Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." Then the man saidThe "man" in this passage is often understood to be a theophany, a physical manifestation of God, or an angel representing God. In Hebrew, the word used is "ish," which simply means "man." However, the context reveals a deeper significance, as this "man" possesses divine authority and power. This encounter is pivotal, symbolizing a direct and personal interaction with the divine, which is a recurring theme in the lives of the patriarchs. Let Me go
This phrase indicates a struggle that has reached a critical point. The request to be released suggests that the "man" acknowledges Jacob's tenacity and determination. In the spiritual sense, it reflects the human struggle with God, where persistence in faith and prayer is often required to receive divine favor. The struggle is not just physical but also spiritual, representing the trials and perseverance required in a believer's life. for it is daybreak
Daybreak signifies a new beginning, a transition from darkness to light. In the biblical context, light often symbolizes God's presence, truth, and revelation. The timing of this request highlights the transformative nature of Jacob's encounter. As day breaks, so does a new chapter in Jacob's life, marked by a profound spiritual awakening and blessing. But Jacob replied
Jacob's response is assertive and determined. His reply indicates a deep desire for God's blessing, reflecting his recognition of the divine nature of his opponent. Jacob's persistence is emblematic of a believer's relentless pursuit of God's promises, demonstrating faith and resilience in the face of adversity. I will not let You go
This phrase underscores Jacob's unwavering resolve. It is a powerful declaration of faith, illustrating the importance of holding onto God, especially during times of struggle. Jacob's grip is symbolic of a believer's commitment to cling to God, trusting in His power and promises despite challenges. unless You bless me
The request for a blessing is central to this encounter. In Hebrew, "bless" is "barak," which means to kneel or to praise, but also to endow with favor. Jacob's demand for a blessing signifies his understanding of the importance of divine favor and approval. It reflects a turning point in his life, where he seeks not just material prosperity but a deeper, spiritual affirmation from God. This moment foreshadows the transformation of Jacob's identity and destiny, as he is later named Israel, meaning "he struggles with God." Persons / Places / Events 1. JacobThe patriarch who is returning to Canaan after years of living with his uncle Laban. He is known for his cunning and determination, which are evident in this encounter. 2. The ManOften interpreted as a divine being or angel, possibly a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, who wrestles with Jacob throughout the night. 3. PenielThe place where Jacob wrestles with the man, meaning "face of God," signifying the profound spiritual encounter Jacob experiences. 4. WrestlingThe physical and spiritual struggle that takes place between Jacob and the man, symbolizing Jacob's struggles with God and man throughout his life. 5. BlessingThe outcome Jacob seeks from the man, representing a turning point in his life and relationship with God. Teaching Points Perseverance in PrayerJust as Jacob refused to let go until he received a blessing, believers are encouraged to persist in prayer and seek God's favor earnestly. Transformation through StruggleJacob's encounter leads to a transformation, symbolized by his new name, Israel. Our struggles can lead to spiritual growth and change. Seeking God's BlessingJacob's insistence on a blessing highlights the importance of seeking God's blessing in our lives, not just material but spiritual. Encountering God PersonallyJacob's wrestling with God is a personal encounter, reminding us that our relationship with God is personal and transformative. Identity in ChristJacob's new name signifies a new identity. In Christ, we are given a new identity, called to live according to God's purposes. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Jacob's determination in Genesis 32:26 inspire you in your own prayer life and relationship with God? 2. In what ways have you experienced transformation through struggles or challenges in your life, similar to Jacob's encounter? 3. How can the account of Jacob wrestling with God encourage you to seek God's blessing in both spiritual and practical aspects of your life? 4. Reflect on a time when you felt you were "wrestling" with God. What was the outcome, and how did it affect your faith journey? 5. How does the concept of receiving a new identity in Christ, as Jacob did with his new name, impact your understanding of your purpose and calling as a believer? Connections to Other Scriptures Hosea 12:3-4This passage reflects on Jacob's struggle with the angel, emphasizing his perseverance and seeking of God's favor. Genesis 28:12-15Jacob's dream at Bethel, where God promises to bless him, setting the stage for his later demand for a blessing. Philippians 3:12-14Paul's description of pressing on toward the goal, which parallels Jacob's determination to receive a blessing. James 1:12The blessing for those who persevere under trial, akin to Jacob's perseverance in his wrestling match. People Esau, Isaac, Israelites, Jacob, Laban, Penuel, SeirPlaces Edom, Jabbok River, Jordan River, Mahanaim, Mizpah, Peniel, Penuel, SeirTopics Ariseth, Ascended, Bless, Blessed, Blessing, Breaketh, Breaking, Breaks, Dawn, Except, Hast, Jacob, Replied, Till, Unless, Won'tDictionary of Bible Themes Genesis 32:26 8653 importunity, to God Genesis 32:22-26 4918 dawn Genesis 32:22-32 4438 eating Genesis 32:24-28 8672 striving with God Genesis 32:24-30 1443 revelation, OT
