Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 6. Esau-cometh-and four hundred men with him.] Jacob, conscious that he had injured his brother, was now apprehensive that he was coming with hostile intentions, and that he had every evil to fear from his displeasure. Conscience is a terrible accuser. It was a fine saying of a heathen, _____Hic murus aheneus esto, Nil conscire sibi, nulla pallescere culpa.HOR. Ep., l. i., E. i., v. 60.
Be this thy brazen bulwark of defense, Still to preserve thy conscious innocence, Nor e'er turn pale with guilt.FRANCIS.
In other words, He that has a good conscience has a brazen wall for his defense; for a guilty conscience needs no accuser; sooner or later it will tell the truth, and not only make the man turn pale who has it, but also cause him to tremble even while his guilt is known only to himself and God.
It does not appear that Esau in this meeting had any hostile intention, but was really coming with a part of his servants or tribe to do his brother honour. If he had had any contrary intention, God had removed it; and the angelic host which Jacob met with before might have inspired him with sufficient confidence in God's protection. But we find that when he needed faith most, he appears to have derived but little benefit from its influence, partly from the sense he had of the injury he had done to his brother, and partly from not attending sufficiently to the assurance which God had given him of his gracious protection.
Matthew Henry Commentary
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 who the promise belonged, had been in hard service, Esau was become prince. Jacob sent a message, showing that he did not insist upon the birth-right. Yielding pacifies great offences, Ec 10:4. We must no refuse to speak respectfully, even to those unjustly angry with us Jacob received an account of Esau's warlike preparations against him and was greatly afraid. A lively sense of danger, and quickening fea arising from it, may be found united with humble confidence in God' power and promise.
Original Hebrew וישׁבו7725 המלאכים4397 אל413 יעקב3290 לאמר559 באנו935 אל413 אחיך251 אל413 עשׂו6215 וגם1571 הלך1980 לקראתך7125 וארבע702 מאות3967 אישׁ376 עמו׃5973
