Genesis 32:2
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
American King James Version (AKJV)
And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
American Standard Version (ASV)
And Jacob said when he saw them, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
And when he saw them he said, This is the army of God: so he gave that place the name of Mahanaim.
Webster's Revision
And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
World English Bible
When he saw them, Jacob said, "This is God's army." He called the name of that place Mahanaim.
English Revised Version (ERV)
And Jacob said when he saw them, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
Clarke's Genesis 32:2 Bible Commentary
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, Joshua 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.
Wesley's Genesis 32:2 Bible Commentary
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.
