Hebrew In Israel | Theology Through Translation, The Case of Genesis 32:24-31 – Learn Torah

Genesis 32:24–31 recounts a cryptic and theologically significant episode in which Ya’aqov (Jacob) wrestles with an unidentified “man” through the night, leading to the bestowal of the name Yisra’el and Ya’aqov’s subsequent declaration that he had “seen God face-to-face.” This passage has elicited centuries of debate regarding the identity of the “man,” the nature of the encounter, and its broader implications. Central to this discussion is the interpretive methods provided by the ancient Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible, which reveal diverse theological understandings.

The Biblical Text and Its Literary Context

Genesis 32:24–31 marks a pivotal moment in the Ya’aqov narrative, occurring on the eve of his reunion with his estranged brother Esav (Esau). The passage begins with Ya’aqov remaining alone, after sending his family and possessions across the Yabbok River, when “a man” (אִישׁ) appears and wrestles with him until dawn. As the struggle concludes, the “man” incapacitates Ya’aqov by touching his hip socket, blesses him with the name Yisra’el, and cryptically declines to reveal his own name. Ya’aqov then names the site Peni’el (face of El), declaring, “For I have seen God face-to-face, and my life has been preserved” (32:30).

The transition from Ya’aqov (“heel-grabber” or “supplanter”) to Yisra’el (“he who strives with God”) signifies a transformation in Ya’aqov’s character and relationship with the divine. However, the ambiguous identity of the “man” creates interpretive challenges: Is this figure an angel, a theophany, or a symbolic representation of Ya’aqov’s internal struggles?

Theological Ambiguities: The Identity of the “Man” and Divine Encounter

The narrative presents a duality in the description of the “man.” Initially, he is described simply as אִישׁ, suggesting a human-like figure. Yet, by the end of the encounter, Ya’aqov identifies him with אֱלֹהִים (God). This raises significant theological questions: Does Ya’aqov physically wrestle with God, or is the “man” an emissary, such as an angel? Rabbinic tradition often identifies the “man” as Esav’s guardian angel, reflecting a symbolic interpretation of the episode as a precursor to Ya’aqov’s descendants struggle with Esav/Edom.

Hosea’s Interpretation of Ya’aqov’s Wrestling

Hosea 12:4–5 (Hebrew 12:5–6) provides a reflection on Ya’aqov’s wrestling in Genesis 32, reframing it as both a physical and spiritual encounter. The prophet writes:

All of this fits the words of Hosea 12:4-5 (Greek 3-4) who states:

בַּבֶּטֶן עָקַב אֶת אָחִיו וּבְאוֹנוֹ שָׂרָה אֶת אֱלֹהִים.  וָיָּשַׂר אֶל מַלְאָךְ וַיֻּכָל בָּכָה וַיִּתְחַנֶּן לוֹ בֵּית אֵל יִמְצָאֶנּוּ וְשָׁם יְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ.

ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ ἐπτέρνισεν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν κόποις αὐτοῦ ἐνίσχυσεν πρὸς θεὸν καὶ ἐνίσχυσεν μετὰ ἀγγέλου καὶ ἠδυνάσθη· ἔκλαυσαν καὶ ἐδεήθησάν μου, ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ Ων εὕροσάν με, καὶ ἐκεῖ ἐλαλήθη πρὸς αὐτόν. 

“In the womb, he grasped his brother’s heel, and in his manhood, he strove with God. He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought His favor. At Bethel, He found Him, and there He spoke with us.”

Hosea identifies Ya’aqov’s opponent as both אֱלֹהִים (“God”) and מַלְאָךְ (“angel”), using the parallels to explain the context of the struggle and letting us know that it was an angle. This is an example of internal biblical interpretation and historical memory. 

Greek Translations and Their Interpretive Frameworks

The Hebrew Bible’s translation into Greek during the Hellenistic and Roman periods introduced new layers of interpretation, shaped by linguistic constraints, theological considerations, and audience expectations. Genesis 32:24–31 exemplifies how translation choices could influence the understanding of key theological concepts.

The Septuagint (LXX)

The Septuagint (LXX), the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, reflects the theological priorities of Alexandrian Jewish communities in the 3rd century BCE. In Genesis 32:28, the LXX renders אֱלֹהִים as θεὸς, a term that, without the definite article (ὁ), can mean “a god” rather than “God.” This ambiguity aligns with the Second Temple Jewish tendency to distance God from direct physical encounters with humans, likely to safeguard against anthropomorphism. The LXX’s approach to Genesis 32:24–31 mirrors its treatment of other theophanic passages, demonstrating a belief in God’s transcendence while allowing for intermediary figures such as angels to act on His behalf. 

Aquila’s Literalism

Aquila of Sinope, a 2nd-century CE Jewish translator, produced a hyper-literal translation of the Hebrew Bible. His rendering of Genesis 32:28 adheres strictly to the Hebrew syntax, preserving the word אֱלֹהִים as θεός while emphasizing the distinction between God and the “man.” Aquila’s translation reflects a rabbinic agenda, countering Christian allegorical readings by maintaining fidelity to the Hebrew text’s plain meaning.

