Bible Fiber is doing a one-year sprint through the foundational narratives of the first five books of the Bible, the Torah. As we follow the weekly Jewish reading calendar, we arrive at this week’s Torah portion, called Vayishlah, which means “and he sent.” The portion covers Genesis 32:4 through 36:43. At the start of the passage, we find our patriarch Jacob returning to the promised land after twenty years of living in Haran. That means it has also been two decades since he faced his brother Esau. The last time they were together, Esau was furious with Jacob for taking his birthright and blessing, to the point that he threatened to kill him (Gen. 27:41). Their mother, Rebekah, heard of Esau’s intentions and warned Jacob, said, “Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran” (Genesis 27:43). Because of the threat and his mother’s intervention, Jacob had to leave his home and start his long exile.
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That is the backstory of this week’s Torah portion. Jacob sets off to return to his ancestral homeland. His route takes him near the borders of Edom, the territory that belonged to Esau and his descendants. Jacob left as a single man on the run, but he returns accompanied by four women—his two wives and his two maidservants—and twelve children. Besides his family, he returns with a vast amount of wealth and a herd of livestock. This wealth was so substantial that, fearing his brother Esau, Jacob divided his people and possessions into two camps in case Esau attacked the first caravan that crossed over into Canaan.
Jacob prepared a huge peace offering for Esau. From his herds, he sent 550 animals ahead in separate droves to soften Esau’s disposition before their meeting. Along with the gift, Jacob sent messengers ahead to his brother in the land of Seir with a message intended to be an apology for his previous deception. Per Jacob’s instruction, the messengers referred to Esau as “my lord Esau” and to Jacob as “your servant Jacob” (Gen. 32:4). He wanted to signal that he was not returning to challenge his brother. The messengers also reported that God had blessed him with wealth. Implicit in that news was Jacob’s assurance that he was not returning to claim any part of the stolen inheritance. All Jacob sought was to find favor in Esau’s sight.
The Bookends of Exile: Bethel vs. Peniel
Jacob was not the same person returning to Canaan as he was when he left twenty years prior. The biblical narrative presents an intentional symmetry to show this transformation, framing his self-induced exile with two distinct nighttime encounters with the Divine. These two events place parentheses around his time away, marking the beginning and the culmination of his spiritual journey. Jacob’s transformation started during his initial flight from home and was only fully realized upon his return. In both instances, Jacob was vulnerable and isolated. However, the nature of his interaction shifted dramatically from a passive recipient to an active participant.
The first encounter occurred at Bethel as Jacob fled the promised land (Gen. 28:10-22). It was in a moment of lonely despair, with a stone for a pillow, that he first realized the powerful presence of God in his life. This experience was entirely passive; the message from God was unsolicited and arrived while Jacob slept. In his dream of angels ascending and descending a ladder, God stood above and offered a unilateral promise of land, descendants, and protection (Gen. 28:13-15). Jacob awoke stunned by the revelation, admitting, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it” (Gen. 28:16). At this stage, he was a fugitive receiving assurance of God’s protective hand on his life.
The second encounter took place at the Jabbok riverbank, on the night before Jacob was to face Esau again. Mirroring his departure, Jacob was alone, having sent his wives, children, and possessions across the ford to safety. Genesis 32:24 sets the scene for this mysterious battle: “Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.”
The dynamics of this divine encounter were active. Neither man won the wrestling match, but when the opponent saw he could not overpower Jacob, he touched the patriarch’s hip socket, dislocating it. Despite this injury, Jacob refused to release his grip until he received a blessing. The being then declared, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed” (Gen. 32:28).
While the earlier revelation at Bethel provided a promise of what God would do for him, this wrestling match resulted in a new identity. The entire Old Testament narrates the covenant people’s struggle with God but their absolute refusal to let go.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, in his commentary on this passage, wrote, “Faith does not mean certainty. It means the courage to live with uncertainty. It does not mean having the answers, it means having the courage to ask the questions and not let go of God, as he does not let go of us.” The opposite of faith is not doubt, but the cessation of that wrestling match. To be a believer is to stay in the ring, questioning and struggling, but never walking away.
