Genesis 32:31
New International Version
The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.

New Living Translation
The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping because of the injury to his hip.

English Standard Version
The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

Berean Standard Bible
The sun rose above him as he passed by Penuel, and he was limping because of his hip.

King James Bible
And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

New King James Version
Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip.

New American Standard Bible
Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his hip.

NASB 1995
Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh.

NASB 1977
Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh.

Amplified Bible
Now the sun rose on him as he passed Penuel (Peniel), and he was limping because of his hip.

Christian Standard Bible
The sun shone on him as he passed by Penuel —limping because of his hip.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The sun shone on him as he passed by Penuel—limping because of his hip.

American Standard Version
And the sun rose upon him as he passed over Penuel, and he limped upon his thigh.

Contemporary English Version
The sun was coming up as Jacob was leaving Peniel. He was limping because he had been struck on the hip,

English Revised Version
And the sun rose upon him as he passed over Penuel, and he halted upon his thigh.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The sun rose as he passed Penuel. He was limping because of his hip.

Good News Translation
The sun rose as Jacob was leaving Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.

International Standard Version
The sun was rising above Jacob as he crossed over from Peniel, limping due to his wounded thigh.

Majority Standard Bible
The sun rose above him as he passed by Penuel, and he was limping because of his hip.

NET Bible
The sun rose over him as he crossed over Penuel, but he was limping because of his hip.

New Heart English Bible
The sun rose on him as he passed by Peniel, and he limped because of his hip.

Webster's Bible Translation
And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

World English Bible
The sun rose on him as he passed over Peniel, and he limped because of his thigh.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the sun rises on him when he has passed over Penuel, and he is halting on his thigh;

Young's Literal Translation
and the sun riseth on him when he hath passed over Penuel, and he is halting on his thigh;

Smith's Literal Translation
And the sun will rise to him when he passed through the face of God, and he limped upon his thigh.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And immediately the sun rose upon him, after he was past Phanuel; but he halted on his foot.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And immediately the sun rose upon him, after he had crossed beyond Peniel. Yet in truth, he limped on his foot.

New American Bible
At sunrise, as he left Penuel, Jacob limped along because of his hip.

New Revised Standard Version
The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The sun rose upon him just as he left Peniel, and he limped because of his thigh.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the sun was setting to him when he passed through Penuyel and he was halting from his hip.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the sun rose upon him as he passed over Peniel, and he limped upon his thigh.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the sun rose upon him, when he passed the Face of God; and he halted upon his thigh.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jacob Wrestles with God
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. 32Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon which is at the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was struck near that tendon.…

Cross References
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 33:20-23
But He added, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.” / The LORD continued, “There is a place near Me where you are to stand upon a rock, / and when My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. ...

Judges 6:22-23
When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he said, “Oh no, Lord GOD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!” / But the LORD said to him, “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid, for you will not die.”

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?”

Numbers 6:25-26
may the LORD cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; / may the LORD lift up His countenance toward you and give you peace.’

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. / That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Matthew 17:2
There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

Acts 7:55-56
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. / “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Revelation 1:16-17
He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest. / When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,

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.” ...

Psalm 17:15
As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied in Your presence.

1 John 3:2
Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

Philippians 3:21
who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.

1 Corinthians 13:12
Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.


Treasury of Scripture

And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he halted on his thigh.

rose upon.

Genesis 19:15,23
And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city…

Malachi 4:2
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

he halted.

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.

Psalm 38:17
For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.

2 Corinthians 12:7,9
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure…

Jump to Previous
Crossed Damaged Halted Halting Hip Passed Past Peniel Penuel Penu'el Riseth Rose Steps Sun Thigh Unequal
Jump to Next
Crossed Damaged Halted Halting Hip Passed Past Peniel Penuel Penu'el Riseth Rose Steps Sun Thigh Unequal
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.














