Genesis 32:30
New International Version
So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

New Living Translation
Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.”

English Standard Version
So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”

Berean Standard Bible
So Jacob named the place Peniel, saying, “Indeed, I have seen God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

King James Bible
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

New King James Version
So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”

New American Standard Bible
So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.”

NASB 1995
So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”

NASB 1977
So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”

Legacy Standard Bible
So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been delivered.”

Amplified Bible
So Jacob named the place Peniel (the face of God), saying, “For I have seen God face to face, yet my life has not been snatched away.”

Christian Standard Bible
Jacob then named the place Peniel, “For I have seen God face to face,” he said, “yet my life has been spared.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jacob then named the place Peniel, “For I have seen God face to face,” he said, “and I have been delivered.”

American Standard Version
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for, said he, I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

Contemporary English Version
Jacob said, "I have seen God face to face, and I am still alive." So he named the place Peniel.

English Revised Version
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for, said he, I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So Jacob named that place Peniel [Face of God], because he said, "I have seen God face to face, but my life was saved."

Good News Translation
Jacob said, "I have seen God face-to-face, and I am still alive"; so he named the place Peniel.

International Standard Version
Jacob would later call that place Peniel, because "I saw God face to face, but my life was spared."

Majority Standard Bible
So Jacob named the place Peniel, saying, ?Indeed, I have seen God face to face, and yet my life was spared.?

NET Bible
So Jacob named the place Peniel, explaining, "Certainly I have seen God face to face and have survived."

New Heart English Bible
So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life has been preserved."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

World English Bible
Jacob called the name of the place Peniel; for he said, “I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Jacob calls the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is delivered”;

Young's Literal Translation
And Jacob calleth the name of the place Peniel: for 'I have seen God face unto face, and my life is delivered;'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jacob will call the name of the place, the face of God: for I saw God lace to face, and my soul shall be saved.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jacob called the name of the place Phanuel, saying: I have seen God face to face, and my soul has been saved.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “I have seen God face to face, and my soul has been saved.”

New American Bible
Jacob named the place Peniel, “because I have seen God face to face,” he said, “yet my life has been spared.”

New Revised Standard Version
So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Jacob called the name of that place Peniel; for be said, I have seen an angel face to face, and my life is preserved.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Yaquuv called the name of that country, Penuyel, because, “I saw an Angel face to face and my life is saved.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: 'for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Jacob called the name of that place, the Face of God; for, said he, I have seen God face to face, and my life was preserved.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jacob Wrestles with God
29And Jacob requested, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed Jacob there. 30So Jacob named the place Peniel, saying, “Indeed, I have seen God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” 31The sun rose above him as he passed by Penuel, and he was limping because of his hip.…

Cross References
Exodus 33:20
But He added, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.”

Judges 13:22
“We are going to die,” he said to his wife, “for we have seen God!”

Hosea 12:3-4
In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and in his vigor he wrestled with God. / Yes, he struggled with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought His favor; he found Him at Bethel and spoke with Him there—

Exodus 24:10-11
and they saw the God of Israel. Under His feet was a work like a pavement made of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. / But God did not lay His hand on the nobles of Israel; they saw Him, and they ate and drank.

Numbers 12:8
I speak with him face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you unafraid to speak against My servant Moses?”

1 Kings 19:11-13
Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. / After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice. / When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Isaiah 6:1-5
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted; and the train of His robe filled the temple. / Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. / And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.” ...

Deuteronomy 5:24
and you said, “Behold, the LORD our God has shown us His glory and greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the fire. Today we have seen that a man can live even if God speaks with him.

Job 42:5-6
My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You. / Therefore I despise myself, and I repent in dust and ashes.”

1 John 4:12
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.

John 1:18
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.

John 14:9
Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

1 Timothy 6:16
He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Revelation 22:4
They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.


Treasury of Scripture

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

Jacob.

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

Penuel.

Genesis 28:19
And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.

Judges 8:8,17
And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him

1 Kings 12:25
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.

Peniel.

I have.

Genesis 16:13
And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?

Exodus 24:10,11
And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness…

Exodus 33:14,19-23
And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest…

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Delivered Face Jacob Life Peniel Preserved Spared
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Delivered Face Jacob Life Peniel Preserved Spared
Genesis 32
1. Jacob's vision at Mahanaim.
3. His message to Esau.
6. He is afraid of Esau's coming.
9. He prays for deliverance.
13. He sends a present to Esau, and passes the brook Jabbok.
24. He wrestles with an angel at Peniel, where he is called Israel.
31. He halts.














