When the man saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he struck the socket of Jacob’s hip and dislocated it as they wrestled.
Parallel translations
- WEB When he saw that he didn’t prevail against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was strained, as he wrestled.
- KJV 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.
- NKJV Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him.
- NASB When the man saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him.
- NLT When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Unable to overcome Jacob by ordinary means, the man touches Jacob's hip and dislocates it. The injury shows the figure's true power and humbles Jacob.
Overview
With a mere touch the divine wrestler disables Jacob's hip, revealing He could have prevailed at any moment. Jacob's strength is broken so that he must cling rather than strive. God brings His servant low to teach that blessing comes not by self-reliant struggle but by dependent faith.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 2 Cor 12:7–9or because of these surpassingly great revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
- Hos 12:3–4In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and in his vigor he wrestled with God.
- Isa 45:11Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: “How dare you question Me about My sons, or instruct Me in the work of My hands?
- Gen 32:32Therefore 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.
- Isa 41:14Do not fear, O worm of Jacob, O few men of Israel. I will help you,” declares the LORD. “Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
- Matt 26:41“Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
- Num 14:13–14But Moses said to the LORD, “The Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought this people from among them.
- Gen 19:22Hurry! Run there quickly, for I cannot do anything until you reach it.” That is why the town was called Zoar.
- Ps 30:6–7In prosperity I said, “I will never be shaken.”
- Matt 15:22–28And a Canaanite woman from that region came to Him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is miserably possessed by a demon.”
- Luke 11:5–8Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you goes to his friend at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
- Matt 26:44So He left them and went away once more and prayed a third time, saying the same thing.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 32:25 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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