And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
31. And the sun rose ] See Gen 32:24.
Penuel ] The name of a town in Jdg 8:8; 1Ki 12:25. The site is doubtful, but was evidently not far from the confluence of the Jabbok and the Jordan.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Gen 32:31-32
And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh
Defeats in life
I.
FROM THE GREAT CONFLICT WITH SIN NONE COME OFF WITHOUT MANY A SCAR. We may wrestle and prevail, but there will be touches of the enemy, which will leave their long and bitter memories. The way to heaven is made of falling down and rising up again. The battle is no steady, onward fight, but rallies and retreats, retreats and rallies.
II. The reason of our defeats is that THE OLD SIN OF THE CHARACTER CONTINUES, AND CONTINUES WITH UNABATED FORCE, IN THE HEART OF A CHILD OF GOD. There are two ways in which sin breaks out and gains an advantage over a believer.
1. A new temptation suddenly presents itself.
2. The old habit of sin recurs–recurs, indeed, sevenfold, but still the same sin.
III. ALL SIN IN A BELIEVER MUST ARISE FROM A REDUCTION OF GRACE. This is the result of grieving the Holy Ghost by a careless omission of prayer or other means of grace. There was an inward defeat before there was an outward and apparent one.
IV. DEFEAT IS NOT FINAL. It is not the end of the campaign; it is but one event in the war. It may even be converted into a positive good to the soul, for God can and will overrule guilt to gain; he allows each defeat to teach us repentance and humility. (J. Vaughan, M. A.)
Lessons
1. The sun-rising may be in special mercy unto tempted persons, as well as good to all.
2. Holy conquerors in temptation may go out halters.
3. Halting is no evil while it tends to humbling Jacob and his seed (Gen 32:31). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Lessons
1. Gods visible actions to his saints have been apt to be mistaken by men.
2. Jacobs children have been forward to turn Gods spiritual intentions to carnal interpretations (Gen 32:32). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Memorials of conflict
In these bodies of ours there is often perpetuated the recollection of some former sin, and the wrestle for pardon which grew out of it. You remember that during the awful fight with Apollyon in the Valley of Humiliation, Bunyan tells us that Christian, despite of all he could do, was wounded in his head, his hand, and his foot. Few men there are, whose early life has been profligate, who do not even to this day bear in their persons most recognizable pains, and perplexing inabilities, and mortifying memorials of the sorrowful past. Repentance brings pardon, but never restores the ravages of sin. In the childs story, we were taught that it was easy to draw the nails that numbered our faults from the tree-trunk that recorded them; but the scars remained for ever. More often, however, this memorial of conflict takes the form of constitutional weakness, or besetting sin. An early inadvertence, a youthful vice, a wild habit, an impulsive act of criminal evil, from the guilt of which the penitent man has been restored by the pardoning mercy of God, has yet proved to be of sufficient moral force to leave behind it a permanent mark. The wound healed, but it is only cicatrized over; it can never be less than a centre of solicitude, tender and sensitive to exposure. Always after this that soul has one insecure, one vulnerable point to be watched. There are men to-day who, just because they once swore an oath, have to put up special guards against profanity. There are men who once read a page of a vile book that have never got over the tendency to impurity it bred in their souls. We may definitely conclude, from wide observation, that no wickedness has ever been committed which has, in the end, left the man where it found him. God may forgive much; but the devils service fixes its own memorial on the soul. One of its natural sinews of strength has been shrunken, and now it betrays itself by the limp. Two lessons will follow just here. One is this:–Let every person, young and growing beware of all vice, and be on thealert against even early sin. You maybe called upon to carry its stigmas with you to the great day of your death. You may be a weaker man all the days and years you live afterwards, just because of one seemingly trifling indulgence. This body of ours is a wonderful thing. It is the most beautiful object in the world. When the artists searched the universe for the curve of absolute beauty, they found it in the maidens shoulder; when they wanted the colour of absolute purity, they found it in the infants cheek. But this body may be deformed, disfigured, ruined, by sin. Be careful about that! The other lesson is one of consideration for others. When we see a man with a personal mutilation, every instinct of courteous life bids us hesitate to causelessly wound his feelings. When the weakness is mental or moral, the appeal if yet more direct and overwhelming to our thoughtfulness and care. He who would heedlessly disregard a sign of weakness or old exposure like this is more unthinking and more ungenerous even than he who would drink wine in the presence of one who had been a drunkard, or rattle dice in a reformed gamblers ear. The silent plea of feebleness ought to be simply irresistible to every noble mind. It seems to say plaintively, like the suffering Job: Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends, for the hand of God hath touched me! We must use our Christian freedom cautiously, lest with our indulgence we should injure one for whom Christ died. (C. S. Robinson, D. D.)
