Génesis 32

Jacob envía mensajeros a Esaú

1 Jacob también siguió su camino, pero unos ángeles de Dios salieron a su encuentro.

2 Al verlos, exclamó: «¡Este es el campamento de Dios!» Por eso llamó a ese lugar Majanayin.^[a]

3 Luego Jacob envió mensajeros a su hermano Esaú, que estaba en la tierra de Seír, en la región de Edom.

4 Y les ordenó que le dijeran: «Mi señor Esaú, su siervo Jacob nos ha enviado a decirle que él ha vivido en la casa de Labán todo este tiempo,

5 y que ahora tiene vacas, asnos, ovejas, esclavos y esclavas. Le manda este mensaje, con la esperanza de ganarse su favor».

6 Cuando los mensajeros regresaron, le dijeron a Jacob: «Fuimos a hablar con su hermano Esaú, y ahora viene al encuentro de usted, acompañado de cuatrocientos hombres».

7 Jacob sintió mucho miedo, y se puso muy angustiado. Por eso dividió en dos grupos a la gente que lo acompañaba, y lo mismo hizo con las ovejas, las vacas y los camellos,

8 pues pensó: «Si Esaú ataca a un grupo, el otro grupo podrá escapar».

9 Entonces Jacob se puso a orar: «SEÑOR, Dios de mi abuelo Abraham y de mi padre Isaac, que me dijiste que regresara a mi tierra y a mis familiares, y que me harías prosperar:

10 realmente yo, tu siervo, no soy digno de la bondad y fidelidad con que me has privilegiado. Cuando crucé este río Jordán, no tenía más que mi bastón; pero ahora he llegado a formar dos campamentos.

11 ¡Líbrame del poder de mi hermano Esaú, pues tengo miedo de que venga a matarme a mí y a las madres y a los niños!

12 Tú mismo afirmaste que me harías prosperar, y que mis descendientes serían tan numerosos como la arena del mar, que no se puede contar».

13 Jacob pasó la noche en aquel lugar, y de lo que tenía consigo escogió, como regalo para su hermano Esaú,

14 doscientas cabras, veinte chivos, doscientas ovejas, veinte carneros,

15 treinta camellas con sus crías, cuarenta vacas, diez novillos, veinte asnas y diez asnos.

16 Luego los puso a cargo de sus siervos, cada manada por separado, y les dijo: «Vayan adelante, pero dejen un buen espacio entre manada y manada».

17 Al que iba al frente, le ordenó: «Cuando te encuentres con mi hermano Esaú y te pregunte de quién eres, a dónde te diriges y de quién es el ganado que llevas,

18 le contestarás: “Es un regalo para usted, mi señor Esaú, que de sus ganados le manda su siervo Jacob. Además, él mismo viene detrás de nosotros”».

19 Jacob les dio la misma orden al segundo y al tercer grupo, y a todos los demás que iban detrás del ganado. Les dijo: «Cuando se encuentren con Esaú, le dirán todo esto,

20 y añadirán: “Su siervo Jacob viene detrás de nosotros”».Jacob pensaba: «Lo apaciguaré con los regalos que le llegarán primero, y luego me presentaré ante él; tal vez así me reciba bien».

21 De esta manera los regalos lo precedieron, pero Jacob se quedó esa noche en el campamento.

Jacob lucha con un ángel

22 Aquella misma noche Jacob se levantó, tomó a sus dos esposas, a sus dos esclavas y a sus once hijos, y cruzó el vado del río Jaboc.

23 Una vez que lo habían cruzado, hizo pasar también todas sus posesiones,

24 quedándose solo. Entonces un hombre luchó con él hasta el amanecer.

25 Cuando ese hombre se dio cuenta de que no podía vencer a Jacob, lo tocó en la coyuntura de la cadera, y esta se le dislocó mientras luchaban.

26 Entonces el hombre le dijo:—¡Suéltame, que ya está por amanecer!—¡No te soltaré hasta que me bendigas! —respondió Jacob.

27 —¿Cómo te llamas? —le preguntó el hombre.—Me llamo Jacob —respondió.

28 Entonces el hombre le dijo:—Ya no te llamarás Jacob, sino Israel,^[b] porque has luchado con Dios y con los hombres, y has vencido.

29 —Y tú, ¿cómo te llamas? —le preguntó Jacob.—¿Por qué preguntas cómo me llamo? —le respondió el hombre.Y en ese mismo lugar lo bendijo.

30 Jacob llamó a ese lugar Penuel,^[c] porque dijo: «He visto a Dios cara a cara, y todavía sigo con vida».

31 Cruzaba Jacob por el lugar llamado Penuel, cuando salió el sol. A causa de su cadera dislocada iba rengueando.

32 Por esta razón los israelitas no comen el tendón que está en la coyuntura de la cadera, porque a Jacob se le tocó en dicho tendón.

