Genesis 33

Chapter 33

I.               Jacob and Esau Meet (Genesis 33:1-11)

A.     Genesis 33:1 – And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.

§        Four Hundred – a number that seems to commonly be found of conflict, opposition of some sort (real or imagined), or bondage.

o       Genesis 15:13 - And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land [that is] not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

-        From the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham in the birth of Isaac to the Exodus was a period of 400 years

o       Genesis 23:16 - And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current [money] with the merchant.

-        Abraham purchasing burial ground

o       1 Samuel 25:13- And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.

-        When David was going to destroy Nabal, Abigail intervened and gave provision to David and his men. (David later married Abigail when Nabal died)

o       1 Samuel 30:17 - And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled.

-        David chasing down and destroying the Amalekites that took the wives and children of he and his men

o       1 Kings 18:19 - Now therefore send, [and] gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.

-        The great confrontation between the false prophets and Elijah the prophet of God

o       2 Chronicles 18:5 - Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver [it] into the king's hand.

-        These were false prophets of Baal

B.     Genesis 33:2 - And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

§        Nothing like telling your family who the favorites are

C.     Genesis 33:3 - And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

§        Jacob goes ahead of his family and offers himself in complete submission before his brother bowing seven times, humbling himself.  This was a clear sign to Esau that Jacob was seeking reconciliation with his brother.

§        This does not appear to be a defensive position, but a separation of his household by mother and children for presentation purposes.  There may be some distinction in the placement of each member as his “favorite” wife Rachel is last and the handmaids first, but it may not have been apparent to them at the time.

D.    Genesis 33:4 - And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

§        In light of the events described in Jasher this seems reasonable, otherwise why would he gather 400 men to witness this reunion?

§        If Esau was genuine in his affections then perhaps his descendants would have been more compatible with Israel, but Edom was a thorn in Israel’s side for generations to come.  They even side with the enemies of Israel to battle against them, so if these emotions were genuine from Esau they likely did not last long as resentment was passed down through the generations.

§        Jacob on the other hand likely had a different motivation for his weeping.  Perhaps he recognized God’s intervention and wept for joy that he was safe.  Maybe after experiencing deception first hand over the past 20 years he wept in repentance for the things he had done to Esau. 

E.     Genesis 33:5 - And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who [are] those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.

§        This is the first time Esau is aware of Jacob’s children for Jacob did not inform him by messenger

o       Jacob likely omitted this from Esau intentionally in order to protect them in the event Esau met him as an enemy

§        Rather than answer “these are my children” Jacob answers in a most humble manner by glorifying God for the gifts of children.

o       Psalm 128:3 –Thy wife [shall be] as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

o       Psalm 107:41 –Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh [him] families like a flock.

o       Psalm 127:3-5 - Lo, children [are] an heritage of the LORD: [and] the fruit of the womb [is his] reward.  As arrows [are] in the hand of a mighty man; so [are] children of the youth.  Happy [is] the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

F.     Genesis 33:6 - Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

G.    Genesis 33:7 - And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

§        It is good for the children to show proper respect to those their parents honor.  None of the children knew uncle Esau, but they had certainly heard their father Jacob tell stories of him.  They were probably excited to finally meet him.

H.    Genesis 33:8 - And he said, What [meanest] thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, [These are] to find grace in the sight of my lord.

§        Jacob originally gives the gifts to Esau in order to win favor

§        Dependent on his gifts to gain grace in Esau’s sight rather than God

I.       Genesis 33:9 - And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.

§        Esau doesn’t want the gifts with strings attached

§        Note the different responses from these men:

o       Jacob… children which God hath graciously given thy servant

o       Esau… I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself

o       Jacob acknowledges that all he has is a gift from God, Esau gives no credit to God for the blessings he has.  Esau has not changed.

J.      Genesis 33:10 - And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.

K.    Genesis 33:11 - Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took [it].

§        Now Jacob wants to give the gifts just to give, out of a giving heart

§        Esau Accepted, accepting a gift has always been a sign of good will, gifts would not normally be accepted from an enemy

§        Jacob pressed the issue, insisting that Esau accept his gift, possibly to see if Esau’s anger was actually appeased

II.            Jacob and Esau Part Ways (33:12-20)

A.     Genesis 33:12 - And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.

§        Esau offers to provide an escort for Jacob and his family to Seir

B.     Genesis 33:13 - And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children [are] tender, and the flocks and herds with young [are] with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.

§        Jacob provides Esau with excuses why he can not travel with him

§        Jacob does not appear to fully trust Esau’s motivations

C.     Genesis 33:14 - Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.

§        Jacob tells Esau to go ahead to his hometown of Seir (in Edom) and he will meet him there

§        From later actions it appears that Jacob has no intention of going to Seir and once again employs deception to manipulate Esau rather than truth.

