Genesis 32:30

Genesis 32:30 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
• New International Version (NIV)So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”

Context of Genesis 32:30

28“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” he said. “It will be Israel because you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.” 29Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he answered, “Why do you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. Jacob then named the place Peniel, “For I have seen God face to face,” he said, “yet my life has been spared.” 31The sun shone on him as he passed by Penuel — limping because of his hip. 32That is why, still today, the Israelites don’t eat the thigh muscle that is at the hip socket: because he struck Jacob’s hip socket at the thigh muscle.

Genesis 32:30 word by word

וַיִּקְרָ֧א יַעֲקֹ֛ב שֵׁ֥ם הַמָּק֖וֹם פְּנִיאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־רָאִ֤יתִי אֱלֹהִים֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים וַתִּנָּצֵ֖ל נַפְשִֽׁי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
• the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• of the placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• Penielפְּנוּאֵלpenû'êl penîy'êl · PenielH6439
• for I have seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• and my lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• is preservedנָצַלnâtsal · to rescueH5337

Cross-references for Genesis 32:30

• Genesis 32:31The sun shone on him as he passed by Penuel — limping because of his hip.
• Genesis 28:19and named the place Bethel, though previously the city was named Luz.
• Judges 8:8He went from there to Penuel and asked the same thing from them. The men of Penuel answered just as the men of Succoth had answered.
• 1 Kings 12:25Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built Penuel.
• Genesis 16:13So she named the Lord who spoke to her: “You are El-roi,” for she said, “In this place, have I actually seen the one who sees me?”
• Exodus 24:10and they saw the God of Israel. Beneath his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself.
• Exodus 33:14And he replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
• Numbers 12:8I speak with him directly, openly, and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. So why were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”
• Deuteronomy 5:24You said, ‘Look, the Lord our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that God speaks with a person, yet he still lives.
• Deuteronomy 34:10No prophet has arisen again in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.
• Judges 6:22When Gideon realized that he was the angel of the Lord, he said, “Oh no, Lord God! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!”
• Judges 13:21The angel of the Lord did not appear again to Manoah and his wife. Then Manoah realized that it was the angel of the Lord.
• Isaiah 6:5Then I said: Woe is me for I am ruined because I am a man of unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips, and because my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Armies.
• John 1:18No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side — he has revealed him.
• 2 Corinthians 3:18We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.
• 2 Corinthians 4:6For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

Commentaries on Genesis 32:30

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-32Verses 1-32 - Jacob Wrestles in Prayer 3. מחנים machănāyı̂m Machanaim, “two camps.” 22. יבק yaboq Jabboq; related: בקק bāqaq “gush or gurgle out” or אבק 'ābaq in niphal, “wrestle.” Now Wady Zurka. 29. ישׂראל yı̂śrā'ēl Jisrael, “prince of God.” 31. פניאל penı̂y'ēl = פנוּאל penû'ēl Peniel, Penuel, “face of God.” After twenty years spent in Aram, Jacob now returns to Kenann. As his departure was marked by a great moment in his spiritual life, so he…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-32Verses 24-32 A great while before day, Jacob being alone, more fully spread his fears before God in prayer. While thus employed, One in the likeness of a man wrestled with him. When the spirit helpeth our infirmities, and our earnest and vast desires can scarcely find words to utter them, and we still mean more than we can express, then prayer is indeed wrestling with God. However tried or discouraged, we shall prevail; and prevailing with Him in prayer…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 30Peniel (which means “face of God”): The name shows that Jacob recognized the man as a manifestation of God (a theophany). yet my life was spared (or and my soul has been rescued): This probably meant Jacob realized that God had answered his prayer to be saved from Esau (32:11). If he could encounter God like this and survive, he had nothing to fear from Esau. The saying may also reflect an ancient belief that no one can see God and live (see Exodus 33:20).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-323. Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau--that is, "had sent." It was a prudent precaution to ascertain the present temper of Esau, as the road, on approaching the eastern confines of Canaan, lay near the wild district where his brother was now established. land of Seir--a highland country on the east and south of the Dead Sea, inhabited by the Horites, who were dispossessed by Esau or his posterity (De 11:12). When and in what circumstances he had…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 32:30

• Israel
• Jesus, the Christ
• Prayer
• Religion

In the dictionaries

• God
• Jacob
• Jacob, Israel
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Angel
• Ask
• Cast
• Deal
• Mercy
• Penuel

Commentaries on Genesis 32

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings