That night Jacob got up, awakened his family, and sent them across the river while he stayed behind alone.
Then a Man came and wrestled with him until dawn. Jacob was strong and kept on wrestling until the Man touched Jacob’s thigh. Just by that touch, Jacob’s thigh was put out of joint, and he became lamb.
The Man said, “Let me go, for dawn has come.”
But Jacob replied, “I won’t let you go until You bless me.”
“What is your name?” the Man asked.
So Jacob told him. (In their language Jacob’s name means “tricky” or “unfair”)
The man said, “I am giving you another name. You are no longer Jacob, but Israel.” (Israel means “a prince of God.”)
Who was this Man? He was the same person who had talked with Abraham about destroying Sodom and Gomorrah: this Man was the Lord. The Lord was glad that Jacob wanted God’s blessing so much that he kept on asking for it all night; for Jacob refused to quit wrestling with God until God had given him a blessing.
Then Jacob said to the Man, “Now tell me Your name.”
But the Lord answered, “Do not ask!” And the Lord blessed Jacob there.
Jacob was afraid something dreadful would happen to him because he had seen God and talked to Him. But God blessed him instead. Then Jacob (or Israel, as we can call him now) named that place Peniel, which means “the face of God.” For he said, I have seen God face to face.”
The sun was rising as he limped back across the stream. He limped for the rest of his life because the Lord had touched him. Probably the Lord did this to make him always remember that God had blessed him.
When Jacob saw his brother Esau coming with four hundred men, he divided his wives and their children into groups. If Esau attacked, perhaps some of them could run away and escape, and not all be killed. Then Jacob went on ahead by himself to meet his brother.
He bowed low before him seven times. Esau was pleased at Jacob’s humility and ran to meet him. He put his arms around him and kissed him on the cheek, as men still do in that country when they meet friends. Then they both started crying.
God had promised Jacob to be with him and keep him from harm, and now we have seen how God kept His promise. First, He hadn’t let Laban hurt Jacob or even speak roughly to him; then, He made that angry brother Esau, who had wanted to kill him, feel so good towards him that he cried!
Then Esau asked, “Who are these women and children?”
“They are all mine,” Jacob replied. Then the slave-wives and Leah and Rachel came with their children, and the children me their Uncle Esau for the first time.
Esau asked Jacob “Why did you give me all of those sheep and goats?”
“They are a present for you,” Jacob replied.
“No, you shouldn’t do that,” Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep them.” For Esau had plenty of flocks and herds of his own.
But Jacob said “Please accept my present,” and he begged him until Esau finally did.
Esau suggested to Jacob that they travel together as they returned home, but Jacob was afraid to. He told Esau to go on ahead while he followed more slowly.
“Some of the children are too little to go very far at a time.” He explained, “and the flocks and herds cannot be driven too fast or they will get sick and die.”
Esau agreed and offered to leave some of his own men with Jacob to help him and to protect him from robbers; but Jacob said he didn’t need them. Finally Esau went back home.
Questions:
What did Jacob and the Man do until dawn?
Who was the man?
What happened when the Man touched Jacobs hip?
What was Jacob’s new name?
What does it mean?
What did Jacob and Esau do when they met each other?
"Only Life Changes" 