D.    Genesis 33:15 - And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee [some] of the folk that [are] with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.

§        Esau offers to leave some of his servants behind to assist Jacob’s household during their journey, but Jacob refuses.

§        Psalm 1:1 - Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

§        2 Corinthians 6:14 - Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

E.     Genesis 33:16 - So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.

§        Twice Esau relented, first he accepted Jacob’s gifts and then he accepted Jacob’s refusal of his gift

§        This probably did not go over well with Esau

F.     Genesis 33:17 - And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

§        Succoth –סכות Cukkowth, "booths"

§        Where is Succoth? About thirty miles north of the Dead Sea.  Seir is about 30 miles south of the Dead Sea, about 110 miles south of Succoth

§        It appears that Jacob had no intention of going to Seir with Esau.  This may give indication that Jacob didn’t quite trust Esau. 

§        Exodus 12:37 - And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot [that were] men, beside children.

o       First place the Israelites went when they left Egypt

G.    Genesis 33:18 - And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which [is] in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.

§        Shalem (Salem) – שלם Shalem, "peace"

§        Shechem –  שכם Shĕkem, noun, "back" or "shoulder"

§        Most likely this verse should read “And Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem…”

H.    Genesis 33:19 - And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money.

§        Hamor - חמור Chamowr, noun, “he-ass”

§        Like Abraham Jacob bought land that God had given him establishing his claim to the land in both natural and supernatural

I.       Genesis 33:20 -  And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel.

§        Elelohe-Israel - אל אלהי ישראל 'El 'elohey Yisra'el, "the mighty God of Israel"

Genesis 32:7-32

B.     Genesis 32:7 - Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that [was] with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;

§        Divided – his servants and possessions only, his family remained with him

§        Jacob was most likely afraid because of the vulnerability of his family.  He knew that whatever he did on his own to prepare for Esau’s attack he would not be able to escape him.

o       What happened to united we stand, divided we fall (I guess that saying wasn’t invented yet)

§        Yet he showed his trust in God by not fleeing, he knew he had to obey.

C.     Genesis 32:8 - And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.

§        Is this where the term “half-hearted” comes from? For Jacob seems to trust God in that he continues forward, yet he makes plans for half to escape (even though they wouldn’t) if need be

D.     Genesis 32:9 - And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:

§        Here we see Jacob taking the best course of action that he could have taken and it is certainly always the best course of action, yet rarely the course that we choose when under difficult circumstances.

§        Times of fear should be times of prayer; whatever frightens us should drive us to our knees, to our God. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Genesis 32

§        Out of humility and recognition that he falls short Jacob addresses God as the God of his ancestors, for he believes he is not worthy to call Him his God.  He knows that his own hope rests in the covenant that God made with Abraham and Isaac.

o       Jacob’s life demonstrates the refining process that believers must go through.  Abraham was refined in great detail, and now Jacob seems to traverse more of a refining process than either of Abraham or Isaac.

o       Lamentations 4:1-2 - How is the gold become dim! [how] is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.  The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

§        Up to this point God makes his promises to Jacob, Jacob vows a vow at Beth-el, but here we see Jacob driven to the end of his human ability and now, facing the possibility of annihilation at the hand of his brother, he must rely completely on the protection of God for his entire family.

o       How often to we come to the end of our ability so that we must rely on the provision of the Father.

E.    Genesis 32:10 - I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

§        Jacob seeks God with a humble heart

§        Jacob confesses his lack of faith in that he split his household in two (foreshadows the splitting of Israel into the House of Judah and the House of Israel).

o       Jacob rightly associated his unworthiness with his lack of faith in the Lord.

o       How often do we make a decision based on our own fleshly emotions only to realize later that we should have trusted in God.

o       With the enemy bearing down it is very difficult to rely on a power which we cannot see or touch, but that is exactly what God wants us to do.

o       Even though Jacob does demonstrate his lack of faith, because of the covenant God will act on his behalf.

§        If Jacob is not worthy of the least of God’s mercies what doe that make us?

F.     Genesis 32:11 - Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, [and] the mother with the children.

§        Jacob does not seek any harm for Esau, only to be delivered from him.

§        We should be of the same mind as Jacob when we pray for our own deliverance, not the destruction of our enemies.  God loves our enemies as much as he loves us and it is not pleasing for him to destroy any of them.

o       2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

o       God’s desire is that all turn to him; therefore, if we pray for the destruction of our enemies we are praying against God’s will.  We should only pray to be delivered from evil as Christ himself taught us in the Lord’s Prayer.

o       Its worth noting that our enemy, Satan, would gladly destroy his own servants to destroy the servants of God; whereas God not only desires to save His own servants, but those who are against Him (though they must first come to repentance and acceptance of His Son before He can do so)

G.     Genesis 32:12 - And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

§        Jacob reminds God of His promise

§        God heard Jacob’s prayer just as God hears all the prayers of His children.  Yet we see no mention in the Genesis account that God heard Jacob’s prayer.

