Genesis 32:9
And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:
Jacob on his return to Canaan, fearing attack from Esau, addresses God as the God of Abraham and Isaac and recalls His command to return to his country and kindred with the promise to deal well with him and bring him safely back. After doing what he can to make peace and protect his family, he humbly pleads for divine protection, relying on that promise while confessing himself unworthy of God's mercies and faithfulness. Burdened by fear and guilt over his own sin, he makes God's mercy sought in prayer his only hope and defense, and his life is mercifully saved and preserved because he had repented of obtaining the blessing and birthright by fraud. His trouble foreshadows the fear and distress believers will face in the final conflict before their deliverance, when the righteous will likewise wrestle in prayer and plead God's promises. In that time of trouble God's people can plead for deliverance with confidence when they have no concealed, unconfessed sins, because their sins have gone beforehand to judgment and been blotted out.
Setting and Wording
Genesis 32:9 belongs to the account of Jacob's return to Canaan under God's care, and as he traveled south from Mount Gilead two hosts of heavenly angels accompanied him. That angelic escort recalled the vision at Bethel and assured him that God's messengers guarded his return, leading him to name the place Mahanaim, meaning two hosts or two camps. Its setting is his troubled thoughts about Esau on that return, fearing that Esau might attack him and seize the family wealth. The return brought back the memory of his deception and its consequences, but also the memory of God's favor and promises of help and guidance. He faced that danger while returning to his native country at God's command, burdened by fear and guilt over his own sin as Esau approached.
The verse belongs to the chapter that recounts Jacob's nighttime struggle with a mysterious opponent. In the verse Jacob addresses God as the God of his fathers Abraham and Isaac and recalls God's command to return to his country and kindred together with the promise to deal well with him. That promise was to return him safely and bless him, to deal well with him upon his return home. He grounds his plea in God's covenant relationship with Abraham and Isaac and in God's own word and instruction. Facing danger from Esau, he relies on that word and promise while asking for deliverance from Esau and pleading for protection.
After taking practical steps to make peace with Esau and protect his family, Jacob pleads humbly for divine protection. While relying on that promise, he acknowledges that he is unworthy of God's mercies and faithfulness.
Trust and Deliverance
Burdened with fear and guilt over his own wrongdoing as Esau drew near, Jacob in danger cast himself upon God's word and promise and begged for deliverance and protection. He appealed to God as the God in covenant relation with Abraham and Isaac, who had guided his fathers, and recalled the divine command to go back to his own country and kindred with the assurance of being dealt with well, brought safely home and blessed. After doing what he could in practical steps to make peace with Esau and to safeguard his family, he still pleaded humbly for divine protection, acknowledging himself unworthy of the mercies and faithfulness shown him. In that extremity he made God's mercy sought through prayer his only hope and defense, wrestling in prayer and pleading God's own promises for deliverance, as the righteous in their time of trouble likewise do.
His prayer for help was heard, and his life was mercifully saved and preserved. This was because he had already repented of obtaining the blessing and birthright by fraud, so that with no concealed sin remaining he could plead with confidence.
Promise in Last Days
Jacob's trouble in this account represents the distress believers will face in the final conflict with the image beast, foreshadowing the fear and distress of the saints just before their deliverance. In danger Jacob grounded his plea in God's relationship with Abraham and Isaac and in God's command to return home to his country and kindred with the promise to deal well with him, appealing to God's own promise for protection. The righteous in their time of trouble likewise wrestle in prayer and plead God's promises for deliverance.
Because Jacob had repented of obtaining the blessing and birthright by fraud, his prayer for help was heard and his life was mercifully preserved. His experience shows that in the time of trouble God's people can plead for deliverance with confidence when they have no concealed, unconfessed sins. Their sins have gone beforehand to judgment and been blotted out, so they cannot be brought to remembrance. The chapter of his prayer belongs with the vision of God restraining the four angels until His servants are sealed.