Genesis 32:24-32

2009.Apr.17 17:00

And You Shall Be Israel

Read Genesis 32:24-32 | Full Chapter

Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. Then he said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking." But he said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." So he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." He said, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed."
(Genesis 32:24-28, NASB)

This is not Jacob’s first strange night, but it is in some ways the most important. This is when Yahweh (whether directly or via some messenger), changes Jacob’s name. His new name, Israel, is that which will borne by his descendants and their compatriots throughout history. It seems reasonable that the name could have been given to Jacob by the later Israelites as an explanation for their contemporary name and the story of Yahweh’s giving that name as yet another connection added to cement their theocratic community. But I’m willing to take the story at face value; I’m not sure that it matters much.

Anyway, Jacob spends the night wrestling with some sort of divine representative. All told, this is probably a welcome relief from worrying about the morrow’s encounter with his estranged brother, Esau. So, anyway, they wrestle until daybreak, at which point the “being” dislocates Jacob’s thigh with a touch. ‘Ha, ha, Jacob, you have fought well, but…now we’re done here.’

Jacob, however, pushes for a blessing before letting go. I like that. It also shows a perceptiveness on his part about with whom he’s wrestling. The other asks Jacob’s name which then leads into the renaming.

Anyway, Yahweh’s comment (again, possibly indirect) is that Jacob’s new name is a result of him having striven with both men (such as Laban) and with God (that is, Yahweh, I assume), and having “prevailed”. I can’t even begin to understand what all that word must mean, but it is powerful. Whatever meaning, it need not be construed as a question against Yahweh’s omnipotence (although that’s a bit of a goofy word of limited use). The major point I want to make is that Yahweh values Jacob.

Then Jacob asked him and said, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And he blessed him there. So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved." Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh. Therefore, to this day the sons of Israel do not eat the sinew of the hip which is on the socket of the thigh, because he touched the socket of Jacob's thigh in the sinew of the hip.
(Genesis 32:29-32, NASB)

Jacob now requests the name of his, er, guest, who does not reveal his name, but rather now gives Jacob the blessing (what that blessing consists of not being noted). Jacob, now Israel, surmises that this is Yahweh, or some such representative, and thus names the place “Peniel”, a word which apparently has something to do with wrestling with God and not being smited on the spot. And thus, blessed, renamed and gimpy, Jacob sets off to meet his brother.