Genesis Part 050

“Mahanaim”
Mar 19, 2026
2 minutes read time
Know Your Sword: Genesis
Know Your Sword: Genesis
UCG.org

Jacob calls the place where messengers of God met him “Mahanaim” meaning “double camp” because he understood that both his family and spirit messengers (angels) were there. Sometimes, by context, we understand that a “Messenger of the Lord or God” is no ordinary “messenger/angel” but is the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ, who was known as “the Word.” 

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In our study of Genesis, we’ve already encountered “angels.” The Old Testament Hebrew word for Angel is “Malak,” and like its New Testament counterpart (Greek: Aggelos) it means “Messenger or representative.” These words can be applied to physical people or spirit beings.   

When applied to men, Bible translators typically translate the word to “messenger” and when a spirit being is the context, they typically translate it to “angel” (taken from the Greek aggelos).  Sometimes, by context, we understand that this “Messenger of the Lord or God” is no ordinary “messenger/angel” but is the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ, who was known as “the Word” (a title meaning He was in the role of God’s Spokesman). 

Here are some examples where the Angel of the Lord was the Word (pre-incarnate Jesus Christ):  

  • Genesis 16:10-13 
  • Genesis 22:11-12 
  • Exodus 3:2-6 
  • Judges 13:3-22 

And here are some examples where the Angel of God was also the Word: 

  • Exodus 14:19 
  • Exodus 23:20 

In Genesis 32:2 Jacob calls this place “Mahanaim” meaning “double camp” or “two camps” because he understood that both his family and spirit messengers (angels) were there.  The name of this place will be used another 12 times in the Old Testament. 

In verse 3 as well as in verse 6, we again see the word “malak” (angel) but in both of these verses it is left as “messengers,” meaning the translators believe these to be physical messengers, not spirit messengers. This seems likely to be correct, as it is doubtful that Jacob would have had the authority to send spiritual messengers to Esau on his behalf. 

UYA Team | uya@ucg.org  

United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of the young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships, and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective. 

 

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