Chapter 18—The Night of Wrestling
This chapter is based on
Genesis 32
and
33
.
Though Jacob had left Padan-aram in obedience to the divine
direction, it was not without many misgivings that he retraced the road
which he had trodden as a fugitive twenty years before. His sin in the
deception of his father was ever before him. He knew that his long
exile was the direct result of that sin, and he pondered over these things
day and night, the reproaches of an accusing conscience making his
journey very sad. As the hills of his native land appeared before him
in the distance, the heart of the patriarch was deeply moved. All the
past rose vividly before him. With the memory of his sin came also the
thought of God’s favor toward him, and the promises of divine help
and guidance.
As he drew nearer his journey’s end, the thought of Esau brought
many a troubled foreboding. After the flight of Jacob, Esau had re-
garded himself as the sole heir of their father’s possessions. The news
of Jacob’s return would excite the fear that he was coming to claim
the inheritance. Esau was now able to do his brother great injury, if so
disposed, and he might be moved to violence against him, not only by
the desire for revenge, but in order to secure undisturbed possession
of the wealth which he had so long looked upon as his own.
Again the Lord granted Jacob a token of the divine care. As he
traveled southward from Mount Gilead, two hosts of heavenly angels
seemed to encompass him behind and before, advancing with his
company, as if for their protection. Jacob remembered the vision at
Bethel so long before, and his burdened heart grew lighter at this
evidence that the divine messengers who had brought him hope and
courage at his flight from Canaan were to be the guardians of his
return. And he said, “This is God’s host: and he called the name of
that place Mahanaim”—“two hosts, or, camps.”
Yet Jacob felt that he had something to do to secure his own safety.
He therefore dispatched messengers with a conciliatory greeting to his
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