Genesis 32 · Verse 2

Genesis 32:2

And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
Genesis 32:2, King James Version

Genesis 32:2 in other translations

BSBWhen Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God.” So he named that place Mahanaim.
WEBWhen he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s army.” He called the name of that place Mahanaim.
ASVAnd Jacob said when he saw them, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
YLTand Jacob saith, when he hath seen them, ‘This is the camp of God;' and he calleth the name of that place ‘Two Camps.'
DARBYAnd when Jacob saw them he said, This is the camp of God. And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
BBEAnd when he saw them he said, This is the army of God: so he gave that place the name of Mahanaim.
WebsterAnd when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

What does Genesis 32:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. Mahanaim--"two hosts," or "camps." The place was situated between mount Gilead and the Jabbok, near the banks of that brook.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 Mahanaim - The two hosts, if read by the points, the angels forming one, and Jacob and his company forming another; or simply hosts or camps in the plural. There was a city built afterwards here, and inhabited by the priests of God, Jos 21:38. For what purpose the angels of God met Jacob, does not appear from the text; probably it was intended to show him that he and his company were under the care of an especial providence, and consequently to confirm his trust and confidence in God. The doctrine of the ministration of angels has been much abused, not only among the heathens, but also among Jews and Christians, and perhaps most among the latter. Angels with feigned names, titles, and influences, have been and still are invoked and worshipped by a certain class of men; because they have found that God has been pleased to employ them to minister to mankind; and hence they have made supplications to them to extend their protection, to shield, defend, instruct, etc. This is perfectly absurd. 1. They are God's instruments, not self-determining agents. 2. They can only do what they are appointed to perform, for there is no evidence that they have any discretionary power. 3. God helps man by ten thousand means and instruments; some intellectual, as angels; some rational, as men; some irrational, as brutes; and some merely material, as the sun, wind, rain, food, raiment, and the various productions of the earth. He therefore helps by whom he will help, and to him alone belongs all the glory; for should he be determined to destroy, all these instruments collectively could not save. Instead therefore of worshipping them, we should take their own advice: See thou do it not - Worship God.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 32:1-8

Chapter Outline 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…

Read the full comment on Genesis 32:1-8 →

Genesis 32:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
יַעֲקֹב֙ya.'a.KoJacobH3290
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣רka.'a.Sherjust whenH834
רָאָ֔םra.'Amhe saw themH7200
מַחֲנֵ֥הma.cha.Neh[is] [the] camp ofH4264
אֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.HimGodH430
זֶ֑הZehthisH2088
וַיִּקְרָ֛אvai.yik.Ra'and he calledH7121
שֵֽׁם\־shem-[the] name ofH8034
הַמָּק֥וֹםha.ma.Komthe placeH4725
הַה֖וּאha.Hu'<the> thatH1931
מַֽחֲנָֽיִם\׃\ \פMa.cha.Na.yimMahanaimH4266

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 32:2

  • 2 Samuel 2:8

    But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ish–bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

  • Joshua 5:14

    And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?

  • Joshua 21:38

    And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs,

  • 1 Kings 2:8

    And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.

  • Luke 2:13

    And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

  • Psalms 148:2

    Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.

  • Psalms 34:7

    The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

  • 2 Samuel 17:24

    Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

  • 1 Kings 4:14

    Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:

  • 2 Samuel 2:12

    And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish–bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

  • 2 Samuel 17:26-27

    So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead. And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo–debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,

  • 2 Kings 6:17

    And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
God's.
Jos 5:14; 2Ki 6:17; Ps 34:7; 103:21; 148:2; Da 10:20; Lu 2:13
the name.
Jos 21:38; 2Sa 2:8,12; 17:24,26,27; 1Ki 2:8; 4:14
Mahanain. i.e., two hosts, or camps.
So 6:13Mahanaim was situated between Gilead and the river Jabbok, near the present Djezan.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 32:1

    And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

  • Genesis 32:2

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

  • Genesis 32:3

    And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

Read all of Genesis 32

Genesis 32:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y dijo Jacob cuando los vió: El campo de Dios es este: y llamó el nombre de aquel lugar Mahanaim.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		*Et Jacob alla son chemin. Et les anges de Dieu le rencontrèrent;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Jakob sprach, als er sie sah: Dies ist das Heerlager Gottes. Und er gab jenem Orte den Namen Machanaim.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quos cum vidisset, ait: Castra Dei sunt hæc: et appellavit nomen loci illius Mahanaim, id est, Castra.