§        The book of Jasher provides some remarkable detail here that Genesis leaves out either because it didn’t really happen the way that Jasher explains or there was no need to share this in the context of Genesis.  What happens before and after vs. 27-40 of Jasher are  similar to the Genesis rendition, but Jasher provides some explanation for Esau’s sudden change of heart in the following chapter that merits consideration.

o        Jasher 32:27-40 - And the Lord heard the prayer of Jacob on that day, and the Lord then delivered Jacob from the hands of his brother Esau. And the Lord sent three angels of the angels of heaven, and they went before Esau and came to him. And these angels appeared unto Esau and his people as two thousand men, riding upon horses furnished with all sorts of war instruments, and they appeared in the sight of Esau and all his men to be divided into four camps, with four chiefs to them. And one camp went on and they found Esau coming with four hundred men toward his brother Jacob, and this camp ran toward Esau and his people and terrified them, and Esau fell off the horse in alarm, and all his men separated from him in that place, for they were greatly afraid. And the whole of the camp shouted after them when they fled from Esau, and all the warlike men answered, saying, Surely we are the servants of Jacob, who is the servant of God, and who then can stand against us? And Esau said unto them, O then, my lord and brother Jacob is your lord, whom I have not seen for these twenty years, and now that I have this day come to see him, do you treat me in this manner? And the angels answered him saying, As the Lord liveth, were not Jacob of whom thou speaketh thy brother, we had not let one remaining from thee and thy people, but only on account of Jacob we will do nothing to them. And this camp passed from Esau and his men and it went away, and Esau and his men had gone from them about a league when the second camp came toward him with all sorts of weapons, and they also did unto Esau and his men as the first camp had done to them. And when they had left it to go on, behold the third camp came toward him and they were all terrified, and Esau fell off the horse, and the whole camp cried out, and said, Surely we are the servants of Jacob, who is the servant of God, and who can stand against us? And Esau again answered them saying, O then, Jacob my lord and your lord is my brother, and for twenty years I have not seen his countenance and hearing this day that he was coming, I went this day to meet him, and do you treat me in this manner? And they answered him, and said unto him, As the Lord liveth, were not Jacob thy brother as thou didst say, we had not left a remnant from thee and thy men, but on account of Jacob of whom thou speakest being thy brother, we will not meddle with thee or thy men. And the third camp also passed from them, and he still continued his road with his men toward Jacob, when the fourth camp came toward him, and they also did unto him and his men as the others had done. And when Esau beheld the evil which the four angels had done to him and to his men, he became greatly afraid of his brother Jacob, and he went to meet him in peace. And Esau concealed his hatred against Jacob, because he was afraid of his life on account of his brother Jacob, and because he imagined that the four camps that he had lighted upon were Jacob's servants.

H.    Genesis 32:13 - And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;

§        Did Jacob flee? Jacob demonstrates his trust in God by remaining in the land and not retreating.

o       Jacob faith is oscillating, one minute he’s praying and demonstrating overcoming faith, the next he is preparing a gift to appease his brother.

§        It sure makes it easier to trust God when He sends His angels

§        When God gives us ground we have no reason to give it up to the enemy, God will fight for us if we trust in Him and submit to His Will.

I.    Genesis 32:14 - Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,

J.       Genesis 32:15 - Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.

§        Milch - ינק yanaq, to suckle, nurse, suck

K.      Genesis 32:16 - And he delivered [them] into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.

§        Here Jacob designates the gift to be delivered by his SERVANTS, not the messengers, this would lead the reader to believe that these servants were different from the messengers.

§        Drove -  עדר `eder, flocks and herds

§        Recall that Esau is a hunter and may not have the number of domestic animals that Jacob has, also the multi-colored animals would have been desirable in this region.

§        Proverbs 17:8 - A gift [is as] a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

§        Proverbs 18:16 - A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

L.    Genesis 32:17 - And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose [art] thou? and whither goest thou? and whose [are] these before thee?

§        Foremost - ראשון ri'shown, adjective, first, primary, former (most likely the senior servant)

M.     Genesis 32:18 - Then thou shalt say, [They be] thy servant Jacob's; it [is] a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he [is] behind us.

N.   Genesis 32:19 - And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.

O.    Genesis 32:20 - And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob [is] behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

P.    Genesis 32:21 - So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.

§        Company - מחנה machaneh, encampment, camp

Q.     Genesis 32:22 - And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.

§        Jabbok - יבק Yabboq, "emptying"

o       a stream which intersects the mountain range of Gilead, and falls into the Jordan on the east about midway between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea

R.    Genesis 32:23 - And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.

II.            Jacob’s Wrestles with God; Renamed Israel (Genesis 32:24-32)

A.     Genesis 32:24 - And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

§        Left alone? Where did his wives and children go?

