Genesis 32:17-27

17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, "When Esau my brother meeteth thee and asketh thee, saying, `Whose art thou? And whither goest thou? And whose are these before thee?'

18 then thou shalt say, `They are thy servant Jacob's. It is a present sent unto my lord Esau; and behold also, he is behind us.'"

19 And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all who followed the droves, saying, "In this manner shall ye speak unto Esau when ye find him.

20 And say ye moreover, `Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us.'" For he said, "I will appease him with the presents that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face. Perhaps he will accept me."

21 So went the presents over before him, and he himself lodged that night in the company.

22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives and his two womenservants and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.

23 And he took them and sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had.

24 And Jacob was left alone, and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

25 And when the man saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him.

26 And the man said, "Let me go, for the day breaketh." And he said, "I will not let thee go, unless thou bless me."

27 And he said unto him, "What is thy name?" And he said, "Jacob."

Genesis 32:17-27 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 32

This chapter informs us of Jacob's proceeding on in his journey, and of his being met and guarded by an host of angels, Ge 32:1,2; of his sending messengers to his brother Esau, acquainting him with his increase, and desiring his favour and good will, Ge 32:3-5, who return and report to him, that Esau was coming to him with four hundred men, which put him into a panic, and after devising ways and means for the security of himself; and those with him, at least a part, if not the whole, Ge 32:6-8; then follows a prayer of his to God, pressing his unworthiness of mercies, and his sense of them, imploring deliverance from his brother, and putting the Lord in mind of his promises, Ge 32:9-12; after which we have an account of the wise methods he took for the safety of himself and family, by sending a present to his brother, dividing those who had the charge of it into separate companies, and directing them to move at a proper distance from each other, he, his wives and children, following after, Ge 32:13-23; when they were over the brook Jabbok, he stopped, and being alone, the Son of God in an human form appeared to him, and wrestled with him, with whom Jacob prevailed, and got the blessing, and hence had the name of Israel, Ge 32:24-28; and though he could not get his name, he perceived it was a divine Person he had wrestled with, and therefore called the name of the place Penuel, Ge 32:29-31; the hollow of his thigh being touched by him with whom he wrestled, which put it out of joint, he halted as he went over Penuel, in commemoration of which the children of Israel eat not of that part of the thigh, Ge 32:31,32.