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Genesis 32:26
Verse
Context
Sermons
Jim Cymbala
John Piper
Bill McLeod
F.J. Huegel
Keith DanielSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Let me go, for the day breaketh - Probably meaning, that as it was now morning, Jacob must rejoin his wives and children, and proceed on their journey. Though phantoms are supposed to disappear when the sun rises, that could be no reason in this case. Most of the angelic appearances mentioned in the Old and New Testaments took place in open day, which put their reality out of question.
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
"And when He (the unknown) saw that He did not overcome him, He touched his hip-socket; and his hip-socket was put out of joint (תּקע from רקע) as He wrestled with him." Still Jacob would not let Him go until He blessed him. He then said to Jacob, "They name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel (ישׂראל, God's fighter, from שׂרה to fight, and אל God); for thou hast fought with God and with men, and hast prevailed." When Jacob asked Him His name, He declined giving any definite answer, and "blessed him there." He did not tell him His name; not merely, as the angel stated to Manoah in reply to a similar question (Jdg 13:18), because it was פּלא wonder, i.e., incomprehensible to mortal man, but still more to fill Jacob's soul with awe at the mysterious character of the whole event, and to lead him to take it to heart. What Jacob wanted to know, with regard to the person of the wonderful Wrestler, and the meaning and intention of the struggle, he must already have suspected, when he would not let Him go until He blessed him; and it was put before him still more plainly in the new name that was given to him with this explanation, "Thou hast fought with Elohim and with men, and hast conquered." God had met him in the form of a man: God in the angel, according to Hos 12:4-5, i.e., not in a created angel, but in the Angel of Jehovah, the visible manifestation of the invisible God. Our history does not speak of Jehovah, or the Angel of Jehovah, but of Elohim, for the purpose of bringing out the contrast between God and the creature. This remarkable occurrence is not to be regarded as a dream or an internal vision, but fell within the sphere of sensuous perception. At the same time, it was not a natural or corporeal wrestling, but a "real conflict of both mind and body, a work of the spirit with intense effort of the body" (Delitzsch), in which Jacob was lifted up into a highly elevated condition of body and mind resembling that of ecstasy, through the medium of the manifestation of God. In a merely outward conflict, it is impossible to conquer through prayers and tears. As the idea of a dream or vision has no point of contact in the history; so the notion, that the outward conflict of bodily wrestling, and the spiritual conflict with prayer and tears, are two features opposed to one another and spiritually distinct, is evidently at variance with the meaning of the narrative and the interpretation of the prophet Hosea. Since Jacob still continued his resistance, even after his hip had been put out of joint, and would not let Him go till He had blessed him, it cannot be said that it was not till all hope of maintaining the conflict by bodily strength was taken from him, that he had recourse to the weapon of prayer. And when Hosea (Hos 12:4-5) points his contemporaries to their wrestling forefather as an example for their imitation, in these words, "He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his human strength he fought with God; and he fought with the Angel and prevailed; he wept and made supplication unto Him," the turn by which the explanatory periphrasis of Jacob's words, "I will not let Thee go except Thou bless me," is linked on to the previous clause by בּכה without a copula or vav consec., is a proof that the prophet did not regard the weeping and supplication as occurring after the wrestling, or as only a second element, which was subsequently added to the corporeal struggle. Hosea evidently looked upon the weeping and supplication as the distinguishing feature in the conflict, without thereby excluding the corporeal wrestling. At the same time, by connecting this event with what took place at the birth of the twins (Gen 25:26), the prophet teaches that Jacob merely completed, by his wrestling with God, what he had already been engaged in even from his mother's womb, viz., his striving for the birthright; in other words, for the possession of the covenant promise and the covenant blessing. This meaning is also indicated by the circumstances under which the event took place. Jacob had wrested the blessing of the birthright from his brother Esau; but it was by cunning and deceit, and he had been obliged to flee from his wrath in consequence. And now that he desired to return to the land of promise and his father's house, and to enter upon the inheritance promised him in his father's blessing; Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men, which filled him with great alarm. As he felt too weak to enter upon a conflict with him, he prayed to the covenant God for deliverance from the hand of his brother, and the fulfilment of the covenant promises. The answer of God to this prayer was the present wrestling with God, in which he was victorious indeed, but not without carrying the marks