The sun rose above him
This phrase signifies a new beginning or a fresh start, often symbolizing hope and divine favor. In biblical narratives, the rising sun can represent God's presence and blessing. The timing of the sunrise here may indicate a transition from darkness to light, both literally and metaphorically, as Jacob moves forward after his encounter with God.

as he passed by Penuel
Penuel, also known as Peniel, means "face of God" in Hebrew. This location is significant because it is where Jacob wrestled with God and saw Him face to face, yet his life was spared. The naming of this place underscores the importance of divine encounters and the transformation that occurs through them. Penuel is situated east of the Jordan River, and its mention here connects to other biblical events where God reveals Himself to His people.

and he was limping because of his hip
Jacob's limp serves as a physical reminder of his encounter with God. It symbolizes human weakness and the transformative power of divine intervention. The limp is a mark of both struggle and blessing, as Jacob's name was changed to Israel, meaning "he struggles with God." This physical ailment also prefigures the concept of strength through weakness, a theme echoed in the New Testament, particularly in 2 Corinthians 12:9, where Paul speaks of God's power being made perfect in weakness.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jacob
The central figure in this passage, Jacob is returning to his homeland after years of living with his uncle Laban. He has just experienced a transformative encounter with God, where he wrestled with a divine being and received a new name, Israel.

2. Penuel (Peniel)
The place where Jacob wrestled with God. The name means "face of God," signifying the profound spiritual encounter Jacob had, where he saw God face to face and yet his life was spared.

3. The Limp
As a result of his wrestling match, Jacob's hip was touched, causing him to limp. This physical change serves as a lasting reminder of his encounter with God and the transformation that took place.

4. The Sun Rising
Symbolically, the rising sun represents a new beginning for Jacob. It marks the start of a new chapter in his life as he moves forward with a new identity and a renewed relationship with God.

5. The Wrestle with God
This event is a pivotal moment in Jacob's life, symbolizing his struggle with God and man, and his ultimate submission and transformation.
Teaching Points
Transformation through Struggle
Just as Jacob was transformed through his struggle with God, we too can experience spiritual growth and transformation through our own struggles and challenges.

God's Presence in Our Lives
Jacob's encounter at Penuel reminds us that God is present in our lives, even in our struggles, and desires to bless and transform us.

Physical Reminders of Spiritual Truths
Jacob's limp serves as a physical reminder of his encounter with God. We should be mindful of the ways God marks our lives with reminders of His presence and work.

New Beginnings
The rising sun symbolizes new beginnings. In Christ, we are offered a fresh start and a new identity, just as Jacob received a new name.

Perseverance in Faith
Jacob's perseverance in wrestling with God teaches us the importance of holding onto our faith, even when faced with challenges.(31) As he passed over Pemiel.--Rather, as he passed Penuel. It was the place where he had wrestled, and as soon as the angel left him he proceeded onwards to rejoin his wives. It appears, from what is here said, that it was not till he tried to walk that he found out that he was lame. As his sinews grew cool, the injury to his hip-joint showed itself.

Verse 31. - And as he passed over Penuel - this some suppose to have been the original name of the place, which Jacob changed by the alteration of a vowel, but it is probably nothing more than an old form of the same word - the sun rose upon him, - "there was sunshine within and sunshine without. When Judas went forth on his dark design, we read, 'It was night,' John 13:30" (Inglis) - and he halted upon his thigh - thus carrying with him a memorial of his conflict, as Paul afterwards bore about with him a stake in his flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The sun
הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ (haš·še·meš)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 8121: The sun, the east, a ray, a notched battlement

rose
וַיִּֽזְרַֽח־ (way·yiz·raḥ-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2224: To irradiate, to rise, to appear

above him
ל֣וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

as
כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

he passed by
עָבַ֖ר (‘ā·ḇar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

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

and he
וְה֥וּא (wə·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

was limping
צֹלֵ֖עַ (ṣō·lê·a‘)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6760: To limp

because of
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

his hip.
יְרֵכֽוֹ׃ (yə·rê·ḵōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3409: Thigh,loin, flank, side


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OT Law: Genesis 32:31 The sun rose on him as he (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 32:30
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