²¹ Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless.^(A) The Lord answered his prayer,^(B) and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. ²² The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.^(C)

²³ The Lord said to her,

²⁴ When the time came for her to give birth,^(F) there were twin boys in her womb.^{(G) 25} The first to come out was red,^(H) and his whole body was like a hairy garment;^(I) so they named him Esau.^{[a](J) 26} After this, his brother came out,^(K) with his hand grasping Esau’s heel;^(L) so he was named Jacob.^[b](M) Isaac was sixty years old^(N) when Rebekah gave birth to them.

²⁷ The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter,^(O) a man of the open country,^(P) while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents.

¹⁰ Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac.^{(A) 11} Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad^(B)—in order that God’s purpose^(C) in election might stand: ¹² not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”^{[a](D) 13} Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”^[b](E)

Jacob Wrestles With God

²² That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons^(A) and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.^{(B) 23} After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.^{(C) 24} So Jacob was left alone,^(D) and a man^(E) wrestled with him till daybreak. ²⁵ When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip^(F) so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. ²⁶ Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”^(G)

²⁷ The man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,”^(H) he answered.

²⁸ Then the man said, “Your name^(I) will no longer be Jacob, but Israel,^[a](J) because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”^(K)

²⁹ Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”^(L)

But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?”^(M) Then he blessed^(N) him there.

³⁰ So Jacob called the place Peniel,^[b] saying, “It is because I saw God face to face,^(O) and yet my life was spared.”

³¹ The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel,^[c](P) and he was limping because of his hip.

Faith in Action

11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for^(A) and assurance about what we do not see.^(B)

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