²¹ Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; ^(A)and the Lord granted his plea, ^(B)and Rebekah his wife conceived. ²² But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” ^(C)So she went to inquire of the Lord.

²³ And the Lord said to her:

²⁴ So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. ²⁵ And the first came out red. He was ^(G)like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name ^[a]Esau. ²⁶ Afterward his brother came out, and ^(H)his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so ^(I)his name was called ^[b]Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

²⁷ So the boys grew. And Esau was ^(J)a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was ^(K)a ^[c]mild man, ^(L)dwelling in tents.

¹⁰ And not only this, but when ^(A)Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac ¹¹ (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of ^(B)Him who calls), ¹² it was said to her, ^(C)“The older shall serve the younger.” ¹³ As it is written, ^(D)“Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

Wrestling with God

²² And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, ^(A)and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. ²³ He took them, sent them ^[a]over the brook, and sent over what he had. ²⁴ Then Jacob was left alone; and ^(B)a Man wrestled with him until the ^[b]breaking of day. ²⁵ Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He ^[c]touched the socket of his hip; and ^(C)the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. ²⁶ And ^(D)He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.”

But he said, ^(E)“I will not let You go unless You bless me!”

²⁷ So He said to him, “What is your name?”

He said, “Jacob.”

²⁸ And He said, ^(F)“Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but ^[d]Israel; for you have ^(G)struggled with God and ^(H)with men, and have prevailed.”

²⁹ Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.”

And He said, ^(I)“Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He ^(J)blessed him there.

³⁰ So Jacob called the name of the place ^[e]Peniel: “For ^(K)I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” ³¹ Just as he crossed over ^[f]Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip.

By Faith We Understand

11 Now faith is the ^[a]substance of things hoped for, the ^[b]evidence ^(A)of things not seen.

²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was dying, ^(A)blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.