose despite discouraging appearances. For that he was forced to flee for his life from Esau's wrath and deadly threats with only his staff, traveling hundreds of miles through desolate country poor and alone. His courage was gone, and he was remorseful and timid, avoiding men for fear his angry brother would trace him, without the peace of God to comfort him because he was harassed by the thought that he had forfeited divine protection, and that was his condition when he made his vow to God.

The immediate crisis comes on reaching the borders, when tidings that Esau is approaching at the head of warriors bent on revenge fill him with terror. His company is unarmed and defenseless and seems about to fall helpless victims of violence and slaughter. To anxiety and fear is added crushing self-reproach, for he knows his own sin in the deception brought this danger. So with gratitude and a sense of dependence he appeals to God's kindness and mercy and to the promise to deal well with him, asking for protection and deliverance from Esau. His only hope is in God's mercy and his only defense is prayer.

On this return he is accompanied by two hosts of heavenly angels as a sign of God's care and protection. The place is therefore called Mahanaim, meaning two hosts or two camps.

Repentance and Answered Prayer

Facing Esau's approach Jacob remembered God's kindness and had already repented of obtaining the blessing and birthright by fraud and deception before he offered this prayer. His plea for deliverance was heard and his life was mercifully preserved and saved because he had first repented of the fraud by which he obtained the blessing. Without that previous repentance God would not have heard him. Although he had a deep sense of unworthiness, he had no concealed or hidden wrongs to reveal.

His only hope was in the mercy of God and his only defense was prayer, yet he left nothing undone on his own part to atone for the wrong to his brother and to avert the threatened danger.

Pattern for Time of Trouble

Jacob in this account stands for believers, and his trouble foreshadows the fear and distress they will face in the closing strife with the Image Beast in the time of trouble before Christ's second coming. As he confessed himself unworthy of even the smallest of God's mercies and faithfulness, so God's people then will likewise recognize their shortcomings, weep over their unworthiness, and plead God's promises through Christ as dependent, helpless, repentant sinners. In that distress the righteous will deeply feel their unworthiness, acknowledge their helplessness and repentance with weeping and tears, appeal to God's mercy, and hold fast to Him in earnest prayer for deliverance.

Though they have a deep sense of unworthiness, they have no hidden or concealed wrongs to reveal, for their sins have gone beforehand to judgment and been blotted out so they cannot bring them to remembrance. If they had unconfessed sins appear before them while tortured with fear and anguish they would be overwhelmed, despair would cut off their faith, and they could not have confidence to plead with God for deliverance. His prayer was heard and his life mercifully preserved because he had previously repented of his sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud, and without that previous repentance he would not have been heard.

His only hope was in the mercy of God and his only defense was prayer, yet he left nothing undone on his own part to atone for the wrong to his brother and to avert the threatened danger. So followers of Christ approaching the time of trouble should make every exertion to place themselves in a proper light, disarm prejudice, and avert the danger threatening liberty of conscience.