of it all his life long in the dislocation of his thigh. Jacob's great fear of Esau's wrath and vengeance, which he could not suppress notwithstanding the divine revelations at Bethel and Mahanaim, had its foundation in his evil conscience, in the consciousness of the sin connected with his wilful and treacherous appropriation of the blessing of the first-born. To save him from the hand of his brother, it was necessary that God should first meet him as an enemy, and show him that his real opponent was God Himself, and that he must first of all overcome Him before he could hope to overcome his brother. And Jacob overcame God; not with the power of the flesh however, with which he had hitherto wrestled for God against man (God convinced him of that by touching his hip, so that it was put out of joint), but by the power of faith and prayer, reaching by firm hold of God even to the point of being blessed, by which he proved himself to be a true wrestler of God, who fought with God and with men, i.e., who by his wrestling with God overcame men as well. And whilst by the dislocation of his hip the carnal nature of his previous wrestling was declared to be powerless and wrong, he received in the new name of Israel the prize of victory, and at the same time directions from God how he was henceforth to strive for the cause of the Lord. - By his wrestling with God, Jacob entered upon a new stage in his life. As a sign of this, he received a new name, which indicated, as the result of this conflict, the nature of his new relation to God. But whilst Abram and Sarai, from the time when God changed their names (Gen 17:5 and Gen 17:15), are always called by their new names; in the history of Jacob we find the old name used interchangeably with the new. "For the first two names denoted a change into a new and permanent position, effected and intended by the will and promise of God; consequently the old names were entirely abolished. But the name Israel denoted a spiritual state determined by faith; and in Jacob's life the natural state, determined by flesh and blood, still continued to stand side by side with this. Jacob's new name was transmitted to his descendants, however, who were called Israel as the covenant nation. For as the blessing of their forefather's conflict came down to them as a spiritual inheritance, so did they also enter upon the duty of preserving this inheritance by continuing in a similar conflict.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
I will not let thee go, except thou bless me--It is evident that Jacob was aware of the character of Him with whom he wrestled; and, believing that His power, though by far superior to human, was yet limited by His promise to do him good, he determined not to lose the golden opportunity of securing a blessing. And nothing gives God greater pleasure than to see the hearts of His people firmly adhering to Him.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And he said, let me go, for the day breaketh,.... This was said that he might seem to be a man that was desirous of going about his business, as men do early in the morning; though the true reason perhaps was, that his form might not be more distinctly seen by Jacob, and much less by any other person: and he said, I will not let thee go except thou bless me; for by his touching his thigh, and the effect of that, he perceived he was more than a man, even a divine Person, and therefore insisted upon being blessed by him: thus faith in prayer lays hold on God, and will not let him go without leaving the blessing it is pleading for; which shows the great strength of faith, and the efficacy of the prayer of faith with God; see Exo 32:10.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
32:26 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.
Genesis 32:26
Jacob Wrestles with God
25When the man saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he struck the socket of Jacob’s hip and dislocated it as they wrestled. 26Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Do You Need a Miracle?
By Jim Cymbala8.2K25:16MiraclesGEN 32:26JER 33:3MAT 6:33MAT 7:7MRK 5:27MRK 5:30ACT 17:27In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of experiencing a supernatural work from God in our hearts and souls. He encourages the congregation to believe in the possibility of miracles and expresses his desire for God to perform miracles in the building. The preacher then analyzes the story of the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5, highlighting her desperation and faith in touching Jesus to receive her miracle. He emphasizes the need to come to Jesus with our hearts and explains that physical proximity is not necessary for this encounter.
(First Baptist Church) #8 - the Work of the Holy Spirit
By J. Edwin Orr4.6K1:18:41Work of the Holy SpiritGEN 32:26PSA 139:23ISA 44:3MAT 6:33JHN 7:37ROM 12:1EPH 5:18In this sermon, the speaker discusses the different stages of drunkenness and relates them to the behavior of the disciples on the day of Pentecost. He explains that the first stage of drunkenness is a happy stage, where a person is full of goodwill. The speaker then emphasizes the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit instead of getting drunk with wine. He encourages the audience to seek the Holy Spirit's presence in their lives and warns against seeking emotional experiences or being unemotional in their faith.