The anomalies of Jacobs character
Jacob is to me the most difficult character in the Bible history. He looks so worldly, shrewd, and even unscrupulous, that it is hard to reconcile ourselves to him. I feel the justice of the sneers about him, and sometimes it seems humbling that this should be one of the patriarchs, even in that rude time. But if all were on one side, it would be easy, however painful, to judge of him. It is his singular contradictions, with his visions of angels, &c., that make it hard. He cheats his brother; and behold him just afterward with his consecration, his awful sense of Gods presence, and hear his simple vow! Behold Jacob so shrewd to Laban, so calculating and successful! Behold him returning; see the shrinking of his guilty and timid heart; and then at night see this scene of wrestling! We are all of us mixtures of earth and heaven, but I know of none like this. On the one hand I see Jacob sometimes so merely a Jew that he seems the father of Jewish guile, fear, unscrupulousness, and thrift. On the other I see him sometimes not only as the deeply faithful lover in his youth, the most tender father, but as an elevated, majestic man of faith, who believed in high things, who valued them, and who left on record such words of lowliness and penitence for his faults, in such genuine tones, that the purest and most repentant hearts take them up from age to age and repeat them as their own: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast showed unto Thy servant; Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, &c. Nay, I see him sometimes as so purely an inspired Hebrew, that he seems the father of the visions of Hebrew prophets, the father of the Psalms, and the father of the deepest spiritual insights of the Bible. How wonderful! The shame and sorrow and shock of such contradictions is a common tale. Alas, that we, who are linked in some qualities, at some moments, with the highest, purest, in the fellowship of Christ, should so blaspheme ourselves, should descend from angels food to prey on garbage–that heavenly-fashioned hearts should go into business and society and do mean things, and be worldly Jacobs, and forget, and live our low lives, while we have in solemn moments our visions and wrestlings! This is not merely for reproach, but for hope. Awful contradiction as man is, Christ believed in the power of the better part. (A. G. Mercer, D. D.)
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Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 31. The sun rose upon him] Did the Prophet Malachi refer to this, Mal 4:2: Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings? Possibly with the rising of the sun, which may here be understood as emblematical of the Sun of righteousness – the Lord Jesus, the pain and weakness of his thigh passed away, and he felt both in soul and body that he was healed of his plagues.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
31. halted upon his thighAsPaul had a thorn in the flesh given to humble him, lest he should betoo elevated by the abundant revelations granted him [2Co12:7], so Jacob’s lameness was to keep him mindful of thismysterious scene, and that it was in gracious condescension thevictory was yielded to him. In the greatest of these spiritualvictories which, through faith, any of God’s people obtain, there isalways something to humble them.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him,…. It was break of day when the angel desired to be let go, and by that time the parley held between them ceased, and they parted, the sun was rising; and as Jacob went on it shone upon him, as a token of the good will and favour of God to him, and as an emblem of the sun of righteousness arising on him with healing in his wings, Mal 4:2;
and he halted upon his thigh; it being out of joint, of which he became more sensible when he came to walk upon it; and besides, his attention to the angel that was with him caused him not so much to perceive it until he had departed front him: some think he went limping all his days; others, that he was healed immediately by the angel before he came to Esau; but of either there is no proof.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The remembrance of this wonderful conflict Jacob perpetuated in the name which he gave to the place where it had occurred, viz., Pniel or Pnuel (with the connecting wound or ), because there he had seen Elohim face to face, and his soul had been delivered (from death, Gen 16:13).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
31. And he halted upon his thigh. It is probable, and it may be gathered even from the words of Moses, that this halting was without the sense of pain, in order that the miracle might be the more evident. For God, in the flesh of his servant, has exhibited a spectacle to all ages, from which the faithful may perceive that no one is such a powerful combatant as not to carry away some wound after a spiritual convict, for infirmity ever cleaves to all, that no one may be pleased with himself above measure. Whereas Moses relates that the Jews abstained from the shrunken sinew, or that part of the thigh in which it was placed: this was not done out of superstition. (111) For that age, as we know, was the infancy of the Church; wherefore the Lord retained the faithful, who then lived, under the teaching of the schoolmaster. And now, though, since the coming of Christ, our condition is more free; the memory of the fact ought to be retained among us, that God disciplined his people of old by external ceremonies.
