1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:
5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.
6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.
7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;
8 And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.
9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:
10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.
11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.
12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
13 And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;
14 Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,
15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.
16 And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.
17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?
18 Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.
19 And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.
20 And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.
21 So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.
22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.
23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.
24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.
1 And Jacob H3290 went H1980 on his way, H1870 and the angels H4397 of God H430 met H6293 him.
2 And when Jacob H3290 saw them, H7200 he said, H559 This is God's H430 host: H4264 and he called H7121 the name H8034 of that place H4725 Mahanaim. H4266
3 And Jacob H3290 sent H7971 messengers H4397 before him H6440 to Esau H6215 his brother H251 unto the land H776 of Seir, H8165 the country H7704 of Edom. H123
4 And he commanded H6680 them, saying, H559 Thus shall ye speak H559 unto my lord H113 Esau; H6215 Thy servant H5650 Jacob H3290 saith H559 thus, I have sojourned H1481 with Laban, H3837 and stayed there H309 until now:
5 And I have oxen, H7794 and asses, H2543 flocks, H6629 and menservants, H5650 and womenservants: H8198 and I have sent H7971 to tell H5046 my lord, H113 that I may find H4672 grace H2580 in thy sight. H5869
6 And the messengers H4397 returned H7725 to Jacob, H3290 saying, H559 We came H935 to thy brother H251 Esau, H6215 and also he cometh H1980 to meet thee, H7125 and four hundred H3967 men H376 with him.
7 Then Jacob H3290 was greatly H3966 afraid H3372 and distressed: H3334 and he divided H2673 the people H5971 that was with him, and the flocks, H6629 and herds, H1241 and the camels, H1581 into two H8147 bands; H4264
8 And said, H559 If Esau H6215 come H935 to the one H259 company, H4264 and smite it, H5221 then the other company H4264 which is left H7604 shall escape. H6413
9 And Jacob H3290 said, H559 O God H430 of my father H1 Abraham, H85 and God H430 of my father H1 Isaac, H3327 the LORD H3068 which saidst H559 unto me, Return H7725 unto thy country, H776 and to thy kindred, H4138 and I will deal well H3190 with thee:
10 I am not worthy of the least H6994 of all the mercies, H2617 and of all the truth, H571 which thou hast shewed H6213 unto thy servant; H5650 for with my staff H4731 I passed over H5674 this Jordan; H3383 and now I am become two H8147 bands. H4264
11 Deliver me, H5337 I pray thee, from the hand H3027 of my brother, H251 from the hand H3027 of Esau: H6215 for I fear H3373 him, lest he will come H935 and smite me, H5221 and the mother H517 with H5921 the children. H1121
12 And thou saidst, H559 I will surely H3190 do thee good, H3190 and make H7760 thy seed H2233 as the sand H2344 of the sea, H3220 which cannot be numbered H5608 for multitude. H7230
13 And he lodged H3885 there that same night; H3915 and took H3947 of that which came H935 to his hand H3027 a present H4503 for Esau H6215 his brother; H251
14 Two hundred H3967 she goats, H5795 and twenty H6242 he goats, H8495 two hundred H3967 ewes, H7353 and twenty H6242 rams, H352
15 Thirty H7970 milch H3243 camels H1581 with their colts, H1121 forty H705 kine, H6510 and ten H6235 bulls, H6499 twenty H6242 she asses, H860 and ten H6235 foals. H5895
16 And he delivered H5414 them into the hand H3027 of his servants, H5650 every drove H5739 by themselves; and said H559 unto his servants, H5650 Pass over H5674 before me, H6440 and put H7760 a space H7305 betwixt H996 drove H5739 and H996 drove. H5739
17 And he commanded H6680 the foremost, H7223 saying, H559 When Esau H6215 my brother H251 meeteth thee, H6298 and asketh thee, H7592 saying, H559 Whose art thou? and whither goest H3212 thou? and whose are these before H6440 thee?
18 Then thou shalt say, H559 They be thy servant H5650 Jacob's; H3290 it is a present H4503 sent H7971 unto my lord H113 Esau: H6215 and, behold, also he is behind us. H310
19 And so H1571 commanded he H6680 the second, H8145 and the third, H7992 and all that followed H1980 H310 the droves, H5739 saying, H559 On this manner H1697 shall ye speak H1696 unto Esau, H6215 when ye find H4672 him.
20 And say ye H559 moreover, H1571 Behold, thy servant H5650 Jacob H3290 is behind us. H310 For he said, H559 I will appease H3722 him H6440 with the present H4503 that goeth H1980 before me, H6440 and afterward H310 I will see H7200 his face; H6440 peradventure he will accept H5375 of me. H6440
21 So went H5674 the present H4503 over H5674 before him: H6440 and himself lodged H3885 that night H3915 in the company. H4264
22 And he rose up H6965 that night, H3915 and took H3947 his two H8147 wives, H802 and his two H8147 womenservants, H8198 and his eleven H6240 H259 sons, H3206 and passed over H5674 the ford H4569 Jabbok. H2999
23 And he took them, H3947 and sent them over H5674 the brook, H5158 and sent over H5674 that he had.
24 And Jacob H3290 was left H3498 alone; and there wrestled H79 a man H376 with him until the breaking H5927 of the day. H7837
25 And when he saw H7200 that he prevailed H3201 not against him, he touched H5060 the hollow of his thigh; H3409 and the hollow H3709 of Jacob's H3290 thigh H3409 was out of joint, H3363 as he wrestled H79 with him.
26 And he said, H559 Let me go, H7971 for the day H7837 breaketh. H5927 And he said, H559 I will not let thee go, H7971 except H518 thou bless H1288 me.
27 And he said H559 unto him, What is thy name? H8034 And he said, H559 Jacob. H3290
28 And he said, H559 Thy name H8034 shall be called H559 no more Jacob, H3290 but Israel: H3478 for as a prince hast thou power H8280 with God H430 and with men, H582 and hast prevailed. H3201
29 And Jacob H3290 asked H7592 him, and said, H559 Tell H5046 me, I pray thee, thy name. H8034 And he said, H559 Wherefore is it H2088 that thou dost ask H7592 after my name? H8034 And he blessed H1288 him there.
