Genesis 32:29 - Exposition

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 the same reply to Manoah, adding, "seeing it is secret;" literally, wonderful , i . e . incomprehensible to mortal man; though here the words of Jacob's antagonist may mean that his name, so far as it could be learnt by man, was already plain from the occurrence which had taken place (Murphy, 'Speaker's Commentary,' Bush). And he blessed him there. After this, every vestige of doubt disappeared from the soul of Jacob.