(Biographies) Martin Luther
By John Piper4.0K1:19:37GEN 32:26PSA 119:18MAT 6:33In this sermon, Pastor John Piper emphasizes the importance of studying the word of God and rebukes the notion that one cannot be productive or find time for study due to other responsibilities. He draws inspiration from Martin Luther, who emphasized the value of studying the Bible and the languages it was written in. Luther's diligence in studying and translating the Bible, despite facing obstacles, serves as an example for believers today. Piper encourages listeners to approach the study of scripture with humility, prayer, and a desire to understand and apply its teachings.
A House of Prayer
By Bill McLeod3.9K48:03PrayerGEN 32:26PSA 119:164MAT 26:40ACT 6:4ROM 12:211PE 3:9In this sermon, the preacher shares various anecdotes and experiences to emphasize the importance of committing our causes to God. He tells a story about a preacher from Argentina who came to Canada seeking revival but later blamed Democrats for his disappointment. The preacher then decides to teach a series on soul winning, but only two people show up for visitation, revealing their lack of genuine desire. This leads the preacher to conclude that what they truly need is a revival from God. He also highlights the story of Jacob wrestling with God and emphasizes the need to trust and seek God's blessings rather than seeking revenge or getting bitter. The sermon concludes with a mention of John the Baptist's prayerful life in the desert before God revealed his ministry to him.
(The Law of the Holy Spirit) the Spirit of Revelation
By Zac Poonen3.3K1:08:54Law Of The Holy SpiritGEN 32:26MAT 13:10MAT 13:13LUK 24:281CO 2:2EPH 1:18HEB 3:15In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of repentance and turning away from sin. He warns against being deceived by preachers who lull people to sleep with their sin. The preacher encourages listeners to live like Jesus and be overcomers, being a witness through their lives on earth. He also highlights the riches of God's inheritance in believers and the need for honesty and humility before God. The sermon concludes with a reminder that God overlooks the times of ignorance and offers forgiveness, but challenges listeners to seek God's blessing and not settle for a comfortable, complacent life.
The Ministry of Prayer
By F.J. Huegel3.1K1:02:07GEN 32:262CH 7:14JER 33:3MAT 6:33ACT 4:31ACT 6:41TH 5:17In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of prayer and the ministry of the Word. He highlights the power of prayer by referencing the early apostles who, after praying, were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. The speaker also mentions the Protestant movement and how it turned towards faith and world missions through the influence of prayer. He shares the example of a prayer circle formed by the Moravians in Germany, who prayed continuously for ten years, leading to a great missionary age. The sermon concludes with a personal anecdote about a missionary convention and the impact of prayer in missionary work.
Give Up the Fight With God
By Keith Daniel2.8K43:44SurrenderGEN 32:26In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of Jacob wrestling with God. Jacob fought on in his struggle with God, even after God struck him with a severe blow. Despite God's love and longing to bless Jacob, he never fully recovered from the impact of God's strike. The preacher emphasizes that God's intention was to make Jacob give up the fight and surrender to His will, but Jacob persisted in his agony. The sermon also mentions instances in the Bible where God appeared physically to individuals, such as Abraham and Daniel's friends, demonstrating His presence and power.
Constant, Instant, Expectant
By C.H. Spurgeon2.5K49:54GEN 32:26PSA 55:17MAT 7:7LUK 18:1ROM 12:121TH 5:17JAS 5:16In this sermon, the speaker uses the analogy of a bird and a hunting dog to illustrate the importance of fervent and expectant prayer. The bird, when hungry, cries out for its mother because it knows it will be fed. Similarly, our ardor in prayer should be in proportion to our understanding of the value of God's grace and the blessings it brings. The speaker emphasizes the need to meditate on our own poverty and undeservingness, as well as the consequences of not receiving God's mercy. Additionally, the power of collective prayer is highlighted, as the supplications of two or three believers can support and encourage each other. The sermon concludes by emphasizing the necessity of expectation and belief in God's ability and willingness to answer our prayers.
The Dreadful Places of Blessing
By Carter Conlon2.5K47:42BlessingGEN 28:10GEN 32:24GEN 32:26JER 31:31MAT 6:33HEB 11:6JAS 4:8In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of walking in the presence of God and bringing joy to heaven. The sermon also includes a segment on baby dedication, where babies are brought to Jesus for blessing. The preacher then focuses on the story of Jacob in Genesis 32, where Jacob wrestles with God and receives the blessing promised to him. The sermon concludes with the message that God wants to deal with the issues in our hearts so that His blessings can flow through our lives.