30 And Jacob H3290 called H7121 the name H8034 of the place H4725 Peniel: H6439 for I have seen H7200 God H430 face H6440 to face, H6440 and my life H5315 is preserved. H5337
31 And as he passed over H5674 Penuel H6439 the sun H8121 rose H2224 upon him, and he halted H6760 upon his thigh. H3409
32 Therefore the children H1121 of Israel H3478 eat H398 not of the sinew H1517 which shrank, H5384 which is upon the hollow H3709 of the thigh, H3409 unto this day: H3117 because he touched H5060 the hollow H3709 of Jacob's H3290 thigh H3409 in the sinew H1517 that shrank. H5384
1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
2 And Jacob said when he saw them, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the field of Edom.
4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye say unto my lord Esau: Thus saith thy servant Jacob, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now:
5 and I have oxen, and asses, `and' flocks, and men-servants, and maid-servants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in thy sight.
6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and moreover he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.
7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed: and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two companies;
8 and he said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the company which is left shall escape.
9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, O Jehovah, who saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will do thee good:
10 I am not worthy of the least of all the lovingkindnesses, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two companies.
11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he come and smite me, the mother with the children.
12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
13 And he lodged there that night, and took of that which he had with him a present for Esau his brother:
14 two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,
15 thirty milch camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and ten foals.
16 And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.
17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?
18 then thou shalt say `They are' thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, he also is behind us.
19 And he commanded also the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him;
20 and ye shall say, Moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept me.
21 So the present passed over before him: and he himself lodged that night in the company.
22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two handmaids, and his eleven children, and passed over the ford of the Jabbok.
23 And he took them, and sent them over the stream, and sent over that which he had.
24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was strained, as he wrestled with him.
26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for, `said he', I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
31 And the sun rose upon him as he passed over Penuel, and he limped upon his thigh.
32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew of the hip.
1 And Jacob hath gone on his way, and messengers of God come upon him;
2 and Jacob saith, when he hath seen them, `This `is' the camp of God;' and he calleth the name of that place `Two Camps.'
3 And Jacob sendeth messengers before him unto Esau his brother, towards the land of Seir, the field of Edom,
4 and commandeth them, saying, `Thus do ye say to my lord, to Esau: Thus said thy servant Jacob, With Laban I have sojourned, and I tarry until now;
5 and I have ox, and ass, flock, and man-servant, and maid-servant, and I send to declare to my lord, to find grace in his eyes.'
6 And the messengers turn back unto Jacob, saying, `We came in unto thy brother, unto Esau, and he also is coming to meet thee, and four hundred men with him;'
7 and Jacob feareth exceedingly, and is distressed, and he divideth the people who `are' with him, and the flock, and the herd, and the camels, into two camps,
8 and saith, `If Esau come in unto the one camp, and have smitten it -- then the camp which is left hath been for an escape.'
9 And Jacob saith, `God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, Jehovah who saith unto me, Turn back to thy land, and to thy kindred, and I do good with thee:
10 I have been unworthy of all the kind acts, and of all the truth which Thou hast done with thy servant -- for, with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I have become two camps.
11 `Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I am fearing him, less he come and have smitten me -- mother beside sons;
12 and Thou -- Thou hast said, I certainly do good with thee, and have set thy seed as the sand of the sea, which is not numbered because of the multitude.'
13 And he lodgeth there during that night, and taketh from that which is coming into his hand, a present for Esau his brother:
14 she-goats two hundred, and he-goats twenty, ewes two hundred, and rams twenty,
15 suckling camels and their young ones thirty, cows forty, and bullocks ten, she-asses twenty, and foals ten;
16 and he giveth into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and saith unto his servants, `Pass over before me, and a space ye do put between drove and drove.'
17 And he commandeth the first, saying, `When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and hath asked thee, saying, Whose `art' thou? and whither goest thou? and whose `are' these before thee?
18 then thou hast said, Thy servant Jacob's: it `is' a present sent to my lord, to Esau; and lo, he also `is' behind us.'
19 And he commandeth also the second, also the third, also all who are going after the droves, saying, `According to this manner do ye speak unto Esau in your finding him,
20 and ye have said also, Lo, thy servant Jacob `is' behind us;' for he said, `I pacify his face with the present which is going before me, and afterwards I see his face; it may be he lifteth up my face;'
21 and the present passeth over before his face, and he hath lodged during that night in the camp.
22 And he riseth in that night, and taketh his two wives, and his two maid-servants, and his eleven children, and passeth over the passage of Jabbok;
23 and he taketh them, and causeth them to pass over the brook, and he causeth that which he hath to pass over.
24 And Jacob is left alone, and one wrestleth with him till the ascending of the dawn;
25 and he seeth that he is not able for him, and he cometh against the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob's thigh is disjointed in his wrestling with him;
26 and he saith, `Send me away, for the dawn hath ascended:' and he saith, `I send thee not away, except thou hast blessed me.'
27 And he saith unto him, `What `is' thy name?' and he saith, `Jacob.'
28 And he saith, `Thy name is no more called Jacob, but Israel; for thou hast been a prince with God and with men, and dost prevail.'
29 And Jacob asketh, and saith, `Declare, I pray thee, thy name;' and he saith, `Why `is' this, thou askest for My name?' and He blesseth him there.
30 And Jacob calleth the name of the place Peniel: for `I have seen God face unto face, and my life is delivered;'
31 and the sun riseth on him when he hath passed over Penuel, and he is halting on his thigh;
32 therefore the sons of Israel do not eat the sinew which shrank, which `is' on the hollow of the thigh, unto this day, because He came against the hollow of Jacob's thigh, against the sinew which shrank.
1 And Jacob went on his way; and the angels of God met him.
2 And when Jacob saw them he said, This is the camp of God. And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
3 And Jacob sent messengers before his face to Esau his brother, into the land of Seir, the fields of Edom.
4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak to my lord, to Esau: Thy servant Jacob speaks thus -- With Laban have I sojourned and tarried until now;
5 and I have oxen, and asses, sheep, and bondmen, and bondwomen; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favour in thine eyes.
