And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
25. he saw ] In the narrative, as we have it, these words refer to the mysterious combatant with whom Jacob wrestled. But the omission of the subject both in this and the subsequent clause, in the Hebrew as well as in the English, leaves the meaning ambiguous. That it was Jacob, and not “the man,” who by some trick of wrestling got the mastery, may have been the version of the story referred to in Hos 12:4, “he had power over the angel, and prevailed.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 25. The hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint] What this implies is difficult to find out; it is not likely that it was complete luxation of the thigh bone. It may mean no more than he received a stroke on the groin, not a touch; for the Hebrew word naga often signifies to smite with violence, which stroke, even if comparatively slight, would effectually disable him for a time, and cause him to halt for many hours, if not for several days. I might add that in this place-the groin, a blow might be of fatal consequence; but as the angel gave it only as a proof of his power, and to show that he could not prevail because he would not, hence the blow was only disabling, without being dangerous; and he was probably cured by the time the sun arose.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Not through impotency, but in design, the angel suffered himself to be conquered, to encourage Jacobs faith and hope against the approaching danger.
The hollow of his thigh, the joint of his hip-bone, or rather the hollow in which that joint was.
The hollow of Jacobs thigh was out of joint, which was done that Jacob might see that it was not his own strength, but only Gods grace, which got him this victory, and could give him the deliverance which he hoped for.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And when he saw that he prevailed not against him,…. That he, the man, or the Son of God in the form of man, prevailed not against Jacob, by casting him to the ground, or causing him to desist and leave off wrestling with him; not because he could not, but because he would not, being willing to encourage the faith of Jacob against future trials and exercises, and especially under his present one: besides, such were the promises that this divine Person knew were made to Jacob, and so strong was Jacob’s faith at this time in pleading those promises in prayer to God, that he could not do otherwise, consistent with the purposes and promises of God, than suffer himself to be prevailed over by him:
he touched the hollow of his thigh; the hollow part of the thigh or the groin, or the hollow place in which the thigh bone moves, and is said to have the form of the hollow of a man’s hand recurved:
and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him; that is, the huckle bone, or the thigh bone, was moved out of the hollow place in which it was: this was done to let Jacob know that the person he wrestled with was superior to him, and could easily have overcome him, and obliged him to cease wrestling with him if he would; and that the victory he got over him was not by his own strength, but by divine assistance, and by the sufferance of the himself he wrestled with; so that he had nothing to boast of: and this shows the truth and reality of this conflict; that it was not visionary, but a real fact, as well as it teaches the weakness and infirmities of the saints, that attend them in their spiritual conflicts. The word used in this and the preceding verse comes from a root which signifies dust; it being usual with wrestlers to raise up the dust with their feet when they strive together, as Kimchi g remarks, as well as it was common with the ancients to wrestle in dust, and sand h; and hence the phrase “descendere in arenam”, combatants were called “arenarii”.
g Sepher Shorash rad . h “Fulva luctantur arena.” –Virgil.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
When Jacob was left alone on the northern side of the Jabbok, after sending all the rest across, “ there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.” , an old word, which only occurs here (Gen 32:25, Gen 32:26), signifying to wrestle, is either derived from to wind, or related to to contract one’s self, to plant limb and limb firmly together. From this wrestling the river evidently received its name of Jabbok ( = ).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
25. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him. Here is described to us the victory of Jacob, which, however, was not gained without a wound. In saying that the wrestling angel, or God, wished to retire from the contest, because he saw he should not prevail, Moses speaks after the manner of men. For we know that God, when he descends from his majesty to us, is wont to transfer the properties of human nature to himself. The Lord knew with certainty the event of the contest, before he came down to engage in it; he had even already determined what he would do: but his knowledge is here put for the experience of the thing itself.
