And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
Parallel translations
- WEB When he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s army.” He called the name of that place Mahanaim.
- BSB When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God.” So he named that place Mahanaim.
- NKJV When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp.” And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
- NASB And when he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s camp.” So he named that place Mahanaim.
- NLT When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, “This is God’s camp!” So he named the place Mahanaim.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jacob calls the place Mahanaim ('two camps'), recognizing God's army alongside his own. He names the site to remember God's protection.
Overview
Seeing the angelic host, Jacob acknowledges that God's camp accompanies his vulnerable company. The name Mahanaim memorializes the assurance that heaven's forces surround God's people. This vision strengthens Jacob just before his dreaded reunion with Esau, displaying God's timely encouragement to the fearful.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- 2 Sam 2:8But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
- Josh 21:38And 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,
- Josh 5:14And 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?
- 2 Sam 17:24Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.
- Luke 2:13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
- Ps 34:7The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
- 1 Kgs 2:8And, 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.
- Ps 148:2Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.
- 2 Sam 2:12And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
- Dan 10:20Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.
- 2 Sam 17:26–27So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.
- Ps 103:21Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
- 2 Kgs 6:17And 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.
- Song 6:13Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.
- 1 Kgs 4:14Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:
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From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 32:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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