6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother, to Esau; and he also is coming to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.
7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid, and was distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the sheep and the cattle and the camels, into two troops.
8 And he said, If Esau come to the one troop and smite it, then the other troop which is left shall escape.
9 And Jacob said, God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, Jehovah, who saidst unto me: Return into thy country and to thy kindred, and I will do thee good,
10 -- I am too small for all the loving-kindness and all the faithfulness that thou hast shewn unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two troops.
11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and smite me, [and] the mother with the children.
12 And thou saidst, I will certainly deal well with thee, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
13 And he lodged there that night; and took of what came to his hand a gift for Esau his brother --
14 two hundred she-goats, and twenty he-goats; two hundred ewes, and twenty rams;
15 thirty milch camels with their colts; forty kine, and ten bulls; twenty she-asses, and ten young asses.
16 And he delivered [them] into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself; and he said to his servants, Go on before me, and put a space between drove and drove.
17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meets thee, and asks thee, saying, Whose art thou, and where goest thou, and whose are these before thee?
18 -- then thou shalt say, Thy servant Jacob's: it is a gift sent to my lord, to Esau. And behold, he also is behind us.
19 And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, According to this word shall ye speak to Esau when ye find him.
20 And, moreover, ye shall say, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will propitiate him with the gift that goes before me, and afterwards I will see his face: perhaps he will accept me.
21 And the gift went over before him; and he himself lodged that night in the camp.
22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford of the Jabbok;
23 and he took them and led them over the river, and led over what he had.
24 And Jacob remained alone; and a man wrestled with him until the rising of the dawn.
25 And when he saw that he did not prevail against him, he touched the joint of his thigh; and the joint of Jacob's thigh was dislocated as he wrestled with him.
26 And he said, Let me go, for the dawn ariseth. And he said, I will not let thee go except thou bless me.
27 And he said to him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 And he said, Thy name shall not henceforth be called Jacob, but Israel; for thou hast wrestled with God, and with men, and hast prevailed.
29 And Jacob asked and said, Tell [me], I pray thee, thy name. And he said, How is it that thou askest after my name? And he blessed him there.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel -- For I have seen God face to face, and my life has been preserved.
31 And as he passed over Peniel, the sun rose upon him; and he limped upon his hip.
32 Therefore the children of Israel do not eat of the sinew that is over the joint of the thigh, to this day; because he touched the joint of Jacob's thigh -- the sinew.
1 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
2 When he saw them, Jacob said, "This is God's host." He called the name of that place Mahanaim.
3 Jacob sent messengers in front of him to Esau, his brother, to the land of Seir, the field of Edom.
4 He commanded them, saying, "This is what you shall tell my lord, Esau: 'This is what your servant, Jacob, says. I have lived as a foreigner with Laban, and stayed until now.
5 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, men-servants, and maid-servants. I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.'"
6 The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "We came to your brother Esau. Not only that, but he comes to meet you, and four hundred men with him."
7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed: and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two companies;
8 and he said, "If Esau comes to the one company, and strikes it, then the company which is left will escape."
9 Jacob said, "God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, Yahweh, who said to me, 'Return to your country, and to your relatives, and I will do you good.'
10 I am not worthy of the least of all the loving kindnesses, and of all the truth, which you have shown to your servant; for with just my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I have become two companies.
11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he come and strike me, and the mothers with the children.
12 You said, 'I will surely do you good, and make your seed as the sand of the sea, which can't be numbered because there are so many.'"
13 He lodged there that night, and took from that which he had with him, a present for Esau, his brother:
14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,
15 thirty milk camels and their colts, forty cows, ten bulls, twenty she-donkeys and ten foals.
16 He delivered them into the hands of his servants, every herd by itself, and said to his servants, "Pass over before me, and put a space between herd and herd."
17 He commanded the foremost, saying, "When Esau, my brother, meets you, and asks you, saying, 'Whose are you? Where are you going? Whose are these before you?'
18 Then you shall say, 'They are your servant, Jacob's. It is a present sent to my lord, Esau. Behold, he also is behind us.'"
19 He commanded also the second, and the third, and all that followed the herds, saying, "This is how you shall speak to Esau, when you find him.
20 You shall say, 'Not only that, but behold, your servant, Jacob, is behind us.'" For, he said, "I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face. Perhaps he will accept me."
21 So the present passed over before him: and he himself lodged that night in the camp.
22 He rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two handmaids, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford of the Jabbok.
23 He took them, and sent them over the stream, and sent over that which he had.
24 Jacob was left alone, and wrestled with a man there until the breaking of the day.
25 When he saw that he didn't prevail against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was strained, as he wrestled.
26 The man said, "Let me go, for the day breaks." Jacob said, "I won't let you go, unless you bless me."
27 He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob."
28 He said, "Your name will no longer be called 'Jacob,' but, 'Israel,' for you have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed."
29 Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." He said, "Why is it that you ask what my name is?" He blessed him there.
30 Jacob called the name of the place Peniel{Peniel means "face of God."}: for, he said, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."
31 The sun rose on him as he passed over Peniel, and he limped because of his thigh.
32 Therefore the children of Israel don't eat the sinew of the hip, which is on the hollow of the thigh, to this day, because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew of the hip.
1 And on his way Jacob came face to face with the angels of God.
2 And when he saw them he said, This is the army of God: so he gave that place the name of Mahanaim.
3 Now Jacob sent servants before him to Esau, his brother, in the land of Seir, the country of Edom;
4 And he gave them orders to say these words to Esau: Your servant Jacob says, Till now I have been living with Laban:
5 And I have oxen and asses and flocks and men-servants and women-servants: and I have sent to give my lord news of these things so that I may have grace in his eyes.
6 When the servants came back they said, We have seen your brother Esau and he is coming out to you, and four hundred men with him.
7 Then Jacob was in great fear and trouble of mind: and he put all the people and the flocks and the herds and the camels into two groups;
8 And said, If Esau, meeting one group, makes an attack on them, the others will get away safely.
9 Then Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, the God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said to me, Go back to your country and your family and I will be good to you:
10 I am less than nothing in comparison with all your mercies and your faith to me your servant; for with only my stick in my hand I went across Jordan, and now I have become two armies.
