Genesis 32:22 kjv
And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.
Genesis 32:22 nkjv
And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok.
Genesis 32:22 niv
That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
Genesis 32:22 esv
The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
Genesis 32:22 nlt
During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River with them.
Genesis 32 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 28:15 | "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go..." | God's promise of protection for Jacob. |
| Gen 31:4-9 | Jacob plans his return and speaks with his wives about God's direction. | Previous strategic movements and reliance. |
| Gen 32:7-8 | Jacob divides his camp, fearing Esau's arrival. | Direct context: Jacob's fear and prudence. |
| Gen 32:9-12 | Jacob's prayer to God, recalling the promises and expressing his distress. | Immediate context: His reliance on God. |
| Gen 32:23 | "...he took them and sent them over the brook, and sent over all that he had." | Jacob ensures family safety before his encounter. |
| Gen 33:1-4 | Jacob's reconciliation with Esau. | Outcome of his preparations and the encounter. |
| Gen 35:9-10 | God reaffirms Jacob's name change to Israel at Bethel. | Confirms Jacob's new identity post-Jabbok. |
| Deut 2:37 | Refers to the "river Jabbok" as a border for Ammonites. | Geographical significance of the Jabbok. |
| Josh 12:2 | King Sihon ruled from Aroer "to the river Jabbok." | Jabbok as a clear geographical marker. |
| Judg 11:22 | Israel conquered all the territory from Arnon to Jabbok. | Jabbok's importance as a borderland river. |
| Psa 3:6 | "I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me..." | Reflection on fear and trust in God. |
| Psa 56:3 | "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you." | Mirrors Jacob's fear yet moving forward. |
| Prov 16:3 | "Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established." | Connecting careful planning with God's blessing. |
| Prov 21:5 | "The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance..." | Highlights prudence in planning like Jacob's. |
| Isa 43:2 | "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you..." | God's presence in difficult transitions. |
| Jer 12:5 | "If you have raced with men on foot... how will you compete with horses?" | Foretelling future struggles after current trials. |
| Hos 12:3-4 | "In the womb he gripped his brother... and he wrestled with God." | Direct prophetic reference to Jacob's Jabbok struggle. |
| Matt 6:25-34 | "Do not be anxious about your life..." | Contrast: human anxiety vs. divine provision. |
| Phil 4:6-7 | "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer..." | Encouragement to turn anxiety into prayer. |
| Heb 11:9-10 | "By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land..." | Jacob's journey as part of a faithful sojourn. |
| Heb 13:5-6 | "He has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say..." | Assurance of God's presence in vulnerability. |
| 1 Pet 5:7 | "casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." | Calls to lay burdens on God, like Jacob's prayer. |
Genesis 32 verses
Genesis 32 22 Meaning
Gen 32:22 describes Jacob's decisive action to move his family and possessions across the Jabbok ford during the night. This verse captures a pivotal moment of preparation and vulnerability, setting the stage for a profound spiritual encounter. Faced with the impending, fearful meeting with his brother Esau, Jacob separates himself from his dearest dependents and crosses a physical and symbolic boundary.
Genesis 32 22 Context
Gen 32:22 takes place immediately after Jacob has heard that Esau is coming to meet him with four hundred men, filling Jacob with "great fear and distress" (Gen 32:7). Prior to this verse, Jacob has prayed earnestly to God, reminding Him of His promises of protection and multiplication (Gen 32:9-12), and has strategically sent gifts ahead to appease Esau (Gen 32:13-21). The verse initiates the final, physical act of separation from his family, isolating himself before the pivotal encounter with the divine, followed by his human reunion. Historically, crossing a river at night with a large caravan was a dangerous endeavor, underscoring Jacob's desperation and meticulous planning. The Jabbok ford served as a traditional boundary, highlighting the crossing of a threshold, both geographically and spiritually, as Jacob was returning to the Promised Land.
Genesis 32 22 Word analysis
- And he rose up: (וַיָּקָם - wayyāqom) - Signifies a sudden, decisive action. Not merely standing, but a deliberate movement to action, indicating urgency or a shift in focus. It often introduces a significant new development.
