Genesis 32:22-32

International Children’s Bible

Jacob Wrestles with God

²² During the night Jacob rose and crossed the Jabbok River at the crossing. He took his 2 wives, his 2 slave girls and his 11 sons with him. ²³ He sent his family and everything he had across the river. ²⁴ But Jacob stayed behind alone. And a man came and wrestled with him until the sun came up. ²⁵ The man saw that he could not defeat Jacob. So he struck Jacob’s hip and put it out of joint. ²⁶ Then the man said to Jacob, “Let me go. The sun is coming up.”

But Jacob said, “I will let you go if you will bless me.”

²⁷ The man said to him, “What is your name?”

And he answered, “Jacob.”

²⁸ Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob. Your name will now be Israel,^[a] because you have wrestled with God and with men. And you have won.”

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

But the man said, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed Jacob there.

³⁰ So Jacob named that place Peniel.^[b] He said, “I have seen God face to face. But my life was saved.” ³¹ Then the sun rose as he was leaving that place. Jacob was limping because of his leg. ³² So even today the people of Israel do not eat the muscle that is on the hip joint of animals. This is because Jacob was touched there.