Genesis 32:24 kjv

And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

Genesis 32:24 nkjv

Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.

Genesis 32:24 niv

So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.

Genesis 32:24 esv

And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.

Genesis 32:24 nlt

This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break.

Genesis 32 verses

Genesis 32 24 Meaning

Jacob, having sent his family and possessions ahead of him across the Jabbok ford, remained behind in solitude. There, unexpectedly, a mysterious divine being, identified only as "a man," engaged him in an intense physical and spiritual struggle that endured throughout the night until the very break of dawn. This encounter was a profound and transformative turning point in Jacob's life.

Genesis 32 24 Context

Genesis 32:24 takes place as Jacob makes his perilous journey back to Canaan after two decades serving Laban. He is laden with family, servants, and immense wealth. Jacob is deeply fearful of the impending encounter with his estranged elder brother Esau, whom he famously defrauded years prior to obtain their father Isaac's blessing (Gen 27). In preparation, Jacob meticulously divides his camp into two groups, hoping that if one is attacked, the other might escape (Gen 32:7-8). He also offers a humble and heartfelt prayer for deliverance, acknowledging God's promises but also his own unworthiness and desperate need for divine protection (Gen 32:9-12). Just before crossing the Jabbok River, Jacob sends all his family and possessions ahead, choosing to remain alone on the near bank. This deliberate isolation creates the crucible for the profound and unexpected divine confrontation described in verse 24, a pivotal moment of wrestling that addresses Jacob's core character and ultimately transforms him in preparation for his role as the father of Israel.

Genesis 32 24 Word analysis

• Jacob (יעקב - Ya'akov): The protagonist, whose name literally means "heel-grabber" or "supplanter" (Gen 25:26; 27:36), reflecting his early life of deceit and strategic maneuvering. At this moment, his defining characteristic, cunning self-reliance, is about to be directly challenged and transformed.
• was left (וַיִּוָּתֵר - vaiyyivater): From the verb yatar, meaning "to remain," "to be left over." This emphasizes his solitude and complete aloneness after sending everyone and everything away. It sets the stage for a private, direct encounter with God, free from external distractions or human support.
• alone (לְבַדּוֹ - levaddo): Reinforces the preceding phrase, emphasizing his profound isolation and vulnerability. It's in this stripped-down state that Jacob is most open to divine encounter and transformation, as his usual reliance on others or his own cleverness is impossible.
• and a man (וַיֵּאָבֵק - vayi'avek): The Hebrew word איש (ish) means "man." This seemingly ordinary term introduces the mysterious figure. His true identity as God or an angel of God is revealed later by Jacob's declaration ("I have seen God face to face") and the prophet Hosea (Hos 12:4). This veiled presentation enhances the enigma of the divine-human encounter.
• wrestled with him (עִמּוֹ - immo): From the verbal root אבק (avaq), meaning "to grapple," but also associated with "dust" (אָבָק). This connection suggests a physical struggle on the ground, raising dust, implying a direct, messy, and intensely close combat. Spiritually, it signifies a deep confrontation—a struggle not merely for physical dominance but of wills, identity, and faith, requiring maximum exertion and perseverance.
• until daybreak (עַד עֲלוֹת הַשַּׁחַר - ad alot ha'shachar): This specifies the duration and outcome of the encounter. The struggle endured through the entire night, underscoring its intensity and Jacob's tenacity. "Daybreak" symbolizes the dawn of a new era, marking the end of the dark struggle and ushering in a transformative new beginning for Jacob. It also hints at a divine limitation, signifying God's purpose in not overpowering Jacob, but allowing the struggle to reach its transformative potential before a new day begins.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Jacob was left alone": This phrase immediately establishes Jacob's desperate and vulnerable state. Having orchestrated all his plans to manage his fear of Esau, Jacob is now stripped of all human comfort and strategy, positioning him perfectly for a direct, unmediated encounter with the divine. This enforced solitude creates the ideal environment for deep personal and spiritual introspection and confrontation.
• "and a man wrestled with him": This grouping introduces the core action of the verse: an intense, direct, and unexpected physical and spiritual struggle. The "man," while human in form, engages Jacob with superhuman endurance, indicating a supernatural encounter. The wrestling itself signifies not mere physical combat, but a profound engagement with his past, his character, his fears, and ultimately, with God Himself, highlighting a life-altering struggle of wills and persistence.
• "until daybreak": This emphasizes the duration, persistence, and climactic timing of the encounter. The all-night struggle indicates Jacob's stubborn refusal to release his hold, symbolizing his fervent prayer and desperate clinging to God for a blessing. The arrival of daybreak signifies a moment of resolution and transformation, marking the transition from darkness (fear, old identity) to light (new blessing, new identity), confirming the encounter as a significant turning point.

Genesis 32 24 Bonus section

• The root word for "wrestled," avaq, connecting to "dust," subtly hints at the physical exertion but also perhaps Jacob's human, dust-of-the-earth nature in contention with the divine. It implies an earthy, close combat where Jacob’s human frailty is laid bare against the formidable, divine opponent.
• This specific struggle at the Jabbok marks a culmination of Jacob's lifetime of "grasping" and "struggling"—from grabbing Esau's heel at birth to outmaneuvering Laban. Here, his innate tendency to struggle for his own advantage is sanctified and redirected towards struggling with God, yielding a blessing from divine favor rather than human craft.
• The persistence "until daybreak" suggests that God allowed the struggle to continue to its breaking point, ensuring Jacob's full surrender and determination, rather than prematurely ending it. The timing implies divine control over the extent and duration of our spiritual trials for His refining purposes.
• The ambiguity of the "man's" identity for a significant part of the struggle invites the reader to ponder the mysterious ways in which God engages with humanity, often not revealing His full nature immediately but inviting a direct and personal encounter.

Genesis 32 24 Commentary

Genesis 32:24 captures a pivotal and mysterious moment in biblical history where Jacob, isolated and consumed by fear over meeting Esau, finds himself engaged in an unprecedented all-night wrestle. The "man" is later understood through Jacob's own words and Hosea's prophecy to be God Himself or an angelic messenger of God's presence, marking this as a unique theophany. This struggle was not about God needing to overpower Jacob, but about Jacob's necessary transformation. It forced him to abandon his lifelong pattern of cunning and self-reliance, driving him to cling desperately to God. The intensity and duration of the wrestle, continuing "until daybreak," underscore Jacob's tenacious refusal to yield without receiving a blessing, reflecting a deep spiritual persistence. This profound encounter refined Jacob, breaking his self-will and instilling a reliance on God that reshaped his identity, leading to his new name "Israel"—"he struggles with God"—and permanently altered his "walk" through a physical reminder of the struggle (his dislocated hip), ultimately preparing him to face his brother and fulfill God's covenant purpose. This incident serves as a foundational narrative illustrating that often, God refines His people through persistent struggle, yielding blessing, intimacy, and profound personal change.