He touched the hollow of his thigh. Though Jacob gains the victory; yet the angel strikes him on the thigh, from which cause he was lame even to the end of his life. And although the vision was by night, yet the Lord designed this mark of it to continue through all his days, that it might thence appear not to have been a vain dream. Moreover, by this sign it is made manifest to all the faithful, that they can come forth conquerors in their temptations, only by being injured and wounded in the conflict. For we know that the strength of God is made perfect in our weakness, in order that our exaltation may be joined with humility; for if our own strength remained entire, and there were no injury or dislocation produced, immediately the flesh would become haughty, and we should forget that we had conquered by the help of God. But the wound received, and the weakness which follows it, compel us to be modest.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(25) The hollow of Jacobs thigh was out of joint.The hollow is in the Hebrew the pan or socket into which the end of the thigh bone is inserted, and the verb more probably signifies that it was sprained from the over-tension of the muscles in the wrestling. But, in spite of his sprained tendons, Jacob still resisted, and could not be thrown down, and the angel, unable to gain any further advantage, at last acknowledges Jacobs superiority, and at sunrise craves permission to depart.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
25. When he saw that he prevailed not That is, when the angel saw this . Let us not marvel at such an anthropomorphism, but remember that the angel of Jehovah yielded to Abraham’s intercession; ate with him like a man; found Hagar in the desert; led Lot by the hand out of Sodom, and said, “I cannot do any thing till thou escape . ” These self-limitations of the Divine One are manifesting themselves continually through all the history of his revealing himself to the chosen people, and we are not competent to say that he could have revealed himself as well in any other way.
Touched the hollow of his thigh The socket of the hip-joint, which is here called caph, ( ,) from its resembling the hollow palm of the hand . The angel’s touch dislocated this joint; and gave Jacob to know that the mighty wrestler could at any moment disable him, and in so far contending with him had only been graciously condescending to his weakness. “The reason of this act of the angel was very probably lest Jacob should be puffed up by the ‘abundance of the revelations.’ He might think that of his own strength, and not by grace, he had prevailed with God; as St. Paul had the thorn in the flesh sent to him lest he ‘should be exalted above measure.’ 2Co 12:7. ” Speaker’s Commentary .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 32:25. And when he saw, &c. The Angel or Divine Person prevailed not, because he was willing to give Jacob the apparent superiority. But, at the same time, to convince him how easily he could have prevailed; had he thought fit, by a single touch he dislocated the joint of his thigh: and hinting that it was time for him to depart, in order to give Jacob an opportunity to pursue his journey, as the day was breaking, Jacob shews that he had fully learned who he was, by saying, I will not let thee go, unless thou bless me: and as blessing was the peculiar prerogative of God, he proves hereby sufficiently that he believed that Person to be Divine. See Grotius on the place.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Reader! observe the continual conflicts of the faithful. While dreading the coming of his brother, and not as a friend, the Lord himself comes forth to meet him, and seemingly as an enemy. And while poor Jacob is stirring up himself to lay hold on God for help, the Lord lays hold on him, with seeming violence.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 32:25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
Ver. 25. And when he saw that he prevailed not. ] He, that is, “the angel” (Christ) “that redeemed Jacob from all evil,” Gen 48:16 and here held him up with the one hand as he strove against him with the other; and yielded himself overcome by the patriarch’s prayers and tears. Deus ipse, qui nullis contra se viribus superari potest, precibus vincitur , saith Jerome.
He touched the hollow of his thigh.
a Victoria non fit sine vulnere: luxat nobis femur: immittit stimulum carni, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
that he: Gen 19:22, Num 14:13, Num 14:14, Isa 41:14, Isa 45:11, Hos 12:3, Hos 12:4, Mat 15:22-28, Luk 11:5-8
touched: Gen 32:32, Psa 30:6, Psa 30:7, Mat 26:41, Mat 26:44, 2Co 12:7-9
Reciprocal: Gen 30:8 – Naphtali Gen 32:31 – he halted Dan 10:8 – turned Mat 20:31 – but they cried Mar 6:5 – General Luk 13:24 – Strive
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 32:25. He prevailed not against him The angel suffered himself to be conquered, to encourage Jacobs faith and hope against the approaching danger: nay, he even imparted strength to him to maintain the conflict. For it was not in his own strength that Jacob wrestled, nor by his own strength that he prevailed, but by strength derived from Heaven, by which alone he had power over the angel, Hos 12:3. Jacobs thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him This was to humble him, and make him sensible of his own weakness, that he might ascribe his victory, not to his own power, but to the grace of God, and might be encouraged to depend on that grace for the deliverance he was so much concerned to obtain. It is probable Jacob felt little or no pain from this hurt, for he did not so much as halt till the struggle was over, Gen 32:31. If so, it evidenced itself to be a divine touch indeed, wounding and healing at the same time.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
32:25 And when he saw that he {i} prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
(i) For God assails his with the one hand, and upholds them with the other.