The Possibility of Death
By Keith Daniel2.4K52:18DeathGEN 5:24GEN 32:261SA 13:14MAT 3:17MAT 6:33ROM 3:24REV 20:15In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the grave responsibility placed on him to witness to every soul, as the possibility of death looms over everyone. He shares his dedication to preaching the word of God, carefully weighing every word and seeking the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The preacher addresses the common question of how God can be a God of love when there is so much suffering in the world. He also recounts a personal story of a man who initially rejected God but later had a change of heart. The sermon concludes with a reminder of the judgment day, where all people, both small and great, will stand before God.
The Cost of the Resurrection Life
By Carter Conlon2.1K49:02Resurrection LifeGEN 32:261KI 19:202KI 2:9AMO 3:3MAT 6:33MRK 10:51EPH 3:14In this sermon, the preacher talks about how the Lord instructed the early army to conquer their captivity by simply walking around it and praising God. He shares his personal experience of being set free from nine years of intense fear and panic attacks by trusting in God's promises. The preacher emphasizes that we should not share our lives with the strongholds and fears that have been planted in us, but instead trust in God to lead us to victory. He encourages the audience to believe in God's power to break down the walls of captivity in their lives and receive the blessings that come with it.
(Through the Bible) Exodus 1-5
By Chuck Smith1.8K1:23:21ExpositionalGEN 50:26EXO 2:15EXO 4:1EXO 4:10In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that God is not just a passive observer of our struggles and suffering. He takes action to deliver His people from their hardships. The preacher also highlights the importance of not getting too attached to material possessions, as they can easily be taken away. Instead, our focus should be on the things of the Spirit and God's eternal kingdom. The sermon references the story of Moses and the Israelites in Egypt, where they faced oppression and hardship, but ultimately God delivered them.
The God of Peace and Our Sanctification
By C.H. Spurgeon1.7K47:52GEN 32:26ISA 63:11MAT 6:33HEB 13:18HEB 13:20REV 11:15The sermon transcript emphasizes the idea that our goodness comes from God and that we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works. The sermon also highlights the importance of glorifying God in all that we do. It references biblical passages such as God leading His people through the wilderness and causing them to rest, and praises the Lord for bringing back the dying shepherd (Jesus) to live and reign for us. The sermon concludes by encouraging listeners to praise and adore God for the power He has exerted upon Christ and is now exerting upon us.
Jabez a Lonely Man
By John Phillips1.6K43:43JabezGEN 32:261CH 2:551CH 4:10MAT 6:33MAT 27:5LUK 22:212CO 12:2In this sermon, the preacher begins by discussing a cartoon that appeared in an American newspaper during the time of the moon landing. The cartoon depicts two astronauts on Mars, with one of them broadcasting back to Earth. The preacher then transitions to the story of Jacob and Rachel from the Bible, highlighting the significance of their son's name. He also mentions a man named JBas who made a great impact on his generation, leading to the establishment of a city named after him. The sermon concludes with a prayer thanking God for providing solutions to our problems.
Jacob - Gods Unchanging Grace - Genesis 25 - Sermon 4 of 5
By Roy Hession1.6K47:57GraceGEN 32:26GEN 32:28MAT 15:23In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the story of Jacob wrestling with a mysterious figure. Jacob wrestles with this figure, who is later revealed to be the Lord Jesus, and refuses to let him go until he receives a blessing. The speaker emphasizes that Jacob's determination to hold on to God and seek His blessing is a reflection of his understanding of God's grace and his own sinfulness. The sermon also touches on the importance of acknowledging our brokenness and relying on the blood of Jesus to prevail with God and with others.
Dynamics of Holy Hunger
By Wesley Duewel1.5K46:58Spiritual HungerGEN 32:26EXO 32:32PSA 42:1ISA 65:2MAT 6:33ACT 9:3In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of having a deep desire and hunger for God. He encourages listeners not to worry about running out of things to say in their prayers, but rather to let their innermost being cry out to God for mercy. The speaker then shares a story about a man who witnessed the powerful prayers of a minister named Robert Murray Machine. He explains that sometimes, when we are faithful and pray with sincerity, there may be moments when we are beyond words and our hearts cry out to God, resulting in tears of genuine emotion. The speaker concludes by reminding listeners that God is keeping records of our words, meditations, stewardship, and obedience, and that He desires to reward us throughout eternity.
