Lexical Summary abaq: wrestled Original Word: אָבַק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance wrestle A primitive root, probably to float away (as vapor), but used only as denominative from 'abaq; to bedust, i.e. Grapple -- wrestle. see HEBREW 'abaq NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition to wrestle NASB Translation wrestled (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [אָבַק] verb denominative Niph`al wrestle (= get dusty, compare κόνις, κονίω, see also StrPirke Aboth, 1, 4 מִתְאַבֵּק בַּעֲפַר רַגְלֵיהֶם = sit at their feet; others, e.g. Di, compare חבק). וַיֵּאָבֵק עִם Genesis 32:25; Infinitive suffix בְּהֵאָֽבְקוֺ עִם Genesis 32:26. אבר (compare Assyrian abâru, be firm, strong DlW). Topical Lexicon OccurrencesGenesis 32:24–25 sets the entire biblical stage for אָבַק. “So Jacob was left alone, and there a Man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the Man saw that He could not overpower him, He touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was dislocated as he wrestled with Him” (Berean Standard Bible). These two verses contain the only explicit occurrences of the verb, yet the struggle reverberates through Scripture. Historical Setting Jacob is returning from Paddan-Aram with wives, children, and livestock, facing a potentially lethal reunion with Esau (Genesis 32:6–8). The ford of the Jabbok becomes the stage where the patriarch’s lifelong pattern of striving—first with Esau, then Laban, and now God Himself—reaches its climax. Night, isolation, and suspense all frame אָבַק as a turning-point event within redemption history. Narrative and Theological Significance 1. Divine condescension The unnamed “Man” initiates contact, permitting Jacob to grapple physically with the One who alone can bless. God stoops to human level, foreshadowing later incarnational themes. 2. Transformation and naming Jacob emerges limping yet renamed: “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:28). The wrestling verb thus becomes the hinge between an old identity built on self-help and a new identity rooted in covenant grace. 3. Covenant continuity By dawn the promise made to Abraham is renewed through a battered but blessed grandson. Hosea later interprets the event: “He struggled with the Angel and prevailed; he wept and sought His favor” (Hosea 12:4), linking Jacob’s wrestle to heartfelt repentance and worship. Perseverance in Prayer Jacob’s refusal to release his Opponent—“I will not let You go unless You bless me” (Genesis 32:26)—models importunate prayer. The New Testament echoes the motif: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful” (Colossians 4:2). The believer’s grip on God’s promises mirrors Jacob’s hand on the divine Wrestler. Spiritual Warfare Ephesians 6:12 broadens the concept: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers…against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” The lone Old Testament wrestling scene anticipates every believer’s conflict, redirecting attention from human antagonists to the realm of spiritual opposition. Victory comes not through overpowering God but through clinging to Him. Humility and Brokenness The dislocated hip ensures that Jacob—and Israel—will forever remember the source of blessing. Physical weakness complements spiritual strength: “My power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Ministers and congregations alike learn that authentic power proceeds from yielded, even wounded, vessels. Christological Foreshadowing Many interpreters see the Wrestler as a pre-incarnate appearance of the Son. The mysterious figure speaks with divine authority, yet manifests in tangible form, preparing hearts for the ultimate self-revelation in Jesus Christ, who wrestled in Gethsemane and conquered at the cross. Practical Ministry Applications • Encourage believers to engage honestly with God; unanswered questions and fierce petitions can coexist with reverence. Key Themes for Preaching and Teaching 1. Striving with God: confronting self-reliance. Summary Though אָבַק appears only twice, its theological footprint is vast. Jacob’s midnight contest previews the believer’s lifelong wrestling: clinging to God’s promises, confessing frailty, and emerging transformed. