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Chapter 31
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Genesis, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
God, Humanity, and Creation
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises
The Role of Women
Summary
Analysis
Jacob continues on his way, in the company of the angels of God. As he approaches the country of Edom, he sends messengers to his brother Esau. The messengers return with word that Esau is coming to meet Jacob, bringing 400 men. Alarmed, Jacob divides his household into two companies, so that if one group is attacked and destroyed, the other may survive. Then Jacob prays fervently to God for deliverance, reminding God of his promise to do Jacob good and grant him innumerable offspring.
God guards and blesses Jacob’s return to Canaan. In his homeland, Jacob faces unfinished business—especially his youthful conflict with his brother, Esau. When he hears that Esau is approaching with a huge company, Jacob naturally fears that after 20 years, Esau still carries a grudge for Jacob’s childhood deceit and wants to get revenge. In response, Jacob humbly appeals to God to fulfill his promise.
Themes
That night, Jacob prepares a gift for Esau—large flocks of goats, sheep, camels, cows, and donkeys. Then he gives these flocks to his servants and instructs them to drive the animals in Esau’s direction. When they meet Esau, they should tell him that the gift is from Jacob. Jacob hopes this gesture will appease his brother.
Jacob’s gift, taken out of the abundance of God’s provision for him, is meant to signal to Esau that Jacob bears only good intentions toward his brother, and that Esau should trust him, despite his deceit long ago.
Themes
That same night, Jacob crosses the Jabbok river along with his wives, maids, and 11 children. After settling them there, Jacob sleeps alone on the opposite side of the Jabbok. A man comes to him and wrestles with him until daybreak. The man is unable to defeat Jacob, so he puts Jacob’s hip out of joint and asks Jacob to let him go. But Jacob refuses to let the man go unless the man blesses him. The man declares that he must no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, because he has striven with both God and people and prevailed over them. He blesses Jacob, and Jacob limps onward.
“Jacob” and “Jabbok” are similar Hebrew names; the Hebrew word for “wrestles” also sounds similar to both. Jacob’s mysterious wrestling match with the man is not fully explained. By the end of the encounter, Jacob apparently believes that he has wrestled with God. The wrestling seems to be God’s response to Jacob’s prayer for blessing. Jacob has striven with others his whole life (like with Esau and Laban); now what he needs most is not to prevail by his own strength, but to trust God’s blessing.
Themes
