Our ancestor Jacob certainly did. The story we're about to dive into is a perfect example of just how long resentments can linger, and how quickly they can reignite.
Remember Laban, Jacob’s less-than-honest father-in-law? Well, his words acted like fuel on a dying fire. The Legends of the Jews, a masterful compilation of rabbinic lore by Louis Ginzberg, tells us that Laban's message to Esau stirred up a long-dormant hatred with a vengeance. Esau, burning with renewed fury, gathered his forces.
Can you picture it? Esau amassing his household—sixty strong—along with three hundred and forty inhabitants of Seir. He was ready for war, ready to spill blood. His goal was simple: to destroy Jacob and claim everything he owned. He organized his warriors meticulously, dividing them into seven cohorts. His own division, sixty men strong, was led by his son, Eliphaz. The other six divisions were placed under the command of various Horite leaders. He was leaving nothing to chance.
While Esau was bearing down on Jacob, messengers from Laban arrived at Rebekah’s doorstep with alarming news. Esau, with his four hundred men, was on the warpath, intent on slaughtering Jacob and seizing all his possessions. The urgency was palpable. Rebekah, fearing Esau would strike before Jacob reached safety, sprang into action.
Think about the weight of that responsibility! Rebekah swiftly dispatched seventy-two retainers from Isaac's household to aid Jacob. Imagine their frantic journey!
Jacob, lingering near the banks of the Jabbok – a brook whose name means "wrestler," foreshadowing a later pivotal event – was overjoyed to see these men approaching. According to Ginzberg, Jacob greeted them with a powerful declaration: "This is God's helping host!" And so, he named the place Mahanaim, meaning "Host" or "Two Camps". (Genesis 32:3)
What does this moment reveal to us? Is it just a thrilling battle scene from the past? Or does it speak to something deeper about the ever-present need for support, for divine intervention, when facing seemingly insurmountable challenges? Perhaps, like Jacob, we too can find strength and reassurance in recognizing the "helping hosts" that appear in our own lives, often when we least expect them.