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,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.” 29“Please tell me your name,” Jacob said. “Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there. Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” 31The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping because of the injury to his hip. 32(Even today the people of Israel don’t eat the tendon near the hip socket because of what happened that night when the man strained the tendon of Jacob’s hip.)

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 was rising as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping because of the injury to his hip.
• Genesis 28:19He named that place Bethel (which means “house of God”), although it was previously called Luz.
• Judges 8:8From there Gideon went up to Peniel and again asked for food, but he got the same answer.
• 1 Kings 12:25Jeroboam then built up the city of Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and it became his capital. Later he went and built up the town of Peniel.
• Genesis 16:13Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?”
• Exodus 24:10There they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there seemed to be a surface of brilliant blue lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself.
• Exodus 33:14The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.”
• Numbers 12:8I speak to him face to face, clearly, and not in riddles! He sees the Lord as he is. So why were you not afraid to criticize my servant Moses?”
• Deuteronomy 5:24They said, ‘Look, the Lord our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice from the heart of the fire. Today we have seen that God can speak to us humans, and yet we live!
• Deuteronomy 34:10There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.
• Judges 6:22When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he cried out, “Oh, Sovereign Lord, I’m doomed! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!”
• Judges 13:21The angel did not appear again to Manoah and his wife. Manoah finally realized it was the angel of the Lord,
• Isaiah 6:5Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
• John 1:18No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.
• 2 Corinthians 3:18So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
• 2 Corinthians 4:6For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen 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