(111) The sinew which shrank; “that sinew or tendon which fastens the hip-bone in its socket, which comprehends the flesh of that muscle which is connected to it. He that ate of this was to be beaten, as the Jewish masters tell us.” — Patrick. See also Ainsworth on this passage. Professor Bush says, “At present the Jews do not know what sinew this was, nor even which thigh it was in; and the effect of this uncertainty is, that they judge it necessary to abstain from both the hind quarters, lest they should inadvertently eat the interdicted sinew. They sell those parts to Christians.” — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(31) As he passed over Pemiel.Rather, as he passed Penuel. It was the place where he had wrestled, and as soon as the angel left him he proceeded onwards to rejoin his wives. It appears, from what is here said, that it was not till he tried to walk that he found out that he was lame. As his sinews grew cool, the injury to his hip-joint showed itself.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And the sun rose on him as he passed over Penuel and he limped because of his thigh.’
“The sun rose on him.” This may well be intended to reflect more than the weather. He had come from night into sunrise (compare Gen 19:23).
“And he limped because of his thigh.” Jacob bears a reminder of this encounter with God.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 32:31. He halted upon his thigh, &c. Some think that he continued to do so all his life after; others, that his lameness continued only for a time: the latter seems the most probable. However, to preserve the memory of this extraordinary event, the descendants of Israel eat not of that sinew (or tendon) of any animal, which fastens the hip-bone in its socket, which comprehends the flesh of that muscle which is connected with it. See Bishop Patrick. Some have been so scrupulous as never to eat of the whole hind-quarter; while others, less so, abstain from the thigh only, and some only from the sinew above-mentioned. Dr. Harle, in his Essay on Physic in the Old and New Testament, says, that “the Angel touched (when it was upon the stretch) the sinew, or gave it a smart stroke, to disable his antagonist, by stupefying and benumbing the part for the present, which was all that was necessary for his yielding. If it had been a luxation, or a dislodging of the head of the thigh-bone from its socket on a sudden, and with violence, he must have felt it immediately; whereas it was not taken notice of till the sun was up, and he was walking up the hill. It seems rather to have been a subluxation, a less and partial remove of the bone from its place, which has less pain, and is easier gone with. Either of these might continue his life-long. These luxations, especially those of the first sort, are hard, some say impossible, to be cured, and frequently happened in wrestling. It is said to be the sinew that shrank, because of the apparent shortness of the leg upon standing or moving. Luxations of this kind were so common among wrestlers, that they had physicians or surgeons provided to give some immediate assistance to the sufferer.” See Saurin’s 31st Dissertation.
REFLECTIONS.Jacob having dismissed his servants, in the next place takes care to remove his family and children over the brook, choosing to spend some time alone with God in prayer and supplication. Note; While we are using means, we must be looking up to God for a blessing on them. We have hereupon a very singular occurrence.
1. A man wrestled with him: a man in form, but more than man in nature, even the great God-man, the Angel of the Covenant. Jacob now had a sore conflict to sustain, which extorted from him strong crying and tears; for while he struggled, he wept, and made supplications to the Angel. Note; They who would prevail in temptation, must first wrestle in prayer with God.
2. Jacob’s perseverance. He who wrestled with him, upheld his strength, and but opposed to make his victory more glorious. Note; If God exercises us with sore conflicts, we may have confidence in him, that as our day is, our strength shall be.
3. The Angel’s touch disjointing his thigh: probably without pain, yet incapacitating him for corporal struggle: not, however, inducing him to quit his hold, or give up the contest. Note; When we are weak, then are we strong: the deepest sense of our own insufficiency gives our faith more hold of Christ and determined trust in him.
4. The Angel’s request to be gone, because the day breaks. He who had disjointed his thigh, might have disjointed his arms too; but he seeks not to prevail, only to exercise Jacob’s faith and constancy. His family calls, business approaches; and these usually oblige us to leave the closet of prayer for the employments of our profession. But,
5. He will not let him go without a blessing. He knew with whom he had to do, and resolves, though he were slain, to trust in him, and by a holy importunity extorts his benediction. Note; Christ loves importunate fervent prayer.
