met him

In Gbaya, the notion of meeting Jacob just then in Genesis 32:2 is emphasized with the ideophone rɛ́t, which indicates accuracy, being right on the point.

Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)

complete verse (Genesis 32:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 32:2:

  • Kankanaey: “When Jacob saw (them), he said, ‘These (surprised-realization) are the soldiers of God.’ And he named that place Mahanaim.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Seeing him Jacob said — ‘This is the place of God.’ So he named that place Mahanaim.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When Jacob saw them, he said, ‘These (are) the soldiers of God.’ So he named that place Mahanain.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When Jacob saw them, he said, ‘This is God’s army camp!’ So he named that place Mahanaim, which means ‘two camps’.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 32:2

When Jacob saw them: them refers to the angels that had appeared where he was.

He said: what Jacob says is probably in the form of an exclamation, as their appearance would be a surprise. It may be better in that case to say something equivalent to “he exclaimed,” or “he shouted.” In some languages it may be natural to make the expression of he said include how Jacob was feeling; for example, “he had a good feeling [literally ‘good insides’] and said.”

This is God’s army!: army translates the Hebrew mahaneh, which refers to a (military) camp. It is used, for example, in Exo 16.13 and 19.16 of the camp of the Israelites in the wilderness. See also Judges 7.1, 8, 9. English translations use such terms as “camp,” “army,” “company.” No doubt Jacob understood the appearance of these angels as the protecting presence of God on his homeward journey.

So he called the name of that place Mahanaim: the strict sense of this name is “two camps” or “twin camps.” See Good News Translation footnote. If translations use footnotes they may follow Good News Translation. Otherwise it may be best to keep the proper noun in the text and to add “which means ‘two camps.’ ” It is not immediately evident why Jacob gave the place this name. However, in verse 7 we will see Jacob divide his people and animals into two camps or companies as he plans his escape from Esau. In later history a town by this name was a place of refuge. For example, David fled there during Absalom’s revolt (2 Sam 17.24, 27). It is also referred to as a city in Gilead in the territory of Gad, near its border with Manasseh (Josh 13.26). According to Harper’s Bible Dictionary it was “strategically situated near the confluence of the [rivers] Jordan and … Jabbok.” See a Bible atlas.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .