KJV ORIGINAL
And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
When Jacob saw them, he said, 'This is God's army!' So he named that place Mahanaim.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Jacob recognizes that he's encountered God's angels and names the place to remember this divine encounter.
📚 Historical Context
Jacob was returning to his homeland after 20 years with his uncle Laban, carrying his family and wealth but fearing his brother Esau's revenge. This angelic encounter occurred just before Jacob would face Esau, whom he had deceived years earlier. 'Mahanaim' means 'two camps' in Hebrew, likely referring to Jacob's camp and God's camp of angels.
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