Israel: one who wrestles with God.
In Genesis 32, Jacob spends the night alone beside a river and wrestles with an angel of God all night until the break of dawn.
The proper relationship with the Divine is not blind belief or passive obedience. It is active engagement, questioning, testing, and perseverance. Spiritual belief is meaningless without first getting down in the mud by the river’s side and grappling with the messenger of the divine, wrestling with truth, and with one's role and duty as a child of God.
When the angel sees he cannot prevail, he demands release. Jacob answers: "I will not release you, except if you bless me."
This is what it means to enter into a covenant with one’s Creator. It is a relationship with God not of submission, but of testing and challenge until the higher authority has been met face to face, will against will through the long night.
The angel relents. "Your name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince have you power with God and with men, and you have prevailed."
This is the meaning of Israel: “one who wrestles with God.”
Jacob then names the place Peniel, “the face of God”, saying: "For I have seen God face to face, and my soul survives."
The chosen are those who grapple with divine will and do not release until they have wrestled God and his angel to a stalemate. And therefore claimed the right to a blessing.
“For I have seen God face to face, and my soul survives."
Jacob, the patriarch and grandson of Abraham, is on his way back to Canaan after years of exile. Fearing retribution from his brother Esau (whom he had deceived out of his birthright and blessing), Jacob sends his family and possessions ahead across the Jabbok ford and remains alone overnight.
During the night, Jacob encounters a mysterious "man" and wrestles with him until dawn. Despite the opponent dislocating Jacob's hip, Jacob refuses to release him until he receives a blessing. The figure then renames Jacob "Israel," meaning "he who struggles with God" or "God contends," signifying Jacob's perseverance in his struggle with both divine and human forces. Jacob realizes he has wrestled with God (or a divine representative) face to face and names the place Peniel (or Penuel), meaning "face of God.”
On that night, he arose and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, and he crossed over the Jabbok ford. He took them and sent them over the river, and he sent over that which was his. Jacob was left to his lonesome. A man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. He saw that he was powerless against him. He struck the socket of his thigh, and the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated in his struggle with him. He said, "Release me, for dawn is broken!" He said, "I will not release you, except if you bless me!" He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." He said, "Jacob will not be said as your name anymore, but Israel, for you struggled with God and with men, and you are capable!" Jacob asked, and said, "Now, reveal your name!" He said, "Why is it that you ask for my name?" He blessed him there. Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, "for I have seen God face-to-face, and my soul survives." The sun shone on him when he passed Penuel, and he was limping over his thigh. Verily, to this day the Israelites do not eat the 'forgotten sinew', which is over the socket of the thigh, for he struck in the socket of Jacob's thigh, in the forgotten sinew. — Genesis 32:22–32
24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 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. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 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. 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. 30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. 31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. 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. - Genesis 32:24-32 in the King James Version (KJV):
the wrestling symbolizes the cosmic struggle between good and evil forces within the soul. Jacob represents the sefirah (divine attribute) of Tiferet (beauty/harmony), confronting and integrating the "other side" (sitra achra, or evil) embodied by Esau's angel.
the adept's confrontation with the "Guardian of the Threshold" or higher self, a necessary ordeal for spiritual awakening.
the integration of shadow aspects for wholeness, resolving inner conflicts to achieve psychological and spiritual maturity. Occultists might see alchemical parallels: the wounding and renaming as transmutation from base (Jacob) to gold (Israel), emphasizing persistence in the Great Work.
The wrestling symbolizes a profound spiritual struggle and transformation. Jacob's name was changed to Israel, meaning "he who struggles with God" or "God strives," signifying a new identity and a pivotal moment in his life.
This name became the foundation for the nation of Israel.
The encounter is seen as a moment of divine testing, where Jacob's faith and perseverance were proven, leading to a deepened relationship with God and a blessing.
The place of the encounter was named Peniel, meaning "face of God" or "facing God".
emblematic of the Jewish people's relationship with God—one characterized by active engagement, questioning, and perseverance rather than blind submission. It underscores themes of spiritual struggle, transformation, and divine encounter. The name change from Jacob ("heel-grabber" or "supplanter," implying deceit) to Israel ("struggles with God") represents a shift from self-reliance to a covenantal bond with the divine
The text refers to him as a "man" (אִישׁ, Ish) and "God" (אֵל, El), while the prophet Hosea calls him an "angel" (מַלְאָךְ, Malakh). Jewish tradition, including commentary by Rashi, often identifies the figure as the guardian angel of Esau.
Rabbinic sources, such as the Talmud and Midrash, view the opponent as the guardian angel of Esau (representing worldly or evil inclinations), symbolizing Jacob's internal and external battles.
as a dream figure, a prophetic vision, an angel (such as Michael and Samael), a protective river spirit, Jesus or God.
