Genesis 32:3-32
Summary for Gen 32:3-5: 32:3-5 a Apparently inspired by the vision of angels (32:1 b, Hebrew mal’akim), Jacob sent messengers (mal’akim) into Edom to meet Esau.Summary for Gen 32:7-8: 32:7-8 c Jacob divided his company into two groups or camps (Hebrew makhanoth, related to “Mahanaim” in 32:2 d) because he was afraid, remembering Esau’s character and his threat to kill Jacob (see 25:25 e; 27:41 f).
Summary for Gen 32:9-12: 32:9-12 g Jacob’s prayer is a wonderful example of how to address God. He based his appeal on God’s will, reminding God of his relationship with him, his command for him to return to the land, and his promise (32:9 h). He had a correct attitude of genuine humility and total dependence on God (32:10 i). Finally, he asked that God rescue him from his brother, and he repeated God’s promises (see 22:17 j).
Summary for Gen 32:13-21: 32:13-21 k Taking a large portion of the wealth God had blessed him with (some 550 animals), Jacob prepared a gift to appease Esau’s anger and gain his favor.
Summary for Gen 32:22-32: 32:22-32 l Before Jacob returned to the land God had promised him, God met him, crippled him, and blessed him, changing his name to Israel. This episode was a significant turning point for him.
Summary for Gen 32:22-24: 32:22-24 m The Jabbok River flows westward to the Jordan Valley, dividing the region of Bashan on the north from Gilead on the south. Wordplays on Jacob’s name and character preserve the memory of this encounter. Jacob (Hebrew ya‘aqob), while at Jabbok (Hebrew yabboq), wrestled (Hebrew wayye’abeq). Through his fight with an adversary to receive the blessing, Jacob’s name would be changed, and his deceptive striving would partially give way to faith as his way of life.
32:24 n a man came: The narrative unfolds as the event did for Jacob. No details are given about the assailant, who later refused to identify himself (32:29 o).
• until the dawn: The darkness fit Jacob’s situation and increased the fear and uncertainty that seized him. In the darkness he had no idea who it was—it might have been one of Esau’s men, or Laban’s.
32:25 p he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket: Jacob, the deceitful fighter, could fight no more. When his assailant fought him as man to man, Jacob could hold his own. But like so many of his own rivals, he had now more than met his match.
32:26 q At daybreak, the significance of this fight began to dawn on Jacob. He realized who his assailant was, and since it was futile to fight, he held on to obtain God’s blessing.
32:27 r What is your name? The Lord’s question was really about Jacob’s character, not his identity (cp. 3:9 s; 4:9 t). By giving his name, Jacob confessed his nature, his way of doing things as “Heel-grabber, Deceiver, Usurper.” Before God would bless him, he had to acknowledge who he was, and then God would change his identity.
32:28 u Jacob: See study note on 25:26.
• Israel (“God fights”): God first had to fight with him, but now God would fight for him. Jacob’s name was thus full of promise for Jacob and his descendants.
• you have fought with God and with men: Through his entire life, Jacob had been seizing God’s blessing by his own abilities and by any means possible. Jacob knew the importance of the blessing, but he was too self-sufficient and proud to let the blessing be given to him. He had been fighting God long before this encounter.
• and have won: He had prevailed in his struggles with Esau and with Laban; now he prevailed in obtaining God’s blessing.
32:29 v Jacob knew who was with him (32:30 w); the request was his attempt to regain some control. God would not reveal his name, which cannot be had on demand.
32:30 x Peniel (which means “face of God”): The name shows that Jacob recognized the man as a manifestation of God (a theophany).
• yet my life has been spared (or and I have been rescued): The saying probably meant that Jacob realized that his prayer to be rescued from Esau (32:11 y) had been answered, for if he could meet God like this and walk away, he had nothing to fear from Esau. The saying may also reflect an ancient understanding that no one could see God and live (see Exod 33:20 z).
32:31 aa he was limping: God injured Jacob’s hip, thus curtailing his proud self-sufficiency. Since the Lord had restricted his natural strength, Jacob would have to rely on the Lord with greater faith. He had thought that returning to his land would be a matter of outwitting his brother once again (32:3-21 ab), but here at the land’s threshold he met its true proprietor. He would get the land, but only if God fought for him. Self-sufficiency—trying to achieve the blessing by our own strength or by the ways of the world—will not suffice. If we persist, God may have to cripple our self-sufficiency to make us trust him more.
32:32 ac The story includes a dietary restriction for Israel that became a custom but was not put into law. This custom helped preserve the memory of the story. Observant Jews still refuse to eat the tendons of an animal’s hindquarters.
Genesis 33:1-17
Summary for Gen 33:1-17: 33:1-17 ad Jacob’s long-anticipated meeting with his brother Esau turned out far better than he had feared. Esau’s changed heart is an example of how “God fights” (See 32:28 ae). Earlier, he had cared little about the birthright (25:32-34 af); now he cared little for old grudges. Jacob recognized that God had intervened.Summary for Gen 33:1-2: 33:1-2 ag Jacob’s identity had been changed (32:27-28 ah), but he had not yet learned to live up to the new name; he still showed the favoritism that divides families. He lined up his family and his possessions in the order of their importance to him, with the slave wives and their children in front (to face danger first), Leah’s group behind them, and Rachel and Joseph in the back, where it was safest.
Summary for Gen 33:3-13: 33:3-13 ai Even though Jacob had nothing to fear, he was afraid and tried to appease his brother. He assumed the role of a servant before royalty by bowing (33:3 aj), using an honorific title (33:8 ak, 13 al), making introductions (33:6-7 am), and presenting gifts (33:8 an).
33:4 ao Esau’s friendly greeting was an answer to prayer (32:11 ap). God had rescued Jacob from Esau’s revenge.
33:5 aq your servant: In talking with his brother, Jacob continued to refer to himself as Esau’s servant (also 33:14 ar) and to Esau as his lord (33:8 as, 13-15 at); Esau called Jacob “my brother” (33:9 au). Jacob was cautiously warding off any possible retaliation by reversing the words of the oracle (25:23 av).
33:7 aw Among Jacob’s sons, only Joseph is named; he was Jacob’s favorite son and the recipient of the blessing.
33:10 ax Jacob knew that Esau’s friendly greeting was God’s work, secured at Peniel when he saw God face to face.
33:11 ay this gift I have brought you (literally my blessing): Jacob perceived Esau as a threat and tried to appease him with a gift (cp. 2 Kgs 17:3-4 az; 18:7 ba, 14 bb; 2 Chr 28:21 bc), perhaps in a guilty attempt to undo the past. Jacob would not take no for an answer.
Summary for Gen 33:12-15: 33:12-15 bd Despite Esau’s apparent magnanimity, Jacob was wary and cleverly avoided traveling with his brother.
• I will meet you at Seir: Jacob’s lie manifests his old character, living by deception rather than by faith.
Summary for Gen 33:16-17: 33:16-17 be Instead of following Esau south to Seir as promised, Jacob again deceived his brother, then headed in the opposite direction to Succoth, east of the Jordan River and north of the Jabbok.
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