The Lukewarm Carnal Christian
By Tim Conway1.1K1:05:47GEN 32:26MAT 5:3MRK 13:37REV 3:15
This sermon emphasizes the danger of being a lukewarm Christian, highlighting the need for desperation and urgency in seeking Christ. It addresses the tendency towards self-sufficiency and self-complacency, urging believers to repent and return to a fervent love for Jesus. The speaker encourages a deep sense of neediness and vulnerability in prayer, stressing the importance of attacking lukewarmness with a passionate pursuit of God.
The Breathing of the Soul
By Bill McLeod91641:08PrayerGEN 32:26ISA 44:3LAM 3:56MAT 6:33LUK 11:1In this sermon, the pastor emphasizes the importance of revival and awakening in the church. He shares personal experiences of how prayer and seeking God's presence can lead to a powerful transformation in individuals and communities. The pastor encourages believers to stop making excuses and to prioritize seeking God's revival in their lives. He also highlights the story of Jacob in the Bible, who found himself in a desperate situation and had to rely solely on God. The pastor concludes by urging the church to wake up and seek revival before the world continues to slide downhill.
Persevering Prayer
By Basilea Schlink53904:35Radio ShowGEN 32:26LUK 18:1JHN 14:13ROM 12:12In this sermon, Basil E. Shlink emphasizes the power of persevering prayer and its ability to bring about miraculous answers from God. He explains that persevering prayer requires constant effort and a willingness to wait patiently for God's response. Shlink references biblical examples, such as Jacob wrestling with God, to illustrate the importance of persisting in prayer and seeking God's blessings. He also highlights the need for prayers to be in alignment with Jesus' teachings and spirit in order to receive God's assurance and answers.
To Hope Against All Hope
By Jim Cymbala52122:59HopeGEN 32:26ROM 1:16ROM 1:21ROM 1:23ROM 2:1ROM 4:20ROM 8:24In this sermon, the preacher focuses on Romans chapter 4 as a crucial chapter in the Bible. He begins by discussing Paul's description of humanity's lostness, including both the idolatrous practices of the Gentiles and the self-righteousness of the Jews. The preacher emphasizes that all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. He also highlights the importance of gratitude and thankfulness towards God, as well as the descent of humanity into sin and idolatry. The sermon concludes with a call to trust in God's promises and to hold onto them steadfastly.
(Through the Bible) Genesis - Part 3
By Zac Poonen43656:31GEN 24:7GEN 25:21GEN 27:28GEN 32:26GEN 39:7GEN 45:5GEN 46:29GEN 47:9GEN 50:26
This sermon delves into the lives of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph as portrayed in Genesis, highlighting themes of arranged marriages by God, fatherly concerns for children's marriages, the importance of seeking God's guidance in relationships, the sovereignty of God in fulfilling His plans despite human jealousy and evil intentions, the need to flee from temptation, and the significance of storing up spiritual riches in times of plenty to sustain us in times of famine. It emphasizes the faithfulness of Joseph in the face of trials, the importance of respecting parents, and the redemptive work of God even in the midst of human failures and betrayals.
Prayer - Mark 11:24
By A.W. Pink0The Power of PrayerExpectancy in FaithGEN 32:26PSA 37:4MAT 7:7MAT 21:21MRK 11:24JHN 11:42EPH 5:17PHP 4:191TH 4:21JN 5:14A.W. Pink emphasizes the power of prayer in his sermon based on Mark 11:24, urging believers to ask in accordance with God's revealed will and to expect answers with unwavering faith. He outlines three key aspects of effective prayer: ensuring requests align with Scripture, pleading God's promises, and maintaining an attitude of expectancy. Pink warns against the devil's attempts to sow doubt and encourages Christians to confidently approach God, knowing they have a friend in Christ who intercedes on their behalf. Ultimately, he stresses that true faith honors God and leads to divine responses.
Sonship
By Joshua Daniel0GEN 32:26MAT 28:18LUK 15:20ROM 8:17EPH 2:8EPH 6:15PHP 3:8HEB 4:161JN 3:1Joshua Daniel preaches on the powerful story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:20, emphasizing the themes of repentance, renunciation of rights, and the abundant grace and love of God. The son humbly admits his sins and renounces his rights, symbolizing true repentance and surrender to God's will. Despite the son's unworthiness, the father lavishes him with the best robe, a ring of authority, and shoes, signifying restoration, status, and authority in Christ. Daniel challenges listeners to fully embrace their identity as children of God, walk in the authority and power given by God, and not be shaken by circumstances but to confidently partake in the banquet of communion with God.
