Genesis 32:24 - Exposition

And Jacob was left alone (probably on the north bank of the Jabbok; but vide on Genesis 32:23 ); and there wrestled —thus assaulting in his strong point one who had been a wrestler or heel-catcher from his youth (Murphy). The old word נֶאֱבַק , niph. of אָבַק , unused, a dehorn, from חָבַק , dust, because in wrestling the dust is raised (Aben Ezra, Gesenius), or a weakened form of חָבַק , to wind round, to embrace (Furst), obviously contains an allusion to the Jabbok ( vide on Genesis 32:22 )— a man —called an angel by Hosea ( Genesis 12:4 ), and God by Jacob (verse 30); but vide infra— with him until the breaking of the day —literally, the ascending of the morning .