And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel ( i . e . "the face of God." Its situation must have been close to the Jabbok. The reason given for its designation follows): for I have seen God (Elohim) face to face, and my life is preserved (cf. Genesis 16:13 ; Exodus 14:11 ; Exodus 33:20 ; 6:22 ; 13:22 ; Isaiah 6:5 ). read more
And as he passed over Penuel —this some suppose to have been the original name of the place, which Jacob changed by the alteration of a vowel, but it is probably nothing more than an old form of the same word— the sun rose upon him ,—"there was sunshine within and sunshine without. When Judas went forth on his dark design, we read, 'It was night,' John 13:30 " (Inglis)— and he halted upon his thigh —thus carrying with him a memorial of his conflict, as Paul afterwards bore about with... read more
Therefore the children of Israel cat not of the sinew which shrank,— the gid hannasheh , rendered by the LXX . τὸ νεῦρον ὅ ἐνάρκησεν, the nerve which became numb, and by the Vulgate nervus qui emarcuit , the nerve which withered, is the long tendon or sinew nervus ischiaticus (the tends Achillis of the Greeks) reaching from the spinal marrow to the ankle. The derivation of hannasheh is unknown (Gesenius), though the LXX . appear to have connected it with nashah , to... read more
- Jacob Wrestles in Prayer3. מחנים machănāyı̂m, Machanaim, “two camps.”22. יבק yaboq, Jabboq; related: בקק bāqaq “gush or gurgle out” or אבק 'ābaq in niphal, “wrestle.” Now Wady Zurka.29. ישׂראל yı̂śrā'ēl, Jisrael, “prince of God.”31. פניאל penı̂y'ēl = פנוּאל penû'ēl, Peniel, Penuel, “face of God.”After twenty years spent in Aram, Jacob now returns to Kenann. As his departure was marked by a great moment in his spiritual life, so he is now approaching to a crisis in his life of no... read more
Genesis 32:24. Jacob was left alone In some private place, that he might more freely and ardently pour out his soul in prayer, and again spread his cares and fears before God. There wrestled a man with him The eternal Word, or Son of God, who often appeared in a human shape, before he assumed the human nature. We are told by Hosea 12:4, how Jacob wrestled with him; He wept and made supplication: prayers and tears were his weapons. It was not only a corporal but a spiritual ... read more
Genesis 32:25. He prevailed not against him The angel suffered himself to be conquered, to encourage Jacob’s faith and hope against the approaching danger: nay, he even imparted strength to him to maintain the conflict. For it was not in his own strength that Jacob wrestled, nor by his own strength that he prevailed, but by strength derived from Heaven, by which alone he had power over the angel, Hosea 12:3. Jacob’s thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him This was to humble him,... read more
Genesis 32:26. Let me go Thus the angel, by an admirable condescension, speaks to Jacob as God did to Moses, Exodus 32:10, Let me alone, and that to show the prevalency of his prayer with God, and also to encourage him to persist in the conflict. For the day breaketh Therefore he would not any longer detain Jacob, who had business to do, a family to look after, a journey to take. I will not let thee go except thou bless me He resolves he will have a blessing, and rather shall all his... read more
Genesis 32:27-28 . What is thy name? And he said, Jacob That is, a supplanter, as the word signifies. He said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob Or, as the words should rather be rendered, shall not only be called Jacob, but Israel, or Israel rather than Jacob, a man prevailing with God, rather than a supplanter. It is evident he was afterward called Jacob, as well as Israel, but the latter name, in his posterity, nearly swallowed up the former, who were generally... read more
Genesis 32:29-30 . Wherefore dost thou ask after my name? Canst thou be at any loss to know who I am? The discovery of that was reserved for his death-bed, upon which he was taught to call him Shiloh. But instead of telling him his name, he gave him his blessing, which was the thing Jacob wrestled for; he blessed him there Repeated and ratified the blessing formerly given him. See how wonderfully God condescends to countenance and crown importunate prayer! Those that resolve, though God... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 32:29
And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name . A request indicating great boldness on the part of Jacob—the boldness of faith ( Hebrews 4:16 ; Hebrews 10:19 ); and importing a desire on Jacob's part to be acquainted, not merely with the designation, but with the mysterious character of the Divine personage with whom he had been contending. And he (the mysterious stranger) said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? Cf. 13:18 , where the angel gives... read more