The Bible Slam: Genesis Chapter 32

Jacob meets some angels of God in a placed called Mahanaim, but the chapter doesn't say why or what happened.

He then worries about meeting up with his older twin brother Esau who he had betrayed and sends some scouts out. The scouts report that Esau has 400 men surrounding him and Jacob is scared and prays to God for deliverance. He sends some of his servants ahead, with gifts of hundreds of head of livestock.

That night, his two wives and two "servant wives" go ahead of him and "Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day." This   "man" has been interpreted as God or, in other interpretations, an angel. Whatever it is, it changes Jacob's name to Israel, meaning "for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed."

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Talking Points.

Polygamy – It's pretty clear that polygamy is fine in the bible.   Jacob has two wives (who are sisters) and two "servant wives."

Not eating tendon from the hip area? According to the King James Version (Gen 32:32):

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.

This is interesting in that it seems to be written as a "present" tense type of verse … "unto this day."   Is this eating habit true?

Seeing the Face of God. In Genesis 32:30, Jacob says, "I have seen God face to face."   Yet, we find the following elsewhere in the bible (source:   Skeptics Annotated, King James Version):

  • Exodus 33:20 -There shall no man see me, and live.
  • John 1:18 -No man hath seen God at any time.
  • John 6:46 -Not that any man hath seen the Father.
  • 1 Timothy 1:17 -Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever.
  • 1 Timothy 6:16 -Whom no man hath seen nor can see.
  • 1 John 4:12 -No man hath seen God at any time.

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