Genesis 33:20

And he erected there an altar,.... To offer sacrifice upon to God, by way of thanksgiving, for the many mercies he had received since he went out of the land of Canaan, whither he was now returned;

And he erected there an altar, and called it El-Elohe-Israel. Erected ... an altar.

Or, called upon El-elohe-Israel, the particle lo being redundant, as such pronouns oft are, as .

Genesis 33:20 And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel.Ver. 20. And he erected there an altar.] (1.) As a memorial of the promises, and a symbol of God’ s presence; (2.) As an external profession of his piety; (3.) That he might set up God in his family, and season all his worldly affairs with a relish of religion.

(20) He erected there an altar.—Abraham had already built an altar in this neighbourhood (Genesis 12:7), and Jacob now followed his example—partly as a thanksoffering for his safe return, partly also as taking possession of the country; but chiefly as a profession of faith, and public recognition of the new relation in which he stood to God. This especially appears in his calling the altar “El, the Elohim of Israel.” Of course the title of Jehovah could not be used here, as the altar had a special reference to the change of Jacob’s name, and was an acknowledgment on his own part of his now being Israel, a prince with El, that is. with God.

Verse 20. And he erected there an altar] It appears that Jacob had a very correct notion of the providence and mercy of God; hence he says, Genesis 33:5: The children which God hath GRACIOUSLY given thy servant; and in Genesis 33:11 he attributes all his substance to the bounty of his Maker: Take, I pray thee, my blessing - because God hath dealt GRACIOUSLY with me, and because I have enough. Hence he viewed God as the God of all grace, and to him he erects an altar, dedicating it to God, the God of Israel, referring particularly to the change of his own name, and the mercies which he then received; and hence perhaps it would be best to translate the words, The strong God (is) the God of Israel; as by the power of his grace and goodness he had rescued, defended, blessed, and supported him from his youth up until now. The erecting altars with particular names appears in other places; so, Exodus 17:15, Moses calls his altar Jehovah-nissi, "the Lord is my banner." 1. WHEN a man's way's please God, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. When Jacob had got reconciled to God, God reconciled his brother to him. The hearts of all men are in the hands of God, and he turns them howsoever he will. 2. Since the time in which Jacob wrestled with the Angel of the covenant. We see in him much dependence on God, accompanied with a spirit of deep humility and gratitude. God's grace alone can change the heart of man, and it is by that grace only that we get a sense of our obligations; this lays us in the dust, and the more we receive the lower we shall lie. 3. "The first thing," says good Bishop Wilson, "that pious men do, is to provide for the honour and worship of God." Jacob buys a piece of ground, and erects an altar on it in the land of a heathen, that he might acknowledge God among his enemies, and turn them to the true faith; and there is every reason to believe that this expedient would have been successful, had it not been for the base conduct of his sons. How true is the saying, One sinner spoileth much good! Reader, beware, lest thy conduct should become a stumbling block to any.

20. erected] Lit. “set up.” A verb used elsewhere, not of an altar, but of a “pillar” or upright stone. Cf. Genesis 35:14; Genesis 35:20 and Joshua 24:26. Hence many prefer here to read “pillar” (maṣ ?ṣ ?êbah) instead of “altar” (mizbêaḥ ?). El-elohe-Israel] R.V. marg. That is, God, the God of Israel. The altar, or stone, is denoted by the name of Êl, the God of Israel. The origin of some sacred stone, well known to the Israelites, was thus accounted for. The stone and the Divine Being associated with it are identified: see Genesis 28:22, Genesis 35:7. “Israel’s God is El” is a profession of faith in the one true God made at the moment when Jacob comes to dwell among the heathen Canaanites.

20. Erected — Rather, established. Having now obtained land of his own, he establishes his household altar, perhaps on the very spot already consecrated by the ancient altar of Abraham. Genesis 12:7.