What is the meaning of Jacob's wrestling match with God in Genesis 32:24-32? Leading up to this Jacob has been extremely anxious about his inevitable reunion with Esau. I always interpreted the wrestling as Jacob struggling with God in prayer. This is part of it. The People's Bible and Concordia Self-Study Bible offer additional insight. They point out how Jacob, while receiving the fulfillment of God's promises to bless him, often attributed much of this to his own cleverness in deceiving people. Now with this wrestling match God grabs Jacob's attention and teaches him that he must struggle with God rather than man. The People's Bible says, "God didn't want Jacob (and he doesn't want us) to be timid with him. He delights to let us win victories over him on the basis of humble, believing prayer. Jacob clung in faith to God and to God's promise, and he received the blessing he desired."
Jacob could wrestle with God successfully, yet with a simple touch God wrenched Jacob's hip, demonstrating his ultimate authority. Jacob's injury becomes a memento of his lesson, along with his name change from Jacob ("heal grabber" or "he deceives") to Israel ("he struggles with God"). Surely all of this was on Jacob's mind when he finally met Esau and stated with wonderful irony, "To see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably" (Genesis 33:10).
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