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Home > Genesis > Chapter 32 > Verse 31

Genesis 32:31 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓]

Genesis 32:31, NIV: "The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip."

Genesis 32:31, ESV: "The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip."

Genesis 32:31, KJV: "And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh."

Genesis 32:31, NASB: "Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his hip."

Genesis 32:31, NLT: "The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping because of the injury to his hip."

Genesis 32:31, CSB: "The sun shone on him as he passed by Penuel--limping because of his hip."
Month Day
What does Genesis 32:31 mean? [⇑ See verse text ⇑]

Jacob's long night finally comes to an end. He has learned of his estranged brother's approach with 400 men (Genesis 32:6) and prepared a lavish parade of gifts to
blunt Esau's decades-old anger (Genesis 27:41–45). After sending his family across a river, Jacob found himself grappling with a mysterious opponent. Despite being
seriously injured (Genesis 32:25), Jacob refused to submit, instead demanding a blessing. The man demanded to know Jacob's name, giving someone with a
reputation for lying an opportunity to be honest. Jacob tells the truth, and God renames him Israel.

This injury does not seem to be minor. Not only does this verse make a point of saying that Jacob is limping, the next verse indicates that his descendants
commemorate this moment by not eating hip sinews. Dislocations can, in fact, cause permanent damage. It's not unlikely that Jacob's overnight wrestling match
permanently affected both his spirituality, and his body.

As the sun rises, Jacob limps past the place he has now renamed Peniel, reflecting this moment where he came face-to-face with God and was spared from death
(Genesis 32:30). After all of this, Jacob is now ready to rejoin his family and show his face to his twin brother Esau. His fear is likely now greatly diminished, having
survived a far deadlier encounter and having received a new name and a blessing from God.

Context Summary
Genesis 32:22–32 describes the fight Jacob was not expecting. While preparing in fear to meet his brother Esau, Jacob finds himself grappling with an unknown stranger in the dark.
He wrestles with the mysterious man for much of the night. Near morning, the man gains a massive advantage over Jacob by dislocating Jacob's hip. Jacob realizes his opponent is
divine, and asks for a blessing. Poetically, God insists that Jacob, known for his deception and lies, identify himself first. In response to Jacob's honest answer, God changes his name
to Israel and blesses him. As the sun rises, Jacob limps to rejoin his family and meet his brother.
 Chapter Summary
As Jacob turns from Laban and returns to his own country, he must face another fearful potential conflict. His twin brother Esau is coming with 400 men. Jacob fears this group
approaches to take revenge for cheating Esau out of the family blessing 20 years earlier. Jacob is so afraid that he splits his company into two camps, even as he prays for deliverance.
He also prepares an enormous gift to appease Esau. Finally, while alone in the dark, Jacob is unexpectedly forced to wrestle a mysterious man, who turns out to be God Himself in
some manifested form. In a profound moment of symbolism, God forces Jacob to state his own name, which God then changes to Israel.

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