8474 seeing God Genesis 32:24-32 8613 prayer, persistence Library Mahanaim: the Two Camps
And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim' (i.e. Two camps).--GENESIS xxxii. 1, 2. This vision came at a crisis in Jacob's life. He has just left the house of Laban, his father-in-law, where he had lived for many years, and in company with a long caravan, consisting of wives, children, servants, and all his wealth turned into cattle, is journeying back again to Palestine. His road …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureThe Twofold Wrestle --God's with Jacob and Jacob's with God
'And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast shewed unto Thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture "And He Said, Let Me Go, for the Day Breaketh. " --Genesis xxxii. 26
"And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh."--Genesis xxxii. 26. Let me go, the day is breaking, Dear companions, let me go; We have spent a night of waking In the wilderness below; Upward now I bend my way, Part we here at break of day. Let me go, I may not tarry, Wrestling thus with doubts and fears, Angels wait my soul to carry, Where my risen Lord appears; Friends and kindred, weep not so, If you love me let me go. We have travell'd long together, Hand in hand, and heart in heart, Both …
James Montgomery—Sacred Poems and Hymns Of the Name of God
Exod. iii. 13, 14.--"And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." We are now about this question, What God is. But who can answer it? Or, if answered, who can understand it? It should astonish us in …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Gen. xxxi. 11
Of no less importance and significance is the passage Gen. xxxi. 11 seq. According to ver. 11, the Angel of God, [Hebrew: mlaK halhiM] appears toJacob in a dream. In ver. 13, the same person calls himself the God of Bethel, with reference to the event recorded in chap. xxviii. 11-22. It cannot be supposed that in chap xxviii. the mediation of a common angel took place, who, however, had not been expressly mentioned; for Jehovah is there contrasted with the angels. In ver. 12, we read: "And behold …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Jacob-Wrestling
"Lord, teach us to pray."--Luke xi. 1. "Jacob called the name of the place Peniel."--Gen. xxxii. 30. ALL the time that Jacob was in Padan-aram we search in vain for prayer, for praise. or for piety of any kind in Jacob's life. We read of his marriage, and of his great prosperity, till the land could no longer hold him. But that is all. It is not said in so many words indeed that Jacob absolutely denied and forsook the God of his fathers: it is not said that he worshipped idols in Padan-aram: that …
Alexander Whyte—Lord Teach Us To Pray The Great Shepherd
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. I t is not easy for those, whose habits of life are insensibly formed by the customs of modern times, to conceive any adequate idea of the pastoral life, as obtained in the eastern countries, before that simplicity of manners, which characterized the early ages, was corrupted, by the artificial and false refinements of luxury. Wealth, in those …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1 Pleading
We shall consider our text, then, as one of the productions of a great master in spiritual matters, and we will study it, praying all the while that God will help us to pray after the like fashion. In our text we have the soul of a successful pleader under four aspects: we view, first, the soul confessing: "I am poor and needy." You have next, the soul pleading, for he makes a plea out of his poor condition, and adds, "Make haste unto me, O God!" You see, thirdly, a soul in it's urgency, for he cries, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871 Explanatory and Biographical
INTRODUCTION TO [202]BOOK I English lyrical religious poetry is less easily divisible than our secular verse into well-marked periods, whether in regard to matter or to manner. Throughout its long course it has in great measure the groundwork of a common Book, a common Faith, and a common Purpose. And although incidents from human life and aspects of nature are not excluded (and have in this selection, when possible, been specially gathered, with the view of varying the garland here presented)--yet …
Francis Turner Palgrave—The Treasury of Sacred Song The Worst Things Work for Good to the Godly
DO not mistake me, I do not say that of their own nature the worst things are good, for they are a fruit of the curse; but though they are naturally evil, yet the wise overruling hand of God disposing and sanctifying them, they are morally good. As the elements, though of contrary qualities, yet God has so tempered them, that they all work in a harmonious manner for the good of the universe. Or as in a watch, the wheels seem to move contrary one to another, but all carry on the motions of the watch: …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial The Angel of the Lord in the Pentateuch, and the Book of Joshua.