11 Be my saviour from the hand of Esau, my brother: for my fear is that he will make an attack on me, putting to death mother and child.
12 And you said, Truly, I will be good to you, and make your seed like the sand of the sea which may not be numbered.
13 Then he put up his tent there for the night; and from among his goods he took, as an offering for his brother Esau,
14 Two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred females and twenty males from the sheep,
15 Thirty camels with their young ones, forty cows, ten oxen, twenty asses, and ten young asses.
16 These he gave to his servants, every herd by itself, and he said to his servants, Go on before me, and let there be a space between one herd and another.
17 And he gave orders to the first, saying, When my brother Esau comes to you and says, Whose servant are you, and where are you going, and whose are these herds?
18 Then say to him, These are your servant Jacob's; they are an offering for my lord, for Esau; and he himself is coming after us.
19 And he gave the same orders to the second and the third and to all those who were with the herds, saying, This is what you are to say to Esau when you see him;
20 And you are to say further, Jacob, your servant, is coming after us. For he said to himself, I will take away his wrath by the offering which I have sent on, and then I will come before him: it may be that I will have grace in his eyes.
21 So the servants with the offerings went on in front, and he himself took his rest that night in the tents with his people.
22 And in the night he got up, and taking with him his two wives and the two servant-women and his eleven children, he went over the river Jabbok.
23 He took them and sent them over the stream with all he had.
24 Then Jacob was by himself; and a man was fighting with him till dawn.
25 But when the man saw that he was not able to overcome Jacob, he gave him a blow in the hollow part of his leg, so that his leg was damaged.
26 And he said to him, Let me go now, for the dawn is near. But Jacob said, I will not let you go till you have given me your blessing.
27 Then he said, What is your name? And he said, Jacob.
28 And he said, Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel: for in your fight with God and with men you have overcome.
29 Then Jacob said, What is your name? And he said, What is my name to you? Then he gave him a blessing.
30 And Jacob gave that place the name of Peniel, saying, I have seen God face to face, and still I am living.
31 And while he was going past Peniel, the sun came up. And he went with unequal steps because of his damaged leg.
32 For this reason the children of Israel, even today, never take that muscle in the hollow of the leg as food, because the hollow of Jacob's leg was touched.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on Genesis 32
Commentary on Genesis 32 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 32
This chapter informs us of Jacob's proceeding on in his journey, and of his being met and guarded by an host of angels, Genesis 32:1; of his sending messengers to his brother Esau, acquainting him with his increase, and desiring his favour and good will, Genesis 32:3, who return and report to him, that Esau was coming to him with four hundred men, which put him into a panic, and after devising ways and means for the security of himself; and those with him, at least a part, if not the whole, Genesis 32:6; then follows a prayer of his to God, pressing his unworthiness of mercies, and his sense of them, imploring deliverance from his brother, and putting the Lord in mind of his promises, Genesis 32:9; after which we have an account of the wise methods he took for the safety of himself and family, by sending a present to his brother, dividing those who had the charge of it into separate companies, and directing them to move at a proper distance from each other, he, his wives and children, following after, Genesis 32:13; when they were over the brook Jabbok, he stopped, and being alone, the Son of God in an human form appeared to him, and wrestled with him, with whom Jacob prevailed, and got the blessing, and hence had the name of Israel, Genesis 32:24; and though he could not get his name, he perceived it was a divine Person he had wrestled with, and therefore called the name of the place Penuel, Genesis 32:29; the hollow of his thigh being touched by him with whom he wrestled, which put it out of joint, he halted as he went over Penuel, in commemoration of which the children of Israel eat not of that part of the thigh, Genesis 32:31.
And Jacob went on his way,.... From Gilead towards the land of Canaan:
and the angels of God met him; to comfort and help him, to protect and defend him, to keep him in all his ways, that nothing hurt him, Psalm 91:11; these are ministering spirits sent forth by God to minister to his people, the heirs of salvation; and such an one Jacob was.
And when Jacob saw them,.... These appeared in a visible form, most probably human, and in the habit, and with the accoutrements of soldiers, and therefore afterwards called an host or army. Aben Ezra thinks that Jacob alone saw them, as Elisha first saw the host of angels before the young man did that was with him, 2 Kings 6:17,
he said, this is God's host: or army, hence he is often called the Lord of hosts; angels have this name from their number, order, strength, and military exploits they perform:
and he called the name of the place Mahanaim; which signifies two hosts or armies; either his own family and company making one, and the angels another, as Aben Ezra observes; or they were the angels, who very probably appeared in two companies, or as two armies, and one went on one side of Jacob and his family, and the other on the other side; or the one went before him, and the other behind him; the latter to secure him from any insult of Laban, should he pursue after him, and distress him in the rear, and the former to protect him from Esau, near whose country Jacob now was, and of whom he was in some fear and danger; thus seasonably did God appear for him. The Jewish writersF20In Bereshit Rabba, sect. 75. fol. 66. 1. say, the host of God is 60,000, and that the Shechinah, or divine Majesty, never dwells among less, and that Mahanaim, or two hosts, are 120,000; there was afterwards a city of this name near this place, which very likely was so called in memory of this appearance, Joshua 21:38; and there seems to be an allusion to it in the account of the church, Song of Solomon 6:13; it was in the land of Gilead, and tribe of Gad, forty four miles from Jerusalem to the southeastF21Bunting's Travels, p. 74. .
And Jacob sent messengers before him unto Esau his brother,.... Or "angels": not angels simply, as Jarchi, for these were not under the command, and in the power of Jacob to send, nor would they have needed any instruction from him afterwards given, but these were some of his own servants. Esau it seems was removed from his father's house, and was possessed of a country after mentioned, called from his name; and which Aben Ezra says lay between Haran and the land of Israel; but if it did not directly lie in the road of Jacob, yet, as it was near him, he did not choose to pass by without seeing his brother; and therefore sent messengers to inform him of his coming, and by whom he might learn in what temper and disposition of mind he was towards him:
unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom: which had its first name from Seir the Horite; and Esau having married into his family, came into the possession of it, by virtue of that marriage; or rather he and his sons drove out the Horites, the ancient possessors of it, and took it to themselves, from whom it was afterwards called Edom, a name of Esau, which he had from the red pottage he sold his birthright for to his brother Jacob, Genesis 25:30; perhaps it is here called Edom by an anticipation, not having as yet that name, though it had in Moses's time, when this history was wrote; see Genesis 36:18.
