Genesis 32:28: “Then the man said, ‘Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.’”
Days turned into nights, and nights turned into days while Jacob’s caravan made good progress on its way to Canaan. After passing through Ramoth-Gilead, they reached the Jabbok, a large tributary of the lower Jordan River. Following the Jabbok River downstream they worked their way to the area where the two rivers met. After crossing over to the other side and arriving in Canaan they set up camp. At night Jacob dreamt of angels surrounding the campsite. When he awoke the following morning he decided to name this place “Mahanaim” – the camp of God.
To prepare for his meeting with Esau, Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to announce his coming. When the messengers returned they reported: “Esau is coming to meet you with four hundred men.”
Now Jacob feared for his life and worried about his family. “I’ll try to appease him with gifts”, he thought. And so he selected two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. He advised his servants to tell Esau: “These animals are a gift sent to my lord Esau. Your servant Jacob is on his way.”
Meanwhile Jacob’s mind was spinning as he tried to come up with ways to protect himself from his brother, who appeared to be a much bigger threat than Laban ever was. “400 men”, Jacob thought, “We don’t stand a chance. Lord, please have mercy on us!” He decided to divide the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well. “Maybe one group can escape while the other is attacked”, he thought to himself.
The following night Jacob slept fitfully. He finally got up, took his two wives, his two female servants, his sons and daughter and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He himself stayed back, all alone. Prostrating himself before the Lord he prayed: “O Lord of my grandfather Abraham and my father Isaac, I’m a flawed man, unworthy of Your Love. How can I be sure that You will fight for me and not against me?”
Out of the blue a voice addressed him from behind, saying: “Get up, Jacob. Get up and fight!” Jacob turned around to see who was talking to him. At that moment a man attacked him trying to wrestle him to the ground. Instinctively, Jacob fought back. For hours he wrestled with the man. At sunrise his opponent touched the socket of his hip, dislocating it. Jacob cried out in pain, but he still held on and would not let go of him. The man addressed him politely and said: “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” Still Jacob did not release his grip and replied with gritted teeth: “I will not let you go – unless you bless me.” He could not make out the features of the man he was wrestling with, but he heard a smile in his voice when he asked him: “What is your name?” Jacob finally loosened his grip and said, “My name is Jacob.” To his amazement the man replied [Genesis 32:28]:
“Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”
As the wrestler got ready to leave, Jacob wished that he would stay a little while longer. What’s your name?” he asked him. The man replied. “Why do you want to know my name?” Then he touched Jacob’s forehead and blessed him before he vanished from sight.
Though his hip hurt, Jacob felt as if he was walking on clouds as he gingerly limped towards the tents of his family. Behind his back the pastels of dawn colored the awakening sky.