Jacob Wrestles with God (Genesis 32:22–32)

Genesis 32:22-32 · Berean Standard Bible

The night before facing Esau, Jacob is left alone and wrestles until daybreak with a mysterious man who turns out to be God. Though his hip is wrenched, Jacob refuses to let go without a blessing, and God renames him Israel — 'he struggles with God.' Genesis 32:22–32 is the story of Jacob's wrestling match at Peniel and his new name.

22During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

23He took them and sent them across the stream, along with all his possessions.

24So Jacob was left all alone, and there a man wrestled with him until daybreak.

25When the man saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he struck the socket of Jacob’s hip and dislocated it as they wrestled.

26Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

27“What is your name?” the man asked. “Jacob,” he replied.

28Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”

29And Jacob requested, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed Jacob there.

30So Jacob named the place Peniel, saying, “Indeed, I have seen God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

31The sun rose above him as he passed by Penuel, and he was limping because of his hip.

32Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was struck near that tendon.

Read the wider context: Genesis 32.

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