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Genesis 46:2

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And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here [am] I.

And God {H430} spake {H559} unto Israel {H3478} in the visions {H4759} of the night {H3915}, and said {H559}, Jacob {H3290}, Jacob {H3290}. And he said {H559}, Here am I.

In a vision at night God called to Isra'el, "Ya'akov! Ya'akov!" He answered, "Here I am."

And that night God spoke to Israel in a vision: “Jacob, Jacob!” He said. “Here I am,” replied Jacob.

And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.

Commentary

Genesis 46:2 records a pivotal moment for Jacob, also known as Israel, as he prepares to journey to Egypt to reunite with his son Joseph. This verse highlights God's direct intervention and reassurance during a time of significant transition and potential apprehension for the patriarch.

Context

Jacob had just received confirmation that his long-lost son Joseph was alive and a powerful ruler in Egypt (see Genesis 45:28). However, leaving the land of Canaan, the land promised to his forefathers Abraham and Isaac, was a momentous decision. Jacob paused at Beersheba, a place historically significant for divine encounters with his ancestors (Genesis 26:24), offering sacrifices. It was here, in the "visions of the night," that God directly addressed Jacob, providing the necessary divine approval and comfort for the daunting move to a foreign land.

Key Themes

  • Divine Guidance and Reassurance: God initiates the communication, offering clear direction and alleviating Jacob's potential fears about leaving the Promised Land. This shows God's active involvement in the lives of His people.
  • Covenant Faithfulness: While not explicitly stated in this verse, God's appearance here is a reaffirmation of His covenant with Abraham and his descendants. The move to Egypt, though seemingly a departure from the promised land, was part of God's larger plan to multiply Israel into a great nation, as prophesied to Abraham in Genesis 15:13.
  • Personal Relationship: God calls Jacob by his name, twice ("Jacob, Jacob"), signifying a deep, personal address and urgency, similar to other significant divine calls in scripture (e.g., Samuel, Samuel).
  • Obedience and Readiness: Jacob's immediate response, "Here am I" (Hebrew: hineni), demonstrates his attentiveness and willingness to obey, despite his earlier hesitation. This is a common biblical response indicating readiness to serve or receive instruction.

Linguistic Insights

The repetition of "Jacob, Jacob" is a powerful rhetorical device in Hebrew, often used to emphasize the importance of the message or the depth of the divine call. It conveys a sense of urgency, tenderness, and profound significance. Jacob's response, "Here am I" (hineni), is a classic biblical reply, signifying not just physical presence but a spiritual readiness to listen and respond to God's will. It implies full attention and availability.

Significance and Application

This verse reminds us that God is intimately involved in our lives, especially during times of uncertainty or major life changes. Just as God spoke to Jacob in his moment of need, He offers guidance and reassurance to us today. When faced with difficult decisions or fears about the future, we can seek God's counsel, knowing that He is faithful to His promises and will direct our paths. Jacob's immediate and humble response serves as a model for our own readiness to hear and obey God's voice, trusting in His sovereign plan even when it leads us to unfamiliar territory. This divine encounter sets the stage for God's explicit promise in the subsequent verse to go down with Jacob into Egypt and bring him back up again.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Genesis 15:1 (6 votes)

    ¶ After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I [am] thy shield, [and] thy exceeding great reward.

  • Job 33:14 (6 votes)

    ¶ For God speaketh once, yea twice, [yet man] perceiveth it not.

  • Job 33:15 (6 votes)

    In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

  • Genesis 22:1 (4 votes)

    ¶ And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, [here] I [am].

  • Acts 10:3 (4 votes)

    He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

  • Genesis 22:11 (4 votes)

    ¶ And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here [am] I.

  • Numbers 12:6 (4 votes)

    And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, [I] the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, [and] will speak unto him in a dream.