22 During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two slave women, and his eleven sons, and crossed the ford of Jabbok.(A) 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, along with all his possessions.

Jacob Wrestles with God

24 Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.(B) 25 When the man saw that he could not defeat him, he struck Jacob’s hip socket as they wrestled and dislocated his hip. 26 Then he said to Jacob, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

27 “What is your name?” the man asked.

“Jacob,” he replied.

28 “Your name will no longer be Jacob,”(C) he said. “It will be Israel[a] because you have struggled with God(D) and with men and have prevailed.”

29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.”

But he answered, “Why do you ask my name?” (E) And he blessed him there.

30 Jacob then named the place Peniel,[b] “For I have seen God face to face,” he said, “yet my life has been spared.”(F) 31 The sun shone on him as he passed by Penuel[c](G)—limping because of his hip. 32 That is why, still today, the Israelites don’t eat the thigh muscle that is at the hip socket: because he struck Jacob’s hip socket at the thigh muscle.[d]

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Footnotes

  1. 32:28 In Hb, the name Israel sounds like “he struggled (with) God.”
  2. 32:30 = Face of God
  3. 32:31 Variant of Peniel
  4. 32:32 Or tendon

Jacob Wrestles at Peniel

22 The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.(A) 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. 24 Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.(B) 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.”(C) 27 So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then the man[a] said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,[b] for you have striven with God and with humans[c] and have prevailed.”(D) 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.(E) 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel,[d] saying, “For I have seen God face to face, yet my life is preserved.”(F) 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the thigh muscle that is on the hip socket, because he struck Jacob on the hip socket at the thigh muscle.

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Footnotes

  1. 32.28 Heb he
  2. 32.28 That is, the one who strives with God or God strives
  3. 32.28 Or with divine and human beings
  4. 32.30 That is, the face of God