And he commanded them,.... Being his servants:
saying, thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; being not only a lord of a country, but his eldest brother, and whom he chose to bespeak in this manner, to soften his mind, and incline it to him; and that he might see he did not pique himself upon the birthright and blessing he had obtained; and as if these were forgotten by him, though hereby he does not give up his right in them:
thy servant Jacob saith thus, expressing great humility and modesty; for though his father Isaac by his blessing had made him lord over Esau, the time was not come for this to take place, his father not being yet dead; and besides, was to have its accomplishment not in his own person, but in his posterity:
I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now; had been a sojourner and a servant in Laban's family for twenty years past, and had had an hard master, and therefore could not be the object of his brother's envy, but rather of his pity and compassion.
And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants,.... This he would have said, lest he should think he was come to ask anything of him, and put himself and his family upon him; and lest he should treat him with contempt, as a poor mean beggarly creature, and be ashamed of the relation he stood in to him:
and I have sent to tell my lord; of his coming, and of his state and circumstances:
that I may find grace in thy sight; share in his good will, which was all he wanted, and that friendship, harmony, and brotherly love, might subsist between them, which he was very desirous of.
And the messengers returned to Jacob,.... After they had delivered their message, with the answer they brought back:
saying, we came to thy brother Esau; which, though not expressed, is implied in these words, and is still more manifest by what follows:
and also he cometh to meet thee; and pay a friendly visit, as they supposed:
and four hundred men with him; partly to show his grandeur, and partly out of respect to Jacob, and to do honour to him; though some think this was done with an ill design upon him, and which indeed seems probable; and it is certain Jacob so understood it, as is evident by the distress it gave him, and by the methods he took for his safety, and by the gracious appearance of God unto him, and the strength he gave him on this occasion, not only to pray to and wrestle with him, but to prevail both with God and men, as the following account shows. The Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem call these four hundred men leaders or generals of armies, which is not probable; they were most likely Esau's subjects, his tenants and servants.
Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed,.... Knowing what he had done to his brother in getting the birthright and blessing from him, and what an enmity he had conceived in his mind against him on that account, and remembering what he had said he would do to him; and therefore might fear that all his professions of respect to him were craftily and cunningly made to take him off of his guard, and that he might the more easily fall into his hands, and especially when he heard there were four hundred men with him; this struck a terror into him, and made him suspicious of an ill design against him; though herein Jacob betrayed much weakness and want of faith, when God has promised again and again that he would he with him, and keep him, and protect him, and return him safe to the land of Canaan; and when he had just had such an appearance of angels to be his helpers, guardians, and protectors:
and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two bands: some of his servants and shepherds, with a part of the flocks and herds, in one band or company, and some with the rest of them, and the camels, and his wives, and his children, in the other.
And said, if Esau come to the one company, and smite it,.... The first, which perhaps consisted only of some servants, with a part of his cattle; so that if Esau should come in an hostile manner, and fall upon that, and slay the servants, and take the cattle as a booty:
then the other company which is left shall escape; by flight, in which most probably were he himself, his wives and children, and the camels to carry them off who would have notice by what should happen to the first band; but one would think, that, notwithstanding all this precaution and wise methods taken, there could be little expectation of escaping the hands of Esau, if he came out on such an ill design; for whither could they flee? or how could they hope to get out of the reach of four hundred men pursuing after them, unless it could be thought, or might be hoped, that the first company falling into his hands, and the revenge on them, and the plunder of them, would satiate him, and he would proceed no further? but Jacob did not trust to these methods he concerted, but betakes himself to God in prayer, as follows.
And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac,.... In this distress he does not consult the teraphim Rachel had taken from her father; nor does he call upon the hosts of angels that had just appeared to him, to help, protect, and guard him; but to God only, the God of his fathers, who had promised great things to them, and had done great things for them; who was their God in covenant, as he was his also, though he makes no mention of it, and who was heir of the promises made to them, the birthright and blessing being entailed upon him:
the Lord which saidst unto me, return unto thy country, and to thy kindred; the same God had appeared to him, when in Laban's house, and bid him return to his own country, and father's house; in obedience to which command he was now on his journey thither, and being in the way of his duty, and acting according to the will of God, though he had no dependence on, nor put any confidence in anything done by him, as appears by what follows; yet he hoped God of his grace and goodness would have a regard unto him, as he was doing what he was directed to by him, and especially since he had made the following gracious promise:
and I will deal well with thee: bestow good things on thee, both temporal and spiritual, and among the former, preservation from evils and dangers is included.
I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies,.... Or of any of them, according to his humble sense of things his mind was now impressed with; he was not worthy of the least mercy and favour that had been bestowed upon him; not even of any temporal mercy, and much less of any spiritual one, and therefore did not expect any from the hands of God, on account of any merit of his own: or "I am less than all thy mercies"F23קטנתי מכל החסדים "minor sum cunctis misericordiis", Pagninus, Drusius & Schmidt. ; Jacob had had many mercies and favours bestowed upon him by the Lord, which he was sensible of, and thankful for, notwithstanding all the ill usage and hard treatment he had met with in Laban's house, and those were very great ones; he was not worthy of all, nor any of them; he was not deserving of the least of them, as our version truly gives the sense of the words:
and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; in performing promises made to him; grace, mercy, and goodness are seen making promises, and truth and faithfulness in the performance of them; Jacob had had a rich experience of both, and was deeply affected therewith, and which made him humble before God:
for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; the river Jordan, near to which he now was, or at least had it in view, either with the eyes of his body, or his mind; this river he passed over when he went to Haran with his staff in his hand, and that only, which was either a shepherd's staff, or a travelling one, the latter most likely: he passed "alone" over it, as Onkelos and Jonathan add by way of illustration; unaccompanied by any, having no friend with him, nor servant to attend him. Jarchi's paraphrase is,"there was not with me neither silver nor gold, nor cattle, but my staff only."
