{"id":38672,"date":"2018-08-26T11:36:33","date_gmt":"2018-08-26T08:36:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=38672"},"modified":"2022-03-20T16:53:50","modified_gmt":"2022-03-20T14:53:50","slug":"chapter-summary-genesis-32","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/chapter-summary-genesis-32\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter Summary – Genesis 32"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[],"acf":{"old_id":"38672","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":false,"related_cahpter":"32","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"Chapter 32 Summary: Close Encounters of the Third Kind\r\n","content":"

For an entire chapter, Jacob prepares for his encounter with his brother Esau (which will take place in the next chapter). \u00a0One can certainly understand the pressure which grew after the messengers, whom Jacob sent to inform Esau about his return, informed him that Esau \u201cis coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him\u201d (Genesis 32:7).<\/span><\/p>\n

What does on do? \u00a0You start shooting in every direction:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Split the camp (the people and property) into two. \u00a0If one half gets killed at war, at least the second one will remain (verses 8-9).<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Pray (to God who had instructed Jacob to return to Canaan and promised to protect him): \u201cDeliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; else, I fear, he may come and strike me down, mothers and children alike\u201d (verses 10-13).<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Give gifts to Esau–abundant gifts from the best of the sheep, camels, and cattle in incremental installments: one messenger after another, one set of flock after another, and in the mouth of each one is the message: \u201cthey are a gift sent to my Lord Esau\u201d (verse 19).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    In the next chapter, as was stated, Jacob meets Esau (stay tuned!). \u00a0However, the night before, and after he took everyone over the Jordan, a mysterious and surprising encounter takes place, \u201cJacob was left alone. \u00a0And a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn\u201d (verse 25). While they were wrestling, Jacob is injured in his leg, but in the end he manages to vanquish the mysterious character and is not ready to release him without receiving a blessing. \u00a0With the blessing, Jacob gets from this mysterious character a new name–Israel. It is based on his ability to grapple and win \u201cfor you have striven with beings divine and human, and have prevailed\u201d (verse 29). Jacob calls the place of the struggle Peniel–\u201dI have seen a divine being face to face, yet my life has been preserved\u201d (verse 31).<\/span><\/p>\n

    Points to Ponder:<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. The chapter opens and closes with \u201cencounters of the third kind\u201d which are documented by the names of the places. \u00a0At Mahanaim, Jacob meets \u201cGod\u2019s camp\u201d (verses 2-3) and at Peniel he sees \u201cI have seen a divine being face to face\u201d (verse 31).<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. Jacob shows great diplomacy. \u00a0Pay attention to the organization of the animals sent ahead to Esau and the message that Jacob\u2019s servants are supposed to deliver (verses 14-21).<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. Jacob\u2019s prayer is worth quoting: \u201cI am unworthy of all the kindness and by all the truth that You have so steadfastly shown Your servant: \u00a0with my staff alone I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps\u201d (verse 11). (The first part of this phrase has entered modern Hebrew usage and the entire verse is the basis of Israeli singer Yonatan Razel\u2019s song; listen at<\/span> https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HZYivKwVmJc<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/li>\n
    4. A change in name signals a change in essence. \u00a0We have encountered name changes previously in the patriarchal family. Abram became Abraham, Sarai became Sarah (Chapter 17). \u00a0This time, the name change is more dramatic. This is especially true if we recall where Jacob got his name in the first place (\u201che might supplant me these two times\u201d in Genesis 27:36), has Jacob changed with his change in name? \u00a0Let\u2019s look for answers in the upcoming chapters.<\/span><\/li>\n
    5. The thigh muscle: \u00a0It is not clear where exactly on his body Jacob was injured, but surprisingly, this injury is the explanation for one of the laws of keeping kosher–the prohibition of eating the thigh muscle (verse 33).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","image":{"ID":86314,"id":86314,"title":"Points to ponder","filename":"Points-to-ponder.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/points-to-ponder-psalm-84\/points-to-ponder\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"points-to-ponder","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":86166,"date":"2021-01-09 20:56:58","modified":"2023-12-28 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Daily Summary","main_caption":"Points to Ponder: Genesis 32","main_caption_size":"1","sub_caption":"Insights and questions for personal reflection and group discussion","preview_embedded":"","preview_image":{"ID":86314,"id":86314,"title":"Points to ponder","filename":"Points-to-ponder.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/points-to-ponder-psalm-84\/points-to-ponder\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"points-to-ponder","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":86166,"date":"2021-01-09 20:56:58","modified":"2023-12-28 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