6. His prayer is granted, and, in token of it, his name is changed into Israel, a Prince with God. Note; (1.) Perseverance will certainly be crowned with victory. (2.) Let every Israelite indeed shew by his prayers his relation to the patriarch.
7. In grateful acknowledgment of the mercy shewn him, he calls the place Peniel. They who have received most from God, will never value themselves on their own prayers or piety, but wonder at God’s pity and condescension to them.
8. On parting, at sun-rising he finds his halting. In the heat of contest, the hurt is less felt. But it is an honourable scar; and the inconvenience it occasioned, is well repaid by the constant remembrance of the mercy. Note; It were happy for professors, if the rising sun found them not on beds of sloth, but rising from the place of prayer.
9. The custom observed by posterity, to continue the memory of God’s goodness to their father Jacob. Children’s children should look back upon their fathers’ mercies as their own.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 32:31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
Ver. 31. He halted upon his thigh. ] Yet had the blessing. So God’s people are promised a hundredfold here, with persecution; that is tied, as a rag, to the profession of Christianity. Christ, our Captain, had a bloody victory of it. Paul “bare in his body the marks,” or scars, “of the Lord Jesus”; Gal 6:17 and glories in these “infirmities,” 2Co 12:9-10 as he calls them. These are God’s gems and precious ornaments, said Munster to his friends, pointing them to his sores and ulcers, wherewith God decketh his children, that he may draw them to himself. This he said a little before his death. At death, saith Piscator, God wrestles with his people, laying hold on their consciences by the menaces of the law. a They again resist this assault by laying hold upon God, by the faith of the gospel, well assured that Christ hath freed them from the curse of the law, by being made a curse for them on the cross. God yields himself overcome by this re-encounter; but yet toucheth their thigh, takes away their life. Howbeit, this hindereth not the sun of life eternal to arise upon them as they pass over Penuel.
a Joh. Manlii, loc. com., 127.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
he. Emph. to call attention to the fact that he was not only late, but limping.
halted = limped. The sign that it is God who commands, and has real power to overcome. Typical of the national humiliation required before entering on the blessing.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
rose upon: Gen 19:15, Gen 19:23, Mal 4:2
he halted: Gen 32:25, Psa 38:17, 2Co 12:7, 2Co 12:9
Reciprocal: Gen 32:30 – Jacob Jdg 8:8 – General Jdg 15:18 – shall 1Ki 12:25 – Penuel Dan 10:8 – turned
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
LIFES SUNRISE
And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
Gen 32:31
I. From the great conflict with sin none come off without many a scar. We may wrestle and prevail, but there will be touches of the enemy, which will leave their long and bitter memories. The way to heaven is made of falling down and rising up again. The battle is no steady, onward fight, but rallies and retreats, retreats and rallies.
II. The reason of our defeats is that the old sin of the character continues, and continues with unabated force, in the heart of a child of God. There are two ways in which sin breaks out and gains an advantage over a believer. (1) A new temptation suddenly presents itself. (2) The old habit of sin recursrecurs, indeed, sevenfold, but still the same sin.
III. All sin in a believer must arise from a reduction of grace. This is the result of grieving the Holy Ghost by a careless omission of prayer or other means of grace. There was an inward defeat before there was an outward and apparent one.
IV. Defeat is not final. It is not the end of the campaign. It is but one event in the war. It may even be converted into a positive good to the soul, for God can and will overrule guilt to gain. He allows the defeat to teach us repentance and humility.
Rev. J. Vaughan.
Illustration
In a spirit of humility, Jacob at last returns to Canaan, but first must pass the moral crisis of his life. God grapples with him, and not until Jacob had tried, in vain, every means of self-defence does he yield wholly to God and become his man. Whether this interpretation of Gen 32:24-32 as a spiritual struggle exhausts its significance is not easily dertermined. The writer apparently describes it as a literal wrestling of Jacob with God. Its importance, however, is due to the spiritual revolution which took place. The Jacob of the days that follow is another man. He is in the keeping of God, ready to confess his dependence, and patient under every dispensation. The consequences of his earlier deeds follow him, but he endures them.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Gen 32:31. He halted on his thigh And many think he continued to do so to his dying day. If he did he had no reason to complain, for the honour and comfort he obtained by his struggle were abundantly sufficient to countervail the damage, though he went limping to his grave.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
32:31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he {l} halted upon his thigh.
(l) The faithful to overcome their temptations, so that they feel the pain of it, so they would not boast, except in their humility.