Genesis32
New American Standard
1Now as Jacob went on his way, the angels of God met him.
2And when he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s camp.” So he named that place Mahanaim.
3Then Jacob sent messengers ahead of himself to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
4He commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall say to my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says the following: “I have resided with Laban, and stayed until now;
5and I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent messengers to tell my lord, so that I may find favor in your sight.”’”
6And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and furthermore he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”
7Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks, the herds, and the camels, into two companies;
8for he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the company which is left will escape.”
9Then Jacob said, “God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, Lord, who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’
10I am unworthy of all the favor and of all the faithfulness, which You have shown to Your servant; for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies.
11Save me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children.
12For You said, ‘I will assuredly make you prosper and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which is too great to be counted.’”
13So he spent the night there. Then he selected from what he had with him a gift for his brother Esau:
14two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,
15thirty milking camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.
16Then he placed them in the care of his servants, every flock by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on ahead of me, and put a space between flocks.”
17And he commanded the one in front, saying, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and to whom do these animals in front of you belong?’
18then you shall say, ‘These belong to your servant Jacob; it is a gift sent to my lord Esau. And behold, he also is behind us.’”
19Then he commanded also the second and the third, and all those who followed the flocks, saying, “In this way you shall speak to Esau when you find him;
20and you shall say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob also is behind us.’” For he said, “I will appease him with the gift that goes ahead of me. Then afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.”
21So the gift passed on ahead of him, while he himself spent that night in the camp.
22Now he got up that same night and took his two wives, his two female slaves, and his eleven children, and crossed the shallow place of the Jabbok.
23He took them and sent them across the stream. And he sent across whatever he had.
24Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.
25When the man saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him.
26Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
27So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”
28Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have contended with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
29And Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there.
30So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.”
31Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his hip.
32Therefore, to this day the sons of Israel do not eat the tendon of the hip which is on the socket of the hip, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip in the tendon of the hip.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Genesis 32.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Jacob's vision at Mahanaim, His fear of Esau. (1–8). Jacob's earnest prayer for deliverance, He prepares a present for Esau. (9–23). He wrestles with the Angel. (24–32).
vv1-8
The angels of God appeared to Jacob, to encourage him with the assurance of the Divine protection. When God designs his people for great trials, he prepares them by great comforts. While Jacob, to whom the promise belonged, had been in hard service, Esau was become a prince. Jacob sent a message, showing that he did not insist upon the birth-right. Yielding pacifies great offences, Ec 10:4. We must not refuse to speak respectfully, even to those unjustly angry with us. Jacob received an account of Esau's warlike preparations against him, and was greatly afraid. A lively sense of danger, and quickening fear arising from it, may be found united with humble confidence in God's power and promise.
vv9-23
Times of fear should be times of prayer: whatever causes fear, should drive us to our knees, to our God. Jacob had lately seen his guards of angels, but in this distress he applied to God, not to them; he knew they were his fellow-servants, Re 22:9. There cannot be a better pattern for true prayer than this. Here is a thankful acknowledgement of former undeserved favours; a humble confession of unworthiness; a plain statement of his fears and distress; a full reference of the whole affair to the Lord, and resting all his hopes on him. The best we can say to God in prayer, is what he has said to us. Thus he made the name of the Lord his strong tower, and could not but be safe. Jacob's fear did not make him sink into despair, nor did his prayer make him presume upon God's mercy, without the use of means. God answers prayers by teaching us to order our affairs aright. To pacify Esau, Jacob sent him a present. We must not despair of reconciling ourselves to those most angry against us.