Who Was the Wrestler?
The identity of the mysterious wrestler in Genesis is one of the most debated subjects in biblical interpretation, as the text intentionally blurs the lines between human, angelic, and divine. The narrative initially introduces the antagonist simply as a “man” (Hebrew ish), appearing out of the darkness. However, as dawn breaks, the terminology shifts. The stranger said that Jacob has struggled “with God” (Elohim), and afterward, Jacob calls the place Peniel (“Face of God”) because he is sure he has seen God face to face and lived. The prophet Hosea later harmonizes these descriptions stating that Jacob “struggled with God” and “struggled with the angel” (Hosea 12:3-4).
Jewish tradition, specifically within the Midrash and commentaries that expand upon the Mishnah, offers a specific identification that transforms the meaning of the fight. The rabbis teach that this “man” was not the Creator himself, but rather the guardian angel of Esau. In this view, the wrestling match was a necessary spiritual conquest preceding the physical reunion. Jacob could not hope to face his brother Esau in the flesh until he had first subdued Esau’s spiritual representative in the heavenly realm.
Traditionally, Christians interpret this passage as a Christophany—a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. This view asserts that the “man” was the eternal Son of God appearing in a temporary human form. This interpretation relies on the theological tension that while Exodus 33 states no man can see the Father and live, Jacob claims to have seen God face to face and survived. Christian theology resolves this by identifying the figure as the Son, who is the visible image of the invisible God. For the Christian reader, this mysterious wrestler represents the willingness of God to humble himself and enter the dust of human existence.
The Reconciliation
The next day, when Jacob finally confronts Esau, he no longer seems afraid. He has already faced the ultimate fight in the night; the face of his brother can no longer terrify him. Genesis said, “He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother” (Gen. 33:3).
A newly humbled Jacob makes clear it is not wealth or power that he cares to keep. He offers Esau a portion of his wealth. He bows to Esau, submitting his power by referring to himself as a servant and to Esau as “my lord.” Strikingly, Jacob connects his reconciliation with Esau to his encounter with God. He told Esau in Genesis 33:10: “For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably.”
We see that wealth and power are not the portions of the birthright that Jacob holds for his own. What he intends to retain from the inheritance is the covenantal relationship with God that will forever be a sign to the world of God’s fidelity. Israel, both the man and the nation, is born.
That’s it for this week. In the newsletter version of the episode, I am including three questions that you can study for either your personal use or a group study. They are thought-provoking questions that I think the text asks of us as readers. Be sure to sign up for our emails at www.thejerusalemconnection.us.
Join me next week as we read Vayeshev which covers Genesis 37:1–40:23.
Shabbat Shalom and Am Israel Chai.
Discussion Questions
- The Two Encounters (Genesis 28:16 & 32:24): Jacob’s first encounter with God (Bethel) was passive—he was asleep and observed a vision. His second encounter (Peniel) was active and physical—he grabbed hold and wrestled. Which type of encounter feels more relevant or accessible to modern faith—the passive assurance (dream) or the active struggle (wrestling)? Why?
- The Identity of the Adversary (Hosea 12:4 & Genesis 32:30): We discussed two interpretations of the “man” Jacob wrestled: the spiritual accuser (Esau’s guardian angel) and a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus (Christophany). How does accepting the encounter as a struggle against a spiritual accuser (who represented his guilt and fear) change your view of the battle? How does seeing the figure as God (or a version of him) change your view of God’s willingness to engage humanity?
- The Meaning of Israel (Genesis 32:28): Jacob’s name is changed to Israel, meaning “one who struggles/wrestles with God.” The story validates active engagement, even struggle, with the Divine. What does this suggest about the acceptable role of doubt, demanding answers, or spiritual argument in your own faith journey?
- Reconciliation and Humility (Genesis 33:3 & 33:10): Jacob, now a powerful man with a new name (Israel), bows seven times to his estranged brother Esau. He then tells Esau that seeing his face is like seeing the face of God. What does this sequence—wrestling with God, receiving a blessing, and then submitting to his brother—reveal about how spiritual power should translate into physical and relational humility?