Symmachus’ Elegance

Symmachus, an Ebionite translator, prioritized idiomatic Greek while preserving the theological integrity of the Hebrew text. In Genesis 32:28, he uses the preposition πρός (“before”) to clarify that Ya’aqov struggled before God, not with Him directly. This nuanced phrasing resolves the theological tension inherent in the notion of physically wrestling with God, aligning the translation with Jewish monotheistic sensibilities.

Theodotion’s Revision

Theodotion’s 2nd-century CE revision of the LXX sought to harmonize the Greek text with the Hebrew. His rendering of Genesis 32:28 remains close to the LXX but reflects a conservative effort to preserve the divine implications of the encounter without compromising monotheistic principles.

Broader Interpretive Traditions

Josephus

The Jewish historian Josephus identifies the “man” in Genesis 32:24 as an angel, reflecting a Hellenistic Jewish inclination to rationalize anthropomorphic narratives. Josephus’ description aligns with the LXX’s theological ambiguity and resonates with the broader Second Temple Jewish reluctance to portray direct human encounters with God.

“When Jacob had made these appointments all the day, and night came on, he moved on with his company; and, as they were gone over a certain river called Jabboc, Jacob was left behind; and meeting with an angel, he wrestled with him, the angel beginning to struggle: but he prevailed over the angel, who used a voice, and spoke to him in words, exhorting him to be pleased with what had happened to him, and not to suppose that his victory was a small one, but he had overcome a divine angel, and to esteem the victory as a sign of great blessings that should come to him, and that the offspring should never fall, and that no man should be too hard for his power, He also commanded him to be called Israel, which in the Hebrew tongue signifies one that struggled with the divine angel”

Antiquities, I:20 331-334

Rabbinic Literature

Rabbinic interpretations frequently describe the “man” as Esav’s guardian angel, representing Ya’aqov’s struggles with his brother. Midrashic texts emphasize the spiritual and moral dimensions of the wrestling match, interpreting it as a test of Ya’aqov’s faith and endurance.

רַבִּי חָמָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר שָׂרוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו הָיָה, הוּא דַּהֲוָה אָמַר לֵיהּ (בראשית לג, י): כִּי עַל כֵּן רָאִיתִי פָנֶיךָ כִּרְאֹת פְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים וַתִּרְצֵנִי, מָשָׁל לְאַתְּלֵיטוֹס שֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד וּמִתְגּוֹשֵׁשׁ עִם בְּנוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, תָּלָה עֵינָיו וְרָאָה אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ עוֹמֵד עַל גַּבָּיו וְהִרְפִּישׁ עַצְמוֹ לְפָנָיו, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית לב, כו): וַיַּרְא כִּי לֹא יָכֹל לוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי וַיַּרְא בַּשְּׁכִינָה כִּי לֹא יָכֹל לוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים מִי נָצַח אִם מַלְאָךְ אִם יַעֲקֹב, וּמִן מַה דִּכְתִיב (בראשית לב, כה): וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ, הֱוֵי מִי נִתְמַלֵּא אָבָק הָאִישׁ שֶׁעִמּו.

Rabbi Chama bar Chanina said, “He was the ministering angel of Esav. And that is [what he meant] when he said to him, ‘For this have I seen your face as I saw the face of God and you have accepted me’ (Genesis 33:10). There is a parable about an athlete who got up and wrestled with the son of the king. He lifted his eyes and he saw that the king was standing behind him and [so] he fell to the ground in front of [the son]. This is what [is meant by that which] is written, ‘and he saw that he could not overcome him.’” Rabbi Levi said, “‘And he saw the Divine Presence ‘and he could not overcome him.’” Said Rabbi Berachia, “We do not know who won, whether it was the angel or whether it was Yakov. And from that which it is written, ‘and a man wrestled (vayitabek, the root of which contains the letters that spell dust) with him,’ prove who was covered in dust – the man that was with him.’ 

MR 77:3

Conclusion

Genesis 32:24–31 is a richly layered text that has inspired diverse interpretations across Jewish and Christian traditions. The Greek translations—ranging from the Septuagint’s theological ambiguity to Aquila’s literalism and Symmachus’ elegance—demonstrate the complex interplay between linguistic fidelity, theological concerns, and cultural contexts. These translations, alongside the interpretations of Josephus and rabbinic literature, underscore the evolving understanding of Ya’aqov’s wrestling with the “man” and the broader implications of divine-human interaction in the biblical text.

Bibliography

Aejmelaeus, Anneli. On the Trail of the Septuagint Translators: Collected Essays. Leuven: Peeters, 2007.
Feldman, Louis H. Josephus’s Interpretation of the Bible. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1998.
Grabbe, Lester L. An Introduction to Second Temple Judaism. London: T&T Clark, 2010.
Jobes, Karen H., and Moisés Silva. Invitation to the Septuagint. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2000.

Marcos, Natalio Fernández, The Septuagint in Context Introduction to the Greek Version of the Bible, Brill, 2000.

ציפור, משה, תרגום השבעים לספר בראשית, רמת גן 2005.