And now I am become two bands; into which he had now divided his wives, children, servants, and cattle; this he mentions, to observe the great goodness of God to him, and the large increase he had made him, and how different his circumstances now were to what they were when he was upon this spot, or thereabout, twenty years ago.
Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau,.... For though his brother, it was his brother Esau, that had formerly vowed revenge upon him, and had determined to kill him, Genesis 27:41, and he knew not but that he was still of the same mind; and now having an opportunity, and in his power to do it, being accompanied with four hundred men, he feared he would attempt it; and therefore entreats the Lord, who was greater than he, to deliver him from falling into his hands, and being destroyed by him:
for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children; for whom Jacob seems to be more concerned than for himself; the phrase denotes the utter destruction of his family, and the cruelty and inhumanity that would be exercised therein; which shows what an opinion he had of his brother, and of his savage disposition.
And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good,.... All kind of good, most certainly and constantly; so Jacob rightly interpreted the promise, "I will be with thee", Genesis 31:3; for the promise of God's presence includes and secures all needful good to his people; and from this general promise Jacob draws an argument for a special and particular good, the preservation of him and his family, he was now pleading for; and the rather he might hope to succeed, since the following promise was also made him:
and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude; which could not be fulfilled, if he and his family were cut off at once, as he feared; but God is faithful who has promised.
And he lodged there that same night,.... At Mahanaim, or some place near it:
and took of that which came to his hand; not what came next to hand, for what he did was with great deliberation, judgment, and prudence; wherefore the phrase signifies what he was possessed of, or was in his power, as Jarchi rightly interprets it:
a present for Esau his brother: in order to pacify him, gain his good will, and avert his wrath and displeasure, see Proverbs 18:16; though Jacob had prayed to God, committed himself and family to him, and left all with him, yet he thought it proper to make use of all prudential means and methods for his safety: God frequently works in and by means made use of: the account of the present follows.
Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes,
and twenty rams. And it seems this proportion of one he goat to ten she goats, and of one ram to ten ewes, is a proper one, and what has been so judged in other times and countriesF24Varro de rustica, l. 2. c. 3. apud Bochart. Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 2. c. 43. Colossians 439. &c. 53. Colossians 648. .
Thirty milch camels with their colts,.... Milch camels were in great esteem in the eastern countries; their milk being, as AristotleF25Hist. Animal. l. 6. c. 26. and PlinyF26Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 41. & 28. 9. say, the sweetest of all milk:
forty kine and ten bulls; one bull to ten cows; the same proportion as in the goats and rams:
twenty she asses and ten foals; and supposing thirty colts belonging to the camels; the present consisted of five hundred and eighty head of cattle: a large number to spare out of his flocks and herds, that he had acquired in six years' time; and showed a generous disposition as well as prudence, to part with so much in order to secure the rest.
And he delivered them into the hand of his servants,.... To present them to Esau as from him:
every drove by themselves; there seems to have been three droves, see Genesis 32:19; very probably the two hundred and twenty goats, male and female, were in the first drove; and the two hundred and twenty sheep, ewes, and rams, were in the second drove; and the thirty camels, with their colts, and the fifty cows and bulls, with the twenty she asses and ten foals, which made in all one hundred and forty, were in the third drove: though Aben Ezra thinks there were five droves; nor is it improbable, the goats in one drove, the sheep in another, the camels and colts in a third, and the kine and bulls might make a fourth, and the asses with their foals a fifth:
and saith unto his servants, pass over before me: over the brook Jabbok, Genesis 32:22, a day's journey or less before him, as Jarchi observes, or rather a night's journey, as seems by the context; for these were sent out at evening, and Jacob stayed behind all night, as appears by what follows:
and put a space betwixt drove and drove; his meaning is, that they should not follow each other closely; but that there should be a considerable distance between them, and which he would have them careful to keep: his view in this was, partly to prolong time, Esau stopping, as he supposed he would, at each drove, and asking questions of the men; and partly that he might the better and more distinctly observe the largeness of his present, and his munificence in it, and so, both by the present, and by the frequent repetition of his submission to him as his servant, his wrath, if he came out in it, would be gradually abated, and before he came to him he would be in a disposition to receive him with some marks of affection and kindness, as he did.
And he commanded the foremost,.... He that had the care of the first drove, which consisted of goats, male and female:
saying, when Esau my brother meeteth thee; as there was reason to believe he would, being on the road, and him first of all, being the foremost:
and asketh thee, saying, what art thou? that is, whose servant art thou? to whom dost thou belong?
and whither goest thou? what place art thou travelling to?
and whose are these before thee? whose are these goats? to whom do they belong thou art driving? for in driving and travelling on the road, sheep and goats went before those that had the care of them; whereas, in leading out to pastures, the shepherds went before, and the flocks followed, John 10:4.
Then thou shall say, they be thy servant Jacob's,.... Both the goats before them, and they themselves that had the care of them, belonged to Jacob, who directed them to speak of him to Esau as his "servant":
it is a present sent unto my lord Esau; which is the answer to the second question:
and behold also he is behind us: that is, Jacob: this they were bid to tell, lest he should think that Jacob was afraid of him, and was gone another way; but that he was coming to pay a visit to him, and might expect shortly to see him, which would prepare his mind how to behave towards him.
And so commanded he the second and third,.... Those who had the care of the second and third droves, he ordered them to say the same things, and in the same words as he had the first:
and all that followed the droves; either all that were with the principal driver; that if any of them should happen to be interrogated first, they might know what to answer; or those that followed the other droves, besides the three mentioned, which countenances Aben Ezra's notion of five droves, before observed:
saying, on this manner shall you speak to Esau, when you find him; that is, when they met him and perceived it was he that put questions to them.
