Genesis 32 31

Genesis 32:31 kjv

And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

Genesis 32:31 nkjv

Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip.

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 nlt

The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping because of the injury to his hip.

Genesis 32 verses

Genesis 32 31 meaning

Genesis 32:31 vividly portrays the immediate aftermath of Jacob's night-long encounter with a divine being at Peniel. It describes the physical scene: the sun rising, bringing a new day after the struggle, shining upon Jacob as he departed the sacred place. Crucially, it highlights Jacob's enduring physical mark from the encounter – a prominent limp from his dislocated hip, a permanent reminder of his direct confrontation with God, his newfound humility, and his transformation into Israel.

Genesis 32 31 Context

Genesis 32:31 is the culmination of Jacob's pivotal wrestling match with a divine figure. Jacob had been returning to Canaan from Paddan-Aram after 20 years, burdened by fear of his brother Esau, whom he had wronged. Before confronting Esau, Jacob sends his family and possessions across the Jabbok River, choosing to remain alone on the other side. It is during this night of isolation, vulnerability, and spiritual wrestling that the divine encounter occurs.

The previous verse, Genesis 32:30, explicitly states Jacob named the place Peniel (meaning "Face of God") because he claimed, "I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered." Verse 31 immediately follows, narrating the visible, lasting effect of this life-altering night. The sun's rise signifies the dawn of a new day, symbolically reflecting the dawn of a new identity and purpose for Jacob. His limp serves as a constant, public testimony to his profound encounter and the cost of striving with God. It marks the transition from Jacob the deceiver, relying on his cunning and strength, to Israel, humbled and now reliant on God's power.

Genesis 32 31 Word analysis

• And the sun rose (וַיִּזְרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ - vayizrāḥ haš-šemeš):

  • Vayizrāḥ: "and it shone," "and it arose." This verb frequently describes the sunrise.
  • Haš-šemeš: "the sun."
  • Significance: Marks the end of a long, dark night of intense struggle and the beginning of a new day. This transition from darkness to light often symbolizes divine revelation, clarity, or a new beginning in biblical narratives. It highlights the natural world testifying to the supernatural event. The rising sun also illuminates Jacob's limp for all to see.

• upon him (עָלָיו - ‘ālāyw):

  • Direct, personal experience. The light focuses directly on Jacob, revealing his altered state.

• as he passed (כְּעָבְרוֹ - kəva‘avró):

  • From ‘āvar (עָבַר), meaning "to cross over," "to pass through."
  • Indicates ongoing movement. Jacob is not remaining at the site but continues his journey, carrying the experience with him. He passed through the ordeal and is now passing on.

• Peniel (אֶת־פְּנִיאֵל - ’eṯ pənî’êl):

  • Meaning "Face of God" (or "face of El"). Jacob had named it this in Gen 32:30.
  • The place itself is consecrated by the divine encounter, forever linking Jacob's transformation to God's presence.

• and he was (וְהוּא - wəhû’):

  • "And he." Emphasizes Jacob himself, highlighting the direct consequence on his person.

• limping (צוֹלֵעַ - ṣōlē‘a‘):

  • From ṣāla‘ (צלע), a Qal participle meaning "to limp," "to be lame," "to halt."
  • This is the core physical outcome of the wrestling match. It is not just an injury but a perpetual sign. It speaks of a reduction in physical strength and agility, indicating humility and dependence on something beyond his own power.

• because of his hip (עַל־יְרֵכֽוֹ - ‘al yarēḵô):

  • Yarēḵ (יָרֵךְ): Refers to the "thigh," "hip," "loins." In biblical usage, this area is associated with strength, lineage, and procreative power (Gen 46:26, Exod 1:5).
  • The dislocation of the hip socket (likely the sciatic nerve according to some traditions, linking to the Jewish practice of not eating the sciatic nerve in meat) implies a breaking of his physical power and self-reliance at its very root. It's a wound to the place of his human strength and even perhaps the source of his many descendants, teaching him that his blessings ultimately come from God, not his own capabilities.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "The sun rose upon him": A new era, a new self, physically visible in the light of day. The previous darkness (both literal and metaphorical struggle) has passed.
  • "as he passed Peniel": Emphasizes that this transformational event happened in transit. Jacob did not settle in Peniel; he carried the impact of the encounter into his ongoing journey, forever changed by the place he met God.
  • "limping because of his hip": This phrase directly connects his lasting physical state to the struggle. It represents the cost of striving with God, a humbling physical weakness that becomes the enduring proof of divine blessing and transformation. The limp is both a sign of vulnerability and a sacred mark.

Genesis 32 31 Bonus section

• The Mitzvah of Gid Hanasheh: From this account, specifically the angel touching Jacob's hip, comes the Jewish practice (a mitzvah) of not eating the gid hanasheh (גיד הנשה), the sciatic nerve, from ritually slaughtered animals. This enduring tradition connects everyday life to the profound theological moment at Peniel.
• The Paradox of Strength in Weakness: Jacob's story, culminating in this verse, sets a powerful precedent for biblical theology concerning weakness. He received a new, exalted name "Israel" (meaning "he strives with God" or "God strives") immediately after being physically crippled. This demonstrates that God's greatest blessings often manifest not through human power, but through humility and reliance on His strength, a theme profoundly echoed in the New Testament with figures like Paul.
• A Personal vs. Impersonal God: The direct, physical engagement between Jacob and the divine figure, leading to a permanent physical mark, speaks of a God who is deeply personal and whose encounters can have real, lasting, and tangible consequences on a human being. It moves beyond abstract theology into corporeal experience.

Genesis 32 31 Commentary

Genesis 32:31 encapsulates the profound, tangible impact of a divine encounter. Jacob's limp is more than a mere injury; it is a sacred scar, an indelible mark of his night of spiritual agony and ultimate triumph. The sun's ascent signifies not only the dawn of a new literal day but the spiritual morning of Jacob's life. He wrestled as Jacob, the cunning schemer who depended on his own strength, but emerged as Israel, one who strives with God, forever marked by a new humility and reliance on divine grace. The dislocation of his hip, the seat of his physical strength and ancestral power, was a deliberate act by the divine antagonist to break Jacob's self-reliance. This physical weakness became his spiritual strength, forcing him to walk humbly and depend on God for every step, literally and figuratively. It is a powerful theological statement: encountering God at His deepest level often involves being broken, yet in that breaking, true identity and strength in Him are forged. This narrative encourages believers to embrace their weaknesses as opportunities for God's power to be perfected.