“Most mysterious of all the stories of Jacob is that of his wrestling with the angel, and many different explanations of it have been offered, religious, symbolical, metaphorical. As told in the Bible, the tale is simply this. Jacob, returning with all his garnered wealth toward Palestine, must have followed much the same route as did his grandfather Abraham, before him. From Syria, he passed southward through Damascus and then by one of the eastern tributaries of the Jordan came down into its valley. Here he sent all of his people before him across the ford of a little stream called the Jabbok, while he remained alone all night upon the bank of the stream.
During the night an angel, or perhaps the Lord Himself, came as a man and wrestled with him. Jacob put forth all his bodily strength, but in the end, his spiritual opponent paused and, merely touching Jacob’s thigh, made him lame and helpless. Yet with his arms, Jacob clung resolutely to his antagonist and refused to let him go unless he would bless Jacob. Then the vision blessed him, and changed his name, as Abram’s had been changed, saying “Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.”
-The Bible and its Story, Volume 1: The Law, Genesis to Leviticus