And say ye moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us,.... This is repeated to impress it upon their minds, that they might be careful of all things, not to forget that, it being a point of great importance; for the present would have signified nothing, if Jacob had not appeared in person; Esau would have thought himself, at best, but slighted; as if he was unworthy of a visit from him, and of conversation with him:
for he said: that is, Jacob, or "had said"F1כי אמר "dicebat enim", Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Drusius. , in his heart, within himself, as might be supposed from the whole of his conduct; for what follows are the words of Moses the historian, as Aben Ezra observes, and not of Jacob to his servants, nor of them to Esau:
I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterwards I will see his face: he hoped the present would produce the desired effect; that it would turn away his wrath from him, and pacify him; and then he should be able to appear before him, and see his face with pleasure: or, "I will expiate his face"F2אכפרה פציו "expiabo faciem ejus", Montanus; "propitium reddam", Drusius, Munster. , as some render the words, or make him propitious and favourable; or cover his face, as Aben Ezra interprets it, that is, cause him to hide his wrath and resentment, that it shall not appear; or cause his fury to cease, as Jarchi; or remove his anger, wrath, and displeasure, as Ben Melech; all which our version takes in, by rendering it, "appease him"; and then:
peradventure he will accept of me: receive him with marks of tenderness and affection, and in a very honourable and respectable manner.
So went the present over before him,.... Over the brook Jabbok, after mentioned, the night before Jacob did:
and himself lodged that night in the company; or "in the camp"F3במחנה "in castris", Vatablus, Drusius, Schmidt; "in acie sua", Junius & Tremellius; "in exercitu", Piscator. , either in the place called Mahanaim, from the hosts or crowds of angels seen there; or rather in his own camp, his family and servants; or, as Aben Ezra distinguishes, in the camp with his servants, and not in his tent, lest his brother should come and smite him; and so Nachmanides.
And he rose up that night,.... In the middle of it, for it was long before break of day, as appears from Genesis 32:24,
and took his two wives, Rachel and Leah:
and his two womenservants, Bilhah and Zilpah, or, "his two concubines", as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; which distinguishes them from other womenservants or maidservants, of which, no doubt, he had many:
and his eleven sons; together with Dinah his daughter, though not mentioned, being the only female child, and a little one:
and passed over the ford Jabbok; over that river, at a place of it where it was fordable, or where there was a ford or passage: this was a river that took its rise from the mountains of Arabia, was the border of the Ammonites, washed the city Rabba, and ran between Philadelphia and Gerasa, and came into the river Jordan, at some little distance from the sea of Gennesaret or GalileeF4Hieron, de loc. Heb. fol. 92. f. Adrichom, Theatrum Terrae, S. p. 32. , about three or four miles from it.
And he took them, and sent them over the brook,.... His wives and children, under the care of some of his servants:
and sent over that he had: all that belonged to him, his servants and his cattle or goods.
And Jacob was left alone,.... On the other side of Jabbok, his family and cattle having passed over it; and this solitude he chose, in order to spend some time in prayer to God for the safety of him and his:
and there wrestled a man with him; not a phantasm or spectre, as JosephusF5Antiqu. l. 1. c. 20. sect. 2. calls him; nor was this a mere visionary representation of a man, to the imagination of Jacob; or done in the vision of prophecy, as MaimonidesF6Morch Nevochim, par. 2. c. 42. p. 310. ; but it was something real, corporeal, and visible: the Targum of Jonathan says, it was an angel in the likeness of a man, and calls him Michael, which is not amiss, since he is expressly called an angel, Hosea 12:4; and if Michael the uncreated angel is meant, it is most true; for not a created angel is designed, but a divine Person, as appears from Jacob's desiring to be blessed by him; and besides, being expressly called God, Genesis 32:28; and was, no doubt, the Son of God in an human form; who frequently appeared in it as a token and pledge of his future incarnation: and "this wrestling" was real and corporeal on the part of both; the man took hold of Jacob, and he took hold of the man, and they strove and struggled together for victory as wrestlers do; and on Jacob's part it was also mental and spiritual, and signified his fervent and importunate striving with God in prayer; or at least it was attended with earnest and importunate supplications; see Hosea 12:4; and this continued
until the breaking of the day: how long this conflict lasted is not certain, perhaps not long; since after Jacob rose in the night he had a great deal of business to do, and did it before this affair happened; as sending his wives, children, servants, and cattle over the brook: however, this may denote, that in the present state or night of darkness, wrestling in prayer with God must be continued until the perfect state commences, when the everlasting day of glory will break.
And when he saw that he prevailed not against him,.... That he, the man, or the Son of God in the form of man, prevailed not against Jacob, by casting him to the ground, or causing him to desist and leave off wrestling with him; not because he could not, but because he would not, being willing to encourage the faith of Jacob against future trials and exercises, and especially under his present one: besides, such were the promises that this divine Person knew were made to Jacob, and so strong was Jacob's faith at this time in pleading those promises in prayer to God, that he could not do otherwise, consistent with the purposes and promises of God, than suffer himself to be prevailed over by him:
he touched the hollow of his thigh; the hollow part of the thigh or the groin, or the hollow place in which the thigh bone moves, and is said to have the form of the hollow of a man's hand recurved:
and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him; that is, the huckle bone, or the thigh bone, was moved out of the hollow place in which it was: this was done to let Jacob know that the person he wrestled with was superior to him, and could easily have overcome him, and obliged him to cease wrestling with him if he would; and that the victory he got over him was not by his own strength, but by divine assistance, and by the sufferance of the himself he wrestled with; so that he had nothing to boast of: and this shows the truth and reality of this conflict; that it was not visionary, but a real fact, as well as it teaches the weakness and infirmities of the saints, that attend them in their spiritual conflicts. The word used in this and the preceding verse comes from a root which signifies dust; it being usual with wrestlers to raise up the dust with their feet when they strive together, as KimchiF7Sepher Shorash rad אבק. remarks, as well as it was common with the ancients to wrestle in dust, and sandF8"Fulva luctantur arena." --Virgil. ; and hence the phrase "descendere in arenam", combatants were called "arenarii".
And he said, let me go, for the day breaketh,.... This was said that he might seem to be a man that was desirous of going about his business, as men do early in the morning; though the true reason perhaps was, that his form might not be more distinctly seen by Jacob, and much less by any other person:
and he said, I will not let thee go except thou bless me; for by his touching his thigh, and the effect of that, he perceived he was more than a man, even a divine Person, and therefore insisted upon being blessed by him: thus faith in prayer lays hold on God, and will not let him go without leaving the blessing it is pleading for; which shows the great strength of faith, and the efficacy of the prayer of faith with God; see Exodus 32:10.
