Genesis 32:2

“And when Iacob saw them, he said, This is Gods hoste: and hee called the name of that place Mahanaim.”

1611 King James Version (KJV)




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Other Translations

And when Jacob saw them, he said, This [is] God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
- King James Version

Jacob said when he saw them, "This is God's camp. So he named that place Mahanaim."
- New American Standard Version (1995)

And Jacob said when he saw them, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
- American Standard Version (1901)

And when he saw them he said, This is the army of God: so he gave that place the name of Mahanaim.
- Basic English Bible

And when Jacob saw them he said, This is the camp of God. And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
- Darby Bible

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

When he saw them, Jacob said, "This is God's army." He called the name of that place Mahanaim.
- World English Bible

and Jacob saith, when he hath seen them, `This [is] the camp of God;' and he calleth the name of that place `Two Camps.'
- Youngs Literal Bible

(32:3) And Jacob said when he saw them: 'This is God's camp.' And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
- Jewish Publication Society Bible

Bible commentary

Wesley's Notes for Genesis 32:2


32:2 This is God's house - A good man may, with an eye of faith, see the same that Jacob saw with his bodily eyes. What need we dispute whether he has a guardian angel, when we are sure he has a guard of angels about him? To preserve the remembrance of this favour, Jacob gave a name to the place from it, Mahanaim, two hosts, or two camps probably they appeared to him in two hosts, one on either side, or one in the front, and the other in the rear, to protect him from Laban behind, and Esau before, that they might be a compleat guard. Here was Jacob's family that made one army, representing the church militant and itinerant on earth; and the angels another army, representing the church triumphant, and at rest in heaven.


Discussion for Genesis 32

  • Dewey J
    Brenda, though Leah and Rachel gave their maidservants Zilpahand Bilbah to Jacob to wife there is no place I see in Scripture that God excepted such a marriage. We see in the 22 rd verse of this chapter Gen. 32:22 "And he Jacob rose up that night, and took his two wives and his two womenservants and his eleven sons, and passed over the Ford Jabbok. Therefore I believe that Scripture carry the perspective of God and would say that Jacob had only two wives. God bless us all and also in the understanding of his Word. Glory be to God in the highest through our Lord and Jesus Christ. Amen.
  • Henderson Tepeka
    Jacob discovered that he was blessed and realised that it was good to reconciled with Esau. Big plan is made so it is important to make plan. Lying brings disgrace and trouble so was Jacob
  • Lorenzo
    To Ms.Romine--I do not know to whom you addressed your post, but may I call your attention to verse 22 of the present chapter: And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants.... The verses you refer to, in Chapter 30, not 29, are about to the two sister 's offering their slave girls as surrogate mothers in their rivalry to see which could produce the most offspring for Jacob poor fellow, I wonder when he slept? . They were offered as the property of the wives the slave girls didn 't have any say in it and verse 22 makes clear their social status. They were slaves who were ordered by their owners to function in the role of wives by the real wives. I know these customs are somewhat alien to our own, but this was thousands of years ago. Things have changed. And if you think poor Jacob must have been stretched to the breaking point, consider poor Solomon, who had 600 wives, and 300 concubines!
  • Brenda Romine
    Rachel gave her handmaiden, Bilbah, to her husband Jacob to wife and Leah gave her handmaiden, Zilpah, to wife. This can be found in Chapter 29. Your answer that Jacob had two wives was wrong. Please correct this so that it conforms to Biblical truth.
  • Corrie White for verse 21
    What I get out of it is that Jacob sent the presents on to his brother Esau, while he stayed behind with his wives, children and the rest of the company with him. Because Jacob had two band and a space between them so, If anything happy to the first they 'll have a chance to escape.
  • Alamba
    Why? The verse were Jacob buried the idols Rachael stole from her father,not include in the chapter.

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