When did Jacob wrestle with God?
Jacob wrestles a divine man at Peniel and is renamed Israel.
Jacob Wrestles God took place c. 1900 BC at Peniel, by the brook Jabbok, during the Patriarchs period of Bible history. The account is recorded in Genesis 32:28 (KJV). Jacob wrestles a divine man at Peniel and is renamed Israel.
"And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." — Genesis 32:28 (KJV)
On the night before meeting Esau, Jacob sent his family across the brook Jabbok and remained alone. A Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day, touched his thigh, blessed him, and gave him a new name — Israel, 'one who strives with God.'
c. 1900 BC
Peniel, by the brook Jabbok
Key KJV Scriptures
"And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed."
"And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."
Why It Matters
From this night the nation Israel takes her name. Jacob's limp marks every believer who clings to God for a blessing he cannot earn.
Key People
Frequently Asked Questions
Who did Jacob wrestle with?
Hosea 12:4 calls Him the Angel, yet Jacob says he saw God face to face. The Church has long read this as a pre-incarnate appearance of the Son of God.
When did jacob wrestles god happen?
Jacob Wrestles God is dated c. 1900 BC, placing it in the Patriarchs era of biblical history. See Genesis 32:28 (KJV).
Where did jacob wrestles god take place?
Scripture places jacob wrestles god at Peniel, by the brook Jabbok.
Who was involved in jacob wrestles god?
The key figures are Jacob (Israel), The Man (Angel of the LORD).
Where is jacob wrestles god in the Bible?
You can read about it in Genesis 32:28, Genesis 32:30 (King James Version).
Why does jacob wrestles god matter?
From this night the nation Israel takes her name. Jacob's limp marks every believer who clings to God for a blessing he cannot earn.
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Related Reading
Continue your study with related content from across our library:
Jacob Wrestles with God
Genesis 32:22-32 • Patriarchs
Who Was Jacob (Israel) in the Bible?
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Jacob's Ladder — Angels Ascending and Descending
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Jacob in the Bible
The Transformed Supplanter
Manna (מָן (Man))
The miraculous bread from heaven that sustained Israel in the wilderness