The Variety of the Spirit's Working
By Zac Poonen0GEN 32:26LUK 11:13JHN 3:8ROM 12:61CO 12:81CO 14:1HEB 11:6JAS 4:2Zac Poonen preaches on the Holy Spirit being likened to the wind in the Scriptures, emphasizing that each believer's experience of being baptized in the Spirit will be unique, with the inner endowment of power being the crucial aspect. God bestows gifts of power through the Spirit for effective service in building up the church, with prophecy highlighted as a valuable gift for challenging, encouraging, and comforting others. Other gifts include serving, teaching, healing, exhorting, giving, and leadership, along with the gift of tongues for prayer and praise beyond language limitations. Believers are encouraged to seek God for the baptism of the Spirit, claiming their birthright and asking for assurance, as God eagerly gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask.
Hungry for God
By Zac Poonen0Strength in WeaknessDesperation for GodGEN 32:262KI 2:9HOS 12:4LUK 24:152CO 12:9Zac Poonen emphasizes the transformative power of being hungry for God, as exemplified by Jacob's earnest plea for blessing at Peniel. After years of pursuing worldly gains, Jacob finally let go of his earthly desires and sought God with all his heart, demonstrating true earnestness. God tested Jacob's resolve, revealing that true blessing comes when one is desperate for God's presence and power, especially in moments of weakness. Poonen highlights that it is in our brokenness that we find strength in God, echoing the Apostle Paul's teaching that weakness can lead to divine power. Ultimately, the sermon calls believers to thirst for a deeper relationship with God, recognizing that true fulfillment lies in His blessings.
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Let me go, for the day breaketh - Probably meaning, that as it was now morning, Jacob must rejoin his wives and children, and proceed on their journey. Though phantoms are supposed to disappear when the sun rises, that could be no reason in this case. Most of the angelic appearances mentioned in the Old and New Testaments took place in open day, which put their reality out of question.
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
"And when He (the unknown) saw that He did not overcome him, He touched his hip-socket; and his hip-socket was put out of joint (תּקע from רקע) as He wrestled with him." Still Jacob would not let Him go until He blessed him. He then said to Jacob, "They name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel (ישׂראל, God's fighter, from שׂרה to fight, and אל God); for thou hast fought with God and with men, and hast prevailed." When Jacob asked Him His name, He declined giving any definite answer, and "blessed him there." He did not tell him His name; not merely, as the angel stated to Manoah in reply to a similar question (Jdg 13:18), because it was פּלא wonder, i.e., incomprehensible to mortal man, but still more to fill Jacob's soul with awe at the mysterious character of the whole event, and to lead him to take it to heart. What Jacob wanted to know, with regard to the person of the wonderful Wrestler, and the meaning and intention of the struggle, he must already have suspected, when he would not let Him go until He blessed him; and it was put before him still more plainly in the new name that was given to him with this explanation, "Thou hast fought with Elohim and with men, and hast conquered." God had met him in the form of a man: God in the angel, according to Hos 12:4-5, i.e., not in a created angel, but in the Angel of Jehovah, the visible manifestation of the invisible God. Our history does not speak of Jehovah, or the Angel of Jehovah, but of Elohim, for the purpose of bringing out the contrast between God and the creature. This remarkable occurrence is not to be regarded as a dream or an internal vision, but fell within the sphere of sensuous perception. At the same time, it was not a natural or corporeal wrestling, but a "real conflict of both mind and body, a work of the spirit with intense effort of the body" (Delitzsch), in which Jacob was lifted up into a highly elevated condition of body and mind resembling that of ecstasy, through the medium of the manifestation of God. In a merely outward conflict, it is impossible to conquer through prayers and tears. As the idea of a dream or vision has no point of contact in the history; so the notion, that the outward conflict of bodily wrestling, and the spiritual conflict with prayer and tears, are two features opposed to one another and spiritually distinct, is evidently at variance with the meaning of the narrative and the interpretation of the prophet Hosea. Since Jacob still continued his resistance, even after his hip had been put out of joint, and would not let Him go till He had blessed him, it cannot be said that it was not till all hope of maintaining the conflict by bodily strength was taken from him, that he had recourse to the weapon of prayer. And when Hosea (Hos 12:4-5) points his contemporaries to their wrestling forefather as an example for their imitation, in these words, "He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his human strength he fought with God; and he fought with the Angel and prevailed; he wept and made supplication unto Him," the turn by which the explanatory periphrasis of Jacob's words, "I will not let Thee go except Thou bless