Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 9. O God of my father Abraham, &c.] This prayer is remarkable for its simplicity and energy; and it is a model too for prayer, of which it contains the essential constituents:- 1. Deep self-abasement. 2.Magnification of God's mercy. 3. Deprecation of the evil to which he was exposed. 4. Pleading the promises that God had made to him. And, 5.Taking encouragement from what God had already wrought.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 9-23 - Times of fear should be times of prayer: whatever causes fear, shoul drive us to our knees, to our God. Jacob had lately seen his guards of angels, but in this distress he applied to God, not to them; he kne they were his fellow-servants, Re 22:9. There cannot be a bette pattern for true prayer than this. Here is a thankful acknowledgemen of former undeserved favours; a humble confession of unworthiness; plain statement of his fears and distress; a full reference of the whole affair to the Lord, and resting all his hopes on him. The best we can say to God in prayer, is what he has said to us. Thus he made the name of the Lord his strong tower, and could not but be safe. Jacob' fear did not make him sink into despair, nor did his prayer make his presume upon God's mercy, without the use of means. God answers prayer by teaching us to order our affairs aright. To pacify Esau, Jacob sen him a present. We must not despair of reconciling ourselves to thos most angry against us.
Original Hebrew ויאמר559 יעקב3290 אלהי430 אבי1 אברהם85 ואלהי430 אבי1 יצחק3327 יהוה3068 האמר559 אלי413 שׁוב7725 לארצך776 ולמולדתך4138 ואיטיבה3190 עמך׃5973