As a lasting reminder of the event, Jewish law prohibits the consumption of the sciatic nerve (gid hanasheh) from animals, as it was injured during the struggle.
Jacob wrestles a divine being, is renamed Israel, and receives a blessing (Genesis 32:24-32).
stories in Greek mythology about Achilles' duel with the river god Scamander[26] and Menelaus wrestling with the sea-god Proteus.
Israel
In Genesis 32:28, after Jacob wrestles a divine being, he's renamed "Israel" because "you have striven [sarita] with God [Elohim] and with men, and have prevailed." Here, "sarah" (שָׂרָה) means "to strive," "contend," or "wrestle," and "El" is "God," so "Yisra'el" is interpreted as "he contends with God."
Linguists suggest alternatives like "God rules" or "El persists," based on roots meaning "to rule" or "be upright." The exact scientific etymology is unclear, possibly predating the biblical narrative, with "El rules" as a plausible ancient meaning. However, the "contend with El" interpretation dominates Jewish tradition and aligns with the story's theme.
In Mesopotamian, Egyptian, or Greek polytheism, gods were often distant, capricious, or tyrannical; humans submitted passively or appeased through rituals, with little room for challenge. Judaism introduces a personal God who invites dialogue, as seen in the covenant—humans as partners, not slaves. This "wrestling" isn't rebellion but a sign of intimacy and trust.
Agency, Dignity, Free Will, and Responsibility: Humans can question, negotiate, and influence divine plans, affirming free will (e.g., choices in the Torah lead to blessings or curses). This elevates human dignity: God respects arguments based on justice or mercy, fostering moral responsibility. It also adds burden—struggle implies ongoing ethical grappling, not easy answers.
Revolutionary in Religious Thought?: Judaism's emphasis on a relational, ethical monotheism—where faith involves debate (seen in Talmudic arguments)—influenced later religions like Christianity and Islam, but the raw "wrestling" dynamic remains a Jewish hallmark. It promotes resilience through adversity, transforming suffering into spiritual growth, which has sustained Jewish identity through history.
Jacob, the grandson of Abraham and son of Isaac, is considered the founder of the people of Israel primarily because God renames him "Israel" in the Hebrew Bible, and his descendants—specifically his 12 sons—form the basis of the 12 tribes that constitute the nation. This renaming occurs in Genesis 32:28 after Jacob wrestles with a divine being (often interpreted as an angel or God), marking a transformative moment in his life where he shifts from a figure known for cunning and deception to one of spiritual maturity and leadership. The term "Children of Israel" (B'nei Yisrael in Hebrew) literally refers to the lineage and offspring of Jacob, emphasizing his role as the patriarchal progenitor of the Israelite people. Unlike Abraham (associated with the covenant) or Isaac (a transitional figure), Jacob's story culminates in the establishment of the tribal structure that defines the ancient Israelites, making him the direct eponymous ancestor of the nation.
The Hebrew name "Israel" (Yisra'el) derives from the verb "sarah" (שָׂרָה), meaning "to strive," "to contend," or "to wrestle," combined with "El" (אֵל), a name for God. Biblical translations often render it as "he who struggles with God," "God contends," or "prince of God," based on the context in Genesis where the divine being tells Jacob, "You have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed." The pronoun is singular ("he"), referring initially to Jacob as an individual, rather than a plural "we." However, when applied to the collective people of Israel, it has been poetically extended in Jewish tradition to imply a communal identity of those who "wrestle with God," though this is more of a metaphorical or interpretive layer than a direct etymological meaning.
This episode and the name "Israel" are frequently interpreted in Jewish thought as symbolizing the Jewish people's unique relationship with God—one marked by chosenness, struggle, questioning, and active engagement rather than passive obedience. The wrestling in Genesis 32 represents Jacob's personal transformation through adversity, but it extends metaphorically to the Jewish experience: a chosen people (as per the covenants with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) who must grapple with divine will, moral dilemmas, suffering, and their covenantal responsibilities. This "wrestling" embodies a dynamic faith where debate, inquiry, and perseverance are encouraged—seen in biblical figures like Abraham negotiating with God over Sodom or Moses arguing against the destruction of the Israelites. In modern Jewish interpretations, it signifies that being "Israel" involves an ongoing struggle with tradition, ethics, and God's expectations, fostering resilience and deeper meaning rather than blind adherence. This chosenness is not about superiority but about a burdensome yet profound role in the world, often involving trials that test and refine the people's commitment.
"Israel" in Hebrew is "Yisra'el" (יִשְׂרָאֵל),
