Bible Name Meaning Tool — Search Any Name (KJV)

Peniel

Pronounced peh-NEE-el

unisex

✓ In the King James Bible — Yes — Peniel appears in the King James Bible, including Genesis 32:30.

Meaning: "Face of God"
Origin: Hebrew

Peniel means "face of God" in Hebrew. It is the name Jacob gave to the place where he wrestled with a mysterious divine figure through the night — one of the most profound encounters in all of Scripture. After wrestling until daybreak, the divine figure touched Jacob's hip, dislocating it, and demanded to be released. Jacob's response was tenacious: "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." The figure renamed Jacob "Israel" — "he who strives with God" — and blessed him there. Jacob named the place Peniel, "for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." This encounter transformed Jacob from a deceiver into Israel — the father of a nation. He walked away limping, permanently marked by his encounter with the divine, but also permanently blessed. The name Peniel/Penuel also appears as a city in Gilead and as a personal name in genealogical lists. As a baby name, it carries the extraordinary declaration that the bearer has been brought face to face with God — a name of intimate, transformative encounter.

Spiritual meaning

Peniel — 'face of God' — is the place where wrestling becomes blessing. Jacob's story teaches that our deepest encounters with God often come through struggle, and that the limp we carry is the mark of divine intimacy.

Related verses (KJV)

"And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."
Genesis 32:30 (KJV) →
"And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me."
Genesis 32:26 (KJV) →

Full page for Peniel

People also looked up

Questions about biblical name meanings

How do I find the biblical meaning of a name?

Type the name into the search box above. The tool returns the Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, or Latin root behind the name, its literal meaning, and the King James Version passages where it appears.

Does every name have a biblical meaning?

No. Many modern Christian names never appear in Scripture, and some popular 'biblical meanings' circulating online are inaccurate. Where a name is thematic rather than scriptural, we say so plainly instead of inventing a verse for it.

Which Bible translation do the verses come from?

The King James Version. It is public domain in the United States, so the text can be quoted and shared freely.

How can I tell whether a name is actually in the Bible?

Each result distinguishes a name that appears in the KJV from a later Christian or thematic name. Related verses explain a theme; they are not presented as proof that a modern name occurs in Scripture.