The New Testament distinguishes between the hidden God and the revealed God--the Son or Logos--who is connected with the former by oneness of nature, and who from everlasting, and even at the creation itself, filled up the immeasurable distance between the Creator and the creation;--who has been the Mediator in all God's relations to the world;--who at all times, and even before He became man in Christ, has been the light of [Pg 116] the world,--and to whom, specially, was committed the direction …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Meditations for the Morning.
1. Almighty God can, in the resurrection, as easily raise up thy body out of the grave, from the sleep of death, as he hath this morning wakened thee in thy bed, out of the sleep of nature. At the dawning of which resurrection day, Christ shall come to be glorified in his saints; and every one of the bodies of the thousands of his saints, being fashioned like unto his glorious body, shall shine as bright as the sun (2 Thess. i. 10; Jude, ver. 14; Phil. iii. 21; Luke ix. 31;) all the angels shining …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety St. Malachy's Apostolic Labours, Praises and Miracles.
[Sidenote: 1140, October] 42. (23). Malachy embarked in a ship, and after a prosperous voyage landed at his monastery of Bangor,[576] so that his first sons might receive the first benefit.[577] In what state of mind do you suppose they were when they received their father--and such a father--in good health from so long a journey? No wonder if their whole heart gave itself over to joy at his return, when swift rumour soon brought incredible gladness even to the tribes[578] outside round about them. …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh A Treatise of the Fear of God;
SHOWING WHAT IT IS, AND HOW DISTINGUISHED FROM THAT WHICH IS NOT SO. ALSO, WHENCE IT COMES; WHO HAS IT; WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS; AND WHAT THE PRIVILEGES OF THOSE THAT HAVE IT IN THEIR HEARTS. London: Printed for N. Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, over against the Stocks market: 1679. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and "a fountain of life"--the foundation on which all wisdom rests, as well as the source from whence it emanates. Upon a principle …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Thirdly, for Thy Actions.
1. Do no evil, though thou mightest; for God will not suffer the least sin, without bitter repentance, to escape unpunished. Leave not undone any good that thou canst. But do nothing without a calling, nor anything in thy calling, till thou hast first taken counsel at God's word (1 Sam. xxx. 8) of its lawfulness, and pray for his blessings upon thy endeavour; and then do it in the name of God, with cheerfulness of heart, committing the success to him, in whose power it is to bless with his grace …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Fragrant Spices from the Mountains of Myrrh. "Thou Art all Fair, My Love; There is no Spot in Thee. " --Song of Solomon iv. 7.
FRAGRANT SPICES FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF MYRRH. HOW marvellous are these words! "Thou art all fair, My love; there is no spot in thee." The glorious Bridegroom is charmed with His spouse, and sings soft canticles of admiration. When the bride extols her Lord there is no wonder, for He deserves it well, and in Him there is room for praise without possibility of flattery. But does He who is wiser than Solomon condescend to praise this sunburnt Shulamite? Tis even so, for these are His own words, and were …
Charles Hadden Spurgeon—Till He Come A Believer's Privilege at Death
'For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.' Phil 1:1I. Hope is a Christian's anchor, which he casts within the veil. Rejoicing in hope.' Rom 12:12. A Christian's hope is not in this life, but he hash hope in his death.' Prov 14:42. The best of a saint's comfort begins when his life ends; but the wicked have all their heaven here. Woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.' Luke 6:64. You may make your acquittance, and write Received in full payment.' Son, remember that …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Genesis
The Old Testament opens very impressively. In measured and dignified language it introduces the story of Israel's origin and settlement upon the land of Canaan (Gen.--Josh.) by the story of creation, i.-ii. 4a, and thus suggests, at the very beginning, the far-reaching purpose and the world-wide significance of the people and religion of Israel. The narrative has not travelled far till it becomes apparent that its dominant interests are to be religious and moral; for, after a pictorial sketch of …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Genesis 32:26 NIVGenesis 32:26 NLTGenesis 32:26 ESVGenesis 32:26 NASBGenesis 32:26 KJV
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