Génesis 32 Commentary

Chapter 32

Jacob's vision at Mahanaim, His fear of Esau. (1-8) Jacob's earnest prayer for deliverance, He prepares a present for Esau. (9-23) He wrestles with the Angel. (24-32)

Verses 1-8 The angels of God appeared to Jacob, to encourage him with the assurance of the Divine protection. When God designs his people for great trials, he prepares them by great comforts. While Jacob, to whom the promise belonged, had been in hard service, Esau was become a prince. Jacob sent a message, showing that he did not insist upon the birth-right. Yielding pacifies great offences, ( Ecclesiastes 10:4 ) . We must not refuse to speak respectfully, even to those unjustly angry with us. Jacob received an account of Esau's warlike preparations against him, and was greatly afraid. A lively sense of danger, and quickening fear arising from it, may be found united with humble confidence in God's power and promise.

Verses 9-23 Times of fear should be times of prayer: whatever causes fear, should drive us to our knees, to our God. Jacob had lately seen his guards of angels, but in this distress he applied to God, not to them; he knew they were his fellow-servants, Re. 22:9 . There cannot be a better pattern for true prayer than this. Here is a thankful acknowledgement of former undeserved favours; a humble confession of unworthiness; a plain statement of his fears and distress; a full reference of the whole affair to the Lord, and resting all his hopes on him. The best we can say to God in prayer, is what he has said to us. Thus he made the name of the Lord his strong tower, and could not but be safe. Jacob's fear did not make him sink into despair, nor did his prayer make him presume upon God's mercy, without the use of means. God answers prayers by teaching us to order our affairs aright. To pacify Esau, Jacob sent him a present. We must not despair of reconciling ourselves to those most angry against us.

Verses 24-32 A great while before day, Jacob being alone, more fully spread his fears before God in prayer. While thus employed, One in the likeness of a man wrestled with him. When the spirit helpeth our infirmities, and our earnest and vast desires can scarcely find words to utter them, and we still mean more than we can express, then prayer is indeed wrestling with God. However tried or discouraged, we shall prevail; and prevailing with Him in prayer, we shall prevail against all enemies that strive with us. Nothing requires more vigour and unceasing exertion than wrestling. It is an emblem of the true spirit of faith and prayer. Jacob kept his ground; though the struggle continued long, this did not shake his faith, nor silence his prayer. He will have a blessing, and had rather have all his bone put out of joint than go away without one. Those who would have the blessing of Christ, must resolve to take no denial. The fervent prayer is the effectual prayer. The Angel puts a lasting mark of honour upon him, by changing his name. Jacob signifies a supplanter. From henceforth he shall be celebrated, not for craft and artful management, but for true valour. Thou shalt be called Israel, a prince with God, a name greater than those of the great men of the earth. He is a prince indeed that is a prince with God; those are truly honourable that are mighty in prayer. Having power with God, he shall have power with men too; he shall prevail, and gain Esau's favour. Jacob gives a new name to the place. He calls it Peniel, the face of God, because there he had seen the appearance of God, and obtained the favour of God. It becomes those whom God honours, to admire his grace towards them. The Angel who wrestled with Jacob was the second Person in the sacred Trinity, who was afterwards God manifest in the flesh, and who, dwelling in human nature, is called Immanuel, ( hosea 12:4 hosea 12:5 ) . Jacob halted on his thigh. It might serve to keep him from being lifted up with the abundance of the revelations. The sun rose on Jacob: it is sun-rise with that soul, which has had communion with God.

Footnotes

• [a]. En hebreo, "Majanayin " significa "dos campamentos" .
• [b]. En hebreo, "Israel " significa "él lucha con Dios" .
• [c]. En hebreo, "Penuel " significa "cara de Dios" .

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 32

This chapter informs us of Jacob's proceeding on in his journey, and of his being met and guarded by an host of angels, Ge 32:1,2; of his sending messengers to his brother Esau, acquainting him with his increase, and desiring his favour and good will, Ge 32:3-5, who return and report to him, that Esau was coming to him with four hundred men, which put him into a panic, and after devising ways and means for the security of himself; and those with him, at least a part, if not the whole, Ge 32:6-8; then follows a prayer of his to God, pressing his unworthiness of mercies, and his sense of them, imploring deliverance from his brother, and putting the Lord in mind of his promises, Ge 32:9-12; after which we have an account of the wise methods he took for the safety of himself and family, by sending a present to his brother, dividing those who had the charge of it into separate companies, and directing them to move at a proper distance from each other, he, his wives and children, following after, Ge 32:13-23; when they were over the brook Jabbok, he stopped, and being alone, the Son of God in an human form appeared to him, and wrestled with him, with whom Jacob prevailed, and got the blessing, and hence had the name of Israel, Ge 32:24-28; and though he could not get his name, he perceived it was a divine Person he had wrestled with, and therefore called the name of the place Penuel, Ge 32:29-31; the hollow of his thigh being touched by him with whom he wrestled, which put it out of joint, he halted as he went over Penuel, in commemoration of which the children of Israel eat not of that part of the thigh, Ge 32:31,32.