§        Wrestled – אבק 'abaq, verb, to wrestle, grapple (get dusty), bedust

§        This is a very odd interaction:

o       Where did the man come from?

o       What started the wrestling match?

o       Did the man just appear and begin to wrestle or was there some sort of dispute?

o       What was the goal?

B.     Genesis 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.

§        The first “he” refers back to “a man” from the previous verse

§        “him” is Jacob

§        Jacob still did not let go even after this injury was inflicted against him, he was determined

§        2 Corinthians 12:10 - Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

o       God made Jacob weak in his own strength so that he could become strong by His Spirit

o       Zechariah 4:6 - …Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

C.     Genesis 32:26 - And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

§        Why does it matter that the day breaks? Perhaps to keep his identity concealed?

§        See the similarities between Jacob latching on to his brother’s heal at birth to fight for the blessing of the firstborn and latching on to his divine opponent here fighting for a blessing from Him.

o       It is by this request that Jacob acknowledges his opponent as the victor for who requests a blessing from a loser

D.    Genesis 32:27 - And he said unto him, What [is] thy name? And he said, Jacob.

§        God knew Jacob’s name

E.     Genesis 32:28 - 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.

§        A name change? That’s the blessing?

o       I dub thee Israel… this name-change could probably be looked at as a divine commission as a royal knight of heaven, for Jacob is no longer a “supplanter” but he is indeed a prince of God with no need to supplant.  Rather than taking power from another, Jacob has now been given the power and authority in heaven and in earth.

o       Matthew 18:18 - Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

§        Israel - ישראל Yisra'el, "God prevails" from the root words:

o       שרה sarah, verb - contend, have power, contend with, persist, exert oneself, persevere

a.      Same spelling and similar in meaning to שרה Sarah - "noblewoman" who was Sarai, Abraham’s wife and her name was changed

b.      The name change of Sarai to Sarah and Jacob to Israel are similar in that there is an associated power with the new name

                                                                                                                i.     Genesis 3:15 - And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

                                                                                                               ii.     What Jacob is to Sarah is what the Messiah is to Israel, the man Jacob/Israel represents both the seed of the woman and the woman.

o       אל 'el - god, god-like one, mighty one (can be in reference to the one True God)

F.     Genesis 32:29 - And Jacob asked [him], and said, Tell [me], I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore [is] it [that] thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

§        His name was just changed to Israel yet the author continues to refer to him as Jacob, in fact he is predominantly referred to as Jacob, unlike Abraham who was never again referred to as Abram even when events are referenced that took place before his name change.

§        Jacob knows his name, the “man’s” answer is rhetorical, why do you ask me my name (because you already know it) that would be the response if I asked my dad his name he would want to know why I ask his name since I already know his name.

§        Who was this man?

o       Hosea 12:3-5 – He took his brother by the heel in the womb and by his strength he had power with God: Yea, he had power over the Angel, and prevailed: he wept and made supplication unto Him: He found him in Beth-el, and there He spake with us; Even the Lord God of Hosts, the Lord is His memorial.

o       This is referencing Jacob’s bout with the “Angel” but goes on to define who the angel is.

a.      LORD – יהוה Yĕhovah

b.      Memorial – זכר zeker, memorial, remembrance

§        Revelation 19:12 - His eyes [were] as a flame of fire, and on his head [were] many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

§        How can it be said that Jacob failed? Did he win? No, but he did receive a blessing from the Lord, so is that failure? Any victory Jacob thought that he had won over the Lord, was because God allowed it.

§        Note the timing of this bout was just prior to Jacob’s reunion with Esau.  It has already been said that Jacob was greatly afraid of Esau, but not a coward for a coward would have fled.  Could this encounter with God have been a method employed by God to enlarge Jacob’s faith?

o       If he can go toe-to-toe with God for an entire night why would Esau be any more of a challenge than that?

G.    Genesis 32:30 - And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

§        Peniel – God’s face פנואל Pĕnuw'el, "facing God"

§        Jacob wrestled a man, yet it was God in a flesh body.  Just like Melchizedek before came to Abraham in the flesh, here Jacob has a Melchizedek moment.  Another instance of a pre-incarnate Christ appearing to his servants.

§        God – אלהים 'elohiym

o       Jacob knew who it was that he was wrestling

H.    Genesis 32:31 - And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh

§        Penuel - פנואל Pĕnuw'el, . "facing God"

§        Halted – צלע tsala`, to limp, be lame

I.       Genesis 32:32 - Therefore the children of Israel eat not [of] the sinew which shrank, which [is] upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.

§       Even though Jacob walked with a limp for the rest of his life, this served as a constant reminder of his encounter with a physical God who would never leave him.