me," is linked on to the previous clause by בּכה without a copula or vav consec., is a proof that the prophet did not regard the weeping and supplication as occurring after the wrestling, or as only a second element, which was subsequently added to the corporeal struggle. Hosea evidently looked upon the weeping and supplication as the distinguishing feature in the conflict, without thereby excluding the corporeal wrestling. At the same time, by connecting this event with what took place at the birth of the twins (Gen 25:26), the prophet teaches that Jacob merely completed, by his wrestling with God, what he had already been engaged in even from his mother's womb, viz., his striving for the birthright; in other words, for the possession of the covenant promise and the covenant blessing. This meaning is also indicated by the circumstances under which the event took place. Jacob had wrested the blessing of the birthright from his brother Esau; but it was by cunning and deceit, and he had been obliged to flee from his wrath in consequence. And now that he desired to return to the land of promise and his father's house, and to enter upon the inheritance promised him in his father's blessing; Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men, which filled him with great alarm. As he felt too weak to enter upon a conflict with him, he prayed to the covenant God for deliverance from the hand of his brother, and the fulfilment of the covenant promises. The answer of God to this prayer was the present wrestling with God, in which he was victorious indeed, but not without carrying the marks of it all his life long in the dislocation of his thigh. Jacob's great fear of Esau's wrath and vengeance, which he could not suppress notwithstanding the divine revelations at Bethel and Mahanaim, had its foundation in his evil conscience, in the consciousness of the sin connected with his wilful and treacherous appropriation of the blessing of the first-born. To save him from the hand of his brother, it was necessary that God should first meet him as an enemy, and show him that his real opponent was God Himself, and that he must first of all overcome Him before he could hope to overcome his brother. And Jacob overcame God; not with the power of the flesh however, with which he had hitherto wrestled for God against man (God convinced him of that by touching his hip, so that it was put out of joint), but by the power of faith and prayer, reaching by firm hold of God even to the point of being blessed, by which he proved himself to be a true wrestler of God, who fought with God and with men, i.e., who by his wrestling with God overcame men as well. And whilst by the dislocation of his hip the carnal nature of his previous wrestling was declared to be powerless and wrong, he received in the new name of Israel the prize of victory, and at the same time directions from God how he was henceforth to strive for the cause of the Lord. - By his wrestling with God, Jacob entered upon a new stage in his life. As a sign of this, he received a new name, which indicated, as the result of this conflict, the nature of his new relation to God. But whilst Abram and Sarai, from the time when God changed their names (Gen 17:5 and Gen 17:15), are always called by their new names; in the history of Jacob we find the old name used interchangeably with the new. "For the first two names denoted a change into a new and permanent position, effected and intended by the will and promise of God; consequently the old names were entirely abolished. But the name Israel denoted a spiritual state determined by faith; and in Jacob's life the natural state, determined by flesh and blood, still continued to stand side by side with this. Jacob's new name was transmitted to his descendants, however, who were called Israel as the covenant nation. For as the blessing of their forefather's conflict came down to them as a spiritual inheritance, so did they also enter upon the duty of preserving this inheritance by continuing in a similar conflict.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
I will not let thee go, except thou bless me--It is evident that Jacob was aware of the character of Him with whom he wrestled; and, believing that His power, though by far superior to human, was yet limited by His promise to do him good, he determined not to lose the golden opportunity of securing a blessing. And nothing gives God greater pleasure than to see the hearts of His people firmly adhering to Him.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And he said, let me go, for the day breaketh,.... This was said that he might seem to be a man that was desirous of going about his business, as men do early in the morning; though the true reason perhaps was, that his form might not be more distinctly seen by Jacob, and much less by any other person: and he said, I will not let thee go except thou bless me; for by his touching his thigh, and the effect of that, he perceived he was more than a man, even a divine Person, and therefore insisted upon being blessed by him: thus faith in prayer lays hold on God, and will not let him go without leaving the blessing it is pleading for; which shows the great strength of faith, and the efficacy of the prayer of faith with God; see Exo 32:10.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
32:26 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.