And he said unto him, what is thy name?.... Which question is put, not as being ignorant of it, but in order to take occasion from it, and the change of it, to show that he had granted his request, and had blessed him, and would yet more and more:
and he said, Jacob; the name given him at his birth, and by which he had always been called, and therefore tells it him at once, not staying to ask the reason of the question.
And he said, thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel,.... That is, not Jacob only, but Israel also, as Ben Melech interprets it, or the one as well as the other; or the one rather and more frequently than the other: for certain it is, that he is often after this called Jacob, and his posterity also the seed of Jacob, though more commonly Israel, and Israelites:
for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed: this is given as a reason of his name Israel, which signifies a prince of God, or one who as a prince prevails with God; which confutes all other etymologies of the name, as the upright one of God, the man that sees God, or any other: he now prevailed with God in prayer, and by faith got the blessing, as he had prevailed before with Esau and Laban, and got the better of them, and so would again of the former: hence some render the word, "and shall prevail"F9תוכל "praevalebis", V. L. δυνατο εση Sept. so the Targum of Onkelos. ; and indeed this transaction was designed to fortify Jacob against the fear of his brother Esau; and from whence he might reasonably conclude, that if he had power with God, and prevailed to obtain what he desired of him, he would much more be able to prevail over his brother, and even over all that should rise up against him, and oppose him; and this may not only be prophetic of what should hereafter be fulfilled in the person of Jacob, but in his posterity in future times, who should prevail over their enemies, and enjoy all good things by the favour of God: for it may be rendered, "thou hast behaved like a prince with God, and with men", or, "over men thou shalt prevail".
And Jacob asked him, and said, tell me, I pray thee, thy name,.... Being asked his own name, and told it, and having another given him more significative and expressive, he is emboldened to ask the person that wrestled with him what was his name; Exodus 3:13; for Jacob knew that he was God, as appears by his earnest desire to be blessed by him; and he knew it by the declaration just made, that he had power with God as a prince; but he hoped to have some name, taken by him from the place or circumstance of things in which he was, whereby he might the better remember this affair; as he was pleased to call himself the God of Bethel, from his appearance to Jacob there, Genesis 31:13; therefore since he did not choose to give him his name, Jacob himself imposed one on the place afterwards, as a memorial of God being seen by him there:
and he said, wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? which is both a reproof of his curiosity, and a denial of his request; signifying that he had no need to put that question, it was enough for him that he had got the blessing, and which he confirms:
and he blessed him there; in the same place, as the Vulgate Latin version, where he had been wrestling with him, as he was taking his leave of him; for this was a farewell blessing, and a confirmation of that he had received, through the name of Israel being given him.
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel,.... In Genesis 32:31; Penuel, which signifies the face of God, or God hath looked upon me, or hath had respect to me: there was afterwards a city built here, called by the same name; see Judges 8:8; it is saidF11Bunting's Travels, p. 72. 74. to be four miles from Mahanaim; the reason of it follows:
for I have seen God face to face: it may be observed, that in wrestling men are face to face, and in this position were Jacob and the man that wrestled with him; which he seems to have respect unto, as well as to the familiarity and intimate communion he was admitted to:
and my life is preserved: though he had wrestled with one so vastly superior to himself, who could have easily crushed this worm Jacob to pieces, as he is sometimes called; and though he had had such a sight of God as face to faces referring, as is thought, to a notion that obtained early, even among good men, that upon sight of God a man instantly died; though we have no example of that kind: but perhaps he observed this for his encouragement; that whereas he had met with God himself, and wrestled with him in the form of a man, and yet was preserved, he doubted not that, when he should meet with his brother and debate matters with him, he should be safe and unhurt.
And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him,.... It was break of day when the angel desired to be let go, and by that time the parley held between them ceased, and they parted, the sun was rising; and as Jacob went on it shone upon him, as a token of the good will and favour of God to him, and as an emblem of the sun of righteousness arising on him with healing in his wings, Malachi 4:2,
and he halted upon his thigh; it being out of joint, of which he became more sensible when he came to walk upon it; and besides, his attention to the angel that was with him caused him not so much to perceive it until he had departed front him: some think he went limping all his days; others, that he was healed immediately by the angel before he came to Esau; but of either there is no proof.
Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank,.... Which was contracted by the touch of the angel, and by which it was weakened and benumbed; or the sinew of the part that was out of joint, the sinew or tendon that keeps the thigh bone in the socket, together with the flesh that covered it, or the muscle in which it is; or that sinew, others, that contracts itself and gives motion to the thigh bone to work itself: of this the Israelites eat not:
which is upon the hollow of the thigh; or the cap of it:
unto this day; when Moses wrote this history:
because he the angel touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh, in the sinew that shrank; and very superstitiously do they abstain from it unto this day: they have a whole chapter in one of their treatises in the MisnahF12Cholin. c. 7. sect. 1. 3. , giving rules concerning it; where it is forbidden to eat of it, whether in the land of Israel or out of it; whether in common food or sacrifices, even in burnt offerings it was to be taken out; and whether in cattle of the house or of the field; and both in the right and left thigh, but not in fowls, because they have no hollow, and butchers are not to be trusted; and whoever eats of it to the quantity of an olive is to be beaten with forty stripes; and because the Jews are more ignorant of this nerve, as Mercer observes, therefore they abstain from all nerves in the posteriors of animals. Leo of Modena saysF13History of the Rites, Customs, &c. of the Jews, part 2. c. 7. sect. 3. p. 91. 92. , of what beast soever they eat, they are very careful to take away all the fat and the sinew which shrunk: and hence it is, that in many places in Italy, and especially in Germany, they eat not at all of the hinder quarters of ox, lamb, or goat; because there is in those parts of the beast both very much fat, and also the forbidden sinew; and it asketh so much care to cleanse the parts of these, that there are few that are able to do it, or dare to undertake it.