God’s Word Translation
Genesis 32:30
30So Jacob named that place Peniel [Face of God], because he said, “I have seen God face to face, but my life was saved.”
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
28The man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob but Israel [He Struggles With God], because you have struggled with God and with men—and you have won.” 29Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” The man answered, “Why do you ask for my name?” Then he blessed Jacob there. So Jacob named that place Peniel [Face of God], because he said, “I have seen God face to face, but my life was saved.” 31The sun rose as he passed Penuel. He was limping because of his hip. 32(Therefore, even today the people of Israel do not eat the muscle of the thigh attached to the hip socket because God touched the socket of Jacob’s hip at the muscle of the thigh.)
Read all of Genesis 32Genesis 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 rose as he passed Penuel. He was limping because of his hip.
- Genesis 28:19He named that place Bethel [House of God]. Previously, the name of the city was Luz.
- Judges 8:8Then Gideon went to Penuel and asked the people there for the same help. But they gave him the same reply that the men of Succoth gave.
- 1 Kings 12:25Jeroboam rebuilt Shechem in the hills of Ephraim and lived there. Then he left that place and built Penuel.
- Genesis 16:13Hagar named the Lord, who had been speaking to her, “You Are the God Who Watches Over Me.” She said, “This is the place where I watched ⌞the one⌟ who watches over me.”
- Exodus 24:10They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made out of sapphire as clear and blue as the sky itself.
- Exodus 33:14The Lord answered, “My presence will go ⌞with you,⌟ and I will give you peace.”
- Numbers 12:8I speak with him face to face, plainly and not in riddles. He even sees the form of the Lord. Why weren’t you afraid to criticize my servant Moses?”
- Deuteronomy 5:24You said, “The Lord our God has let us see how great and glorious he is. We’ve heard his voice come from the fire. Today we’ve seen that people can live even if God speaks to them.
- Deuteronomy 34:10There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord dealt with face to face.
- Judges 6:22That’s when Gideon realized that this had been the Messenger of the Lord. So he said, “Lord God! I have seen the Messenger of the Lord face to face.”
- Judges 13:21The Messenger of the Lord didn’t appear again to Manoah and his wife. Then Manoah knew that this had been the Messenger of the Lord.
- Isaiah 6:5So I said, “Oh, no! I’m doomed. Every word that passes through my lips is sinful. I live among people with sinful lips. I have seen the king, the Lord of Armies!”
- John 1:18No one has ever seen God. God’s only Son, the one who is closest to the Father’s heart, has made him known.
- 2 Corinthians 3:18As all of us reflect the Lord’s glory with faces that are not covered with veils, we are being changed into his image with ever-increasing glory. This comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
- 2 Corinthians 4:6We are his servants because the same God who said that light should shine out of darkness has given us light. For that reason we bring to light the knowledge about God’s glory which shines from Christ’s face.
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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries