Genesis 32:7
in Genesis 32In great fear and distress, Jacob divided his people into two camps, as well as the flocks and herds and camels.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed: and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two companies;
KJV
Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;
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This verse in Genesis 32
Commentary
5 notes on this verseJacob, though a man of great faith, yet was now greatly afraid. Note, A lively apprehension of danger, and a quickening fear arising from it, may very well consist with a humble confidence in God's power and promise. Christ himself, in his agony, was sorely amazed.
This site's exposition
the messengers returned to Jacob
on Genesis 32:6-8
The messengers bring back a number and no answer. Esau is coming with four hundred men, and in great fear and distress Jacob divides the people, the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps. He had named the camp of God Mahanaim the day before, and this second pair of camps is his own.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed,....
This prayer is the more remarkable because it won him the honour of being an Israel, a prince with God, and the father of the praying remnant, who are hence called the seed of Jacob, to whom he never said, Seek you me in vain. Now it is worth while to enquire what there was extraordinary in this prayer, that it should gain the petitioner all this honour.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
He divided the people, etc. - His prudence and cunning were now turned into a right channel, for he took the most effectual method to appease his brother, had he been irritated, and save at least a part of his family. This dividing and arranging of his flocks, family, and domestics, has something in it highly characteristic. To such a man as Jacob such expedients would naturally present themselves.
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּירָ֧א | vaiyira' | and he was afraid | H3372 → | 315 times |
| יַעֲקֹ֛ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| מְאֹ֖ד | meod | exceedingly | H3966 → | 300 times |
| וַיֵּ֣צֶר | vaiyetzer | and it was distress | H3334 → | |
| ל֑וֹ | lo | to <the> him | ||
| וַיַּ֜חַץ | vaiyachatz | and he divided | H2673 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָעָ֣ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אִתּ֗וֹ | ʾito | [was] with him | H854 → | 929 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַצֹּ֧אן | hatzon | the flock | H6629 → | 274 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַבָּקָ֛ר | habakar | the herd | H1241 → | 183 times |
| וְהַגְּמַלִּ֖ים | vehaggemalim | and the camels | H1581 → | 54 times |
| לִשְׁנֵ֥י | lishnei | into two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| מַחֲנֽוֹת׃ | machanot | camps | H4264 → | 215 times |
וַיִּירָ֧אand he was afraid
vaiyira'H3372 →315 times
יַעֲקֹ֛בJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
מְאֹ֖דexceedingly
meodH3966 →300 times
וַיֵּ֣צֶרand it was distress
vaiyetzerH3334 →
ל֑וֹto <the> him
lo
וַיַּ֜חַץand he divided
vaiyachatzH2673 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָעָ֣םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
אִתּ֗וֹ[was] with him
ʾitoH854 →929 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
הַצֹּ֧אןthe flock
hatzonH6629 →274 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
הַבָּקָ֛רthe herd
habakarH1241 →183 times
וְהַגְּמַלִּ֖יםand the camels
vehaggemalimH1581 →54 times
לִשְׁנֵ֥יinto two
lishneiH8147 →768 times
מַחֲנֽוֹת׃camps
machanotH4264 →215 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 1:4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who by grace has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope,
- Isaiah 51:12
“I, even I, am He who comforts you. Why should you be afraid of mortal man, of a son of man who withers like grass?
- 2 Corinthians 7:6–7
But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus,
- Isaiah 40:1
“Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Through
Proverbs 2:11Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you,
it leads to
- Proverbs 4:6
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
- Ephesians 5:15
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
- Proverbs 4:6
Through
Psalms 142:4Look to my right and see; no one attends to me. There is no refuge for me; no one cares for my soul.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 30:17
But I will restore your health and heal your wounds, declares the LORD, because they call you an outcast, Zion, for whom no one cares.”
- Jeremiah 30:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.