- that night: (בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא - ballaylāh hahū') - Emphasizes the darkness and the opportune, yet vulnerable, time chosen for such a crucial act. Night often in the Bible is associated with fear, divine revelation (e.g., Bethel dream), or intense struggle. This specific night becomes a sacred space.
- and took: (וַיִּקַּח - wayyiqqach) - Implies a conscious act of gathering and taking responsibility for those in his charge, showcasing his paternal and leadership role.
- his two wives: (שְׁתֵּי נָשָׁיו - shĕtêy nāšāyw) - Leah and Rachel. The foundation of his immediate household, representing his primary concern and vulnerability. This reminds us of his complicated marital history.
- and his two women-servants: (וּשְׁתֵּי שִׁפְחֹתָיו - ushṭêy shiphḥōthāyw) - Bilhah and Zilpah, who also bore children for him. Their inclusion indicates a complete account of his extended household and their lower but integral status.
- and his eleven children: (וְאֶת־אַחַד עָשָׂר יְלָדָיו - wĕ'eth-aḥaḏ 'āśār yĕlāḏāyw) - A concrete numerical detail signifying the culmination of his family's growth and God's faithfulness in fulfilling the promise of offspring, even as they represent his greatest anxiety at this moment. This excludes Benjamin, who was born later.
- and passed over: (וַיַּעֲבֹר - wayya‘avōr) - The verb for "to cross over." It literally describes the act of traversing, but here it carries a powerful symbolic weight of moving from one state to another, from a place of apparent security to the unknown, from a troubled past towards a feared future, and into a space for transformation.
- the ford: (מַעֲבַר - ma‘avar) - A shallow place in a river where crossing is possible. It represents a specific, narrow point of entry or exit, emphasizing a physical bottleneck and a point of exposure.
- Jabbok: (יַבֹּק - yabbōq) - A specific geographical location, an eastern tributary of the Jordan River. Its sound is notably similar to Jacob's name (יַעֲקֹב - Ya'aqōb). This linguistic play on words suggests a connection between the physical place of crossing and Jacob's personal struggle and identity change, which immediately follows this crossing.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- And he rose up that night, and took: This sequence highlights Jacob's intentional, urgent, and deliberate actions taken in the dark. It underscores his proactiveness in a desperate situation, stemming from a mixture of prudence and profound fear.
- his two wives, and his two women-servants, and his eleven children: This phrase comprehensively enumerates Jacob's most cherished and vulnerable possessions—his large family. It signifies his patriarchal responsibility and the immense emotional and spiritual burden he carries, highlighting what he is striving to protect and what he temporarily relinquishes to prepare for his personal trial.
- and passed over the ford Jabbok: This final phrase details the decisive, perilous action of crossing a boundary. It is a moment of no return for Jacob that night, positioning him alone on the other side for the momentous encounter that will define him as "Israel." The geographical specificity underlines the historical reality and setting for divine interaction.
Genesis 32 22 Bonus section
The act of Jacob ensuring everyone else is across the ford and remaining behind alone is crucial. This physical solitude precipitates the spiritual wrestling match, demonstrating that sometimes profound encounters with God require a stripping away of all external comforts and supports. The Jabbok (Ya'aqōb) river crossing represents not only a geographical boundary but a personal threshold—a point of no return for Jacob's previous identity, making way for the emergence of "Israel." The night chosen for the crossing aligns with other biblical accounts of significant spiritual encounters occurring in darkness, suggesting an intensified state of awareness and dependence on divine intervention.
Genesis 32 22 Commentary
Gen 32:22 portrays Jacob's calculated move borne out of intense anxiety and strategic planning. After earnestly praying to God, he then takes concrete, yet fearful, steps to protect his family. His decision to send his dependents across the ford, leaving himself alone, reveals his vulnerability and willingness to face the threat himself. The act of separating himself at the Jabbok ford is not merely logistical; it creates the setting for his desperate wrestling match, first with an unknown assailant and ultimately with God Himself. This seemingly simple action underscores Jacob's transition from a man of human stratagem to one grappling with divine encounter, highlighting the necessary stripping away of all worldly attachments before profound spiritual transformation can occur.