vv24-32
A great while before day, Jacob being alone, more fully spread his fears before God in prayer. While thus employed, One in the likeness of a man wrestled with him. When the spirit helpeth our infirmities, and our earnest and vast desires can scarcely find words to utter them, and we still mean more than we can express, then prayer is indeed wrestling with God. However tried or discouraged, we shall prevail; and prevailing with Him in prayer, we shall prevail against all enemies that strive with us. Nothing requires more vigour and unceasing exertion than wrestling. It is an emblem of the true spirit of faith and prayer. Jacob kept his ground; though the struggle continued long, this did not shake his faith, nor silence his prayer. He will have a blessing, and had rather have all his bone put out of joint than go away without one. Those who would have the blessing of Christ, must resolve to take no denial. The fervent prayer is the effectual prayer. The Angel puts a lasting mark of honour upon him, by changing his name. Jacob signifies a supplanter. From henceforth he shall be celebrated, not for craft and artful management, but for true valour. Thou shalt be called Israel, a prince with God, a name greater than those of the great men of the earth. He is a prince indeed that is a prince with God; those are truly honourable that are mighty in prayer. Having power with God, he shall have power with men too; he shall prevail, and gain Esau's favour. Jacob gives a new name to the place. He calls it Peniel, the face of God, because there he had seen the appearance of God, and obtained the favour of God. It becomes those whom God honours, to admire his grace towards them. The Angel who wrestled with Jacob was the second Person in the sacred Trinity, who was afterwards God manifest in the flesh, and who, dwelling in human nature, is called Immanuel, Ho 12:4, 5. Jacob halted on his thigh. It might serve to keep him from being lifted up with the abundance of the revelations. The sun rose on Jacob: it is sun-rise with that soul, which has had communion with God.
Key Words
יַעֲקֹב: Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch
הָלַךְ: to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
דֶּרֶךְ: a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
מֲלְאָךְ: a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher)
אֱלֹהִים: gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
פָּגַע: to impinge, by accident or violence, or (figuratively) by importunity
רָאָה: to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
זֶה: the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
מַחֲנֶה: an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an army, whether literal (of soldiers) or figurative (of dancers, angels, cattle, locusts, stars; or even the sacred courts)
Cross References
Genesis 32Hosea explicitly interprets Jacob's wrestle as weeping and making supplication to the Angel.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The angel of the Lord encamping around those who fear Him, protecting Jacob's camp.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Recalls Jacob's initial vision of angels on the ladder at Bethel as he re-enters Canaan.
Supported by JFB
Jacob calls Esau 'my lord,' contrasting with the prophetic blessing of dominion over his brother.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The Angel's response to Manoah closely mirrors His response to Jacob's query about His name.
New Testament confirmation of angels ministering to those who inherit salvation, protecting Jacob's family.
Supported by JFB
Parallels Elisha's vision of the Lord's host of horses and chariots surrounding them for defense.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Yielding and submissive speech pacify great offenses, explaining Jacob's respectful approach to Esau.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Jacob pleads the specific command of God to return to his country as his warrant.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Recalls the original covenant promise made at Bethel to keep Jacob and bring him back safely.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Points to the divine character of the Wrestler, identified as both Angel and God.
Supported by Matthew Henry
God formally confirms the change of Jacob's name to Israel at Bethel.
Verbal link of 'mercy' and 'truth' shown to Abraham's house, now acknowledged by Jacob.
Jacob pleads the fulfillment of the Abrahamic promise of countless offspring like the dust.
A man's gift makes room for him, illustrating Jacob's practical wisdom in placating his brother.
Jacob's touch on the thigh represents a physical infirmity to prevent boasting.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Contrasts God's statement that no man can see Him and live with Jacob's preservation.
Gideon expresses the same fear of death after seeing the Angel of the Lord face-to-face.
Manoah echoes Jacob's fear of dying after seeing God in the person of the Angel.
The Messiah's name is declared 'Wonderful' (or 'Secret'), matching the Angel's mysterious name.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Illustrates another historical Jewish custom of avoiding treading upon a specific threshold/sinew.
Identifies the river Jabbok as a significant border in Israel's later geographical inheritance.
Jacob's persistent wrestling exemplifies Christ's teaching on persistent, tireless prayer.
Supported by Matthew Henry