So Jacob named the place Peniel
Jacob's naming of the location "Peniel" is significant as it means "face of God" in Hebrew. This act of naming reflects a common biblical practice where significant encounters with God or pivotal events lead to the naming or renaming of places. The naming signifies a personal and transformative encounter with the divine. Geographically, Peniel is located near the Jabbok River, east of the Jordan, a region that holds historical significance for the Israelites. This event marks a turning point in Jacob's life, symbolizing his transition from fear to faith.

saying, “Indeed, I have seen God face to face
Jacob's declaration of having seen God "face to face" is a profound statement of his direct encounter with the divine. In the Old Testament, seeing God was often associated with fear of death, as it was believed that no one could see God and live (Exodus 33:20). This encounter is unique and emphasizes the personal nature of Jacob's relationship with God. Theologically, this moment prefigures the incarnation of Christ, who is described as the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), making God known to humanity.

and yet my life was spared.”
The sparing of Jacob's life highlights God's mercy and grace. In the cultural context of the time, encountering a deity was often associated with judgment or death. Jacob's survival signifies divine favor and protection, reinforcing the covenantal promises made to Abraham and Isaac. This phrase also foreshadows the New Testament theme of grace, where believers are spared from spiritual death through faith in Jesus Christ. Jacob's experience can be seen as a type of the believer's encounter with God, where despite human unworthiness, life is granted through divine grace.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jacob
The patriarch who wrestled with a divine being, leading to a transformative encounter that changed his name to Israel.

2. Peniel
The location where Jacob wrestled with God, meaning "face of God" in Hebrew, signifying the profound nature of Jacob's encounter.

3. Wrestling with God
The event where Jacob physically and spiritually contended with a divine being, symbolizing his struggles and perseverance in faith.
Teaching Points
Encountering God in Struggle
Jacob's wrestling with God teaches us that our struggles can lead to profound encounters with God. In our challenges, we should seek God's presence and guidance.

Transformation through Divine Encounters
Just as Jacob was transformed and given a new name, our encounters with God can lead to personal transformation and a new identity in Christ.

The Mercy of God
Jacob's life was spared despite seeing God face to face, illustrating God's mercy and grace. We are reminded of God's compassion and the gift of life through His mercy.

Perseverance in Faith
Jacob's determination to not let go until he received a blessing encourages us to persist in our faith and seek God's blessings in our lives.

Naming and Remembering
By naming the place Peniel, Jacob memorialized his encounter with God. We should remember and commemorate our spiritual milestones as reminders of God's faithfulness.(30) Peniel.--Elsewhere Penuel, and so probably it should be read here. It means, "the face of God." For the rest of the verse see Note on Genesis 16:13.

Verse 30. - And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel (i.e. "the face of God." Its situation must have been close to the Jabbok. The reason given for its designation follows): for I have seen God (Elohim) face to face, and my life is preserved (cf. Genesis 16:13; Exodus 14:11; Exodus 33:20; Judges 6:22; Judges 13:22; Isaiah 6:5).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So Jacob
יַעֲקֹ֛ב (ya·‘ă·qōḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3290: Jacob -- a son of Isaac, also his desc

named
וַיִּקְרָ֧א (way·yiq·rā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

the place
הַמָּק֖וֹם (ham·mā·qō·wm)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4725: A standing, a spot, a condition

Peniel,
פְּנִיאֵ֑ל (pə·nî·’êl)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6439: Penuel -- 'face of God', a place East of the Jordan, also two Israelites

saying, “Indeed,
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

I have seen
רָאִ֤יתִי (rā·’î·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7200: To see

God
אֱלֹהִים֙ (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

face
פָּנִ֣ים (pā·nîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6440: The face

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

face,
פָּנִ֔ים (pā·nîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6440: The face

and yet my life
נַפְשִֽׁי׃ (nap̄·šî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

was spared.”
וַתִּנָּצֵ֖ל (wat·tin·nā·ṣêl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5337: To strip, plunder, deliver oneself, be delivered, snatch away, deliver


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OT Law: Genesis 32:30 Jacob called the name of the place (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 32:29
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