Jacob at Mahanaim - The Night of Wrestling - Reconciliation between Jacob and Esau - Jacob settles at

Shechem - Jacob proceeds to Bethel to pay his Vow - Death of Rachel - Jacob settles at Hebron

(GENESIS 32-36)

WE are now nearing what may be described as the high point in the spiritual history of Jacob. Quite

different as the previous history of Abraham had been from that of Jacob, yet, in some sense, what Mount

Moriah was to Abraham, that the fords of Jabbok became to his grandson: a place of trial and of decision, -

only that while the one went to it, the other only left it, with a new name, and all that this implied.

One dreaded meeting was past, and its apprehended dangers averted. Jacob had in his fear "stolen away"

from Laban. He had been pursued as by an enemy, but God had brought peace out of it all. Standing by his

"Mizpah," he had seen Laban and his confederates disappearing behind the range of Gilead, their spears

and lances glistening in the sunlight, as they wound through the pine and oak forests which cover the

mountain side. One enemy was now behind him; but another and far more formidable had yet to be

encountered. In dealing with Laban, Jacob could justly plead his long service and the heartless selfishness

of his employer. But what could he say to Esau in excuse or palliation of the past? How would he meet him?

and did his brother still cherish the purpose of revenge from which he had fled twenty years ago? To these

questions there was absolutely no answer, except the one which faith alone could understand: that if he

now returned to his own country, and faced the danger there awaiting him, it was by the express direction of

the Lord Himself. If so, Jacob must be safe. Nor was he long in receiving such general assurance of this as

might strengthen his faith. Leaving the mountains of Gilead, Jacob had entered the land of promise, in what

afterwards became the possession of Gad. A glorious prospect here opened before him. Such beauty,

fruitfulness, freshness of verdure, and richness of pasturage; dark mountain forests above, and rich plains

below, as poor Palestine, denuded of its trees, and with them of its moisture - a land of ruins - has not known

these many, many centuries! And there, as he entered the land, "the angels of God met him." Twenty years

before they had, on leaving it, met him at Bethel, and, so to speak, accompanied him on his journey. And

now in similar pledge they welcomed him on his return. Only then, they had been angels ascending and

descending on their ministry, while now they were "angel hosts" to defend him in the impending contest,

whence also Jacob called the name of that place Mahanaim, "two hosts," or "two camps." And if at Bethel

he had seen them in a "dream," they now appeared to him when waking, as if to convey yet stronger

Such comfort was, indeed, needed by Jacob. From Mahanaim he had sent to his brother Esau a message

intended to conciliate him. But the messengers returned without any reply, other than that Esau was himself

coming to meet his brother, and that at the head of a band of four hundred men. This certainly was

sufficiently alarming, irrespective of the circumstance that since Esau was (as we shall presently show) just

then engaged in a warlike expedition against Seir, the four hundred men with whom he advanced, had

probably gathered around his standard for plunder and bloodshed, just like those wild Bedouin tribes which

to this day carry terror wherever they appear. Even to receive no reply at all would, in itself, be a great trial to

one like Jacob. Hitherto he had by his devices succeeded in removing every obstacle, and evading every

danger. But now he was absolutely helpless, in face of an enemy from whom he could neither retreat nor

escape. It is said in the sacred text: "Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed." The measures to which

he resorted prove this. He divided his caravan into two bands, in the hope that if Esau attacked the one, the

other might escape during the fray. The result thus aimed at was very doubtful, and, at the best, sad

enough. Jacob must have deeply felt this, and he betook himself to prayer. Mingling confession of his utter

unworthiness with entreaty for deliverance from the danger before him, he successively pleaded before God

His express command to return to Canaan, His past mercies, and His gracious promises, at the same time

addressing God as Jehovah, the covenant-God of Abraham and of Isaac. Not one of these pleas could fail.