22 During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female slaves, and his 11 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, “and I have been delivered.”(F) 31 The sun shone on him as he passed by Penuel[c](G)—limping because of his hip. 32 That is why, to this day, 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. Genesis 32:28 In Hb, the name Israel sounds like “he struggled (with) God.”
  2. Genesis 32:30 = Face of God
  3. Genesis 32:31 Variant of Peniel
  4. Genesis 32:32 Or tendon

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