GOD THE GOD OF ISRAEL

[Heb. ʼEl ʼElo·hehʹ Yis·ra·ʼelʹ, God is the God of Israel].

After Jacob’s encounter at Peniel with the angel of Jehovah, as a result of which he was given the name “Israel,” and after a peaceable meeting with his brother Esau, Jacob dwelt at Succoth and then Shechem. Here he acquired a tract of land from the sons of Hamor and pitched his tent upon it. (Gen. 32:24-30; 33:1-4, 17-19) “After that he set up there an altar and called it God the God of Israel.” (Gen. 33:20) This was Jacob’s first altar in Palestine. In identifying himself by his newly given name “Israel” with the name of the altar, Jacob indicated his acceptance and appreciation of that name and of God’s guiding him safely back into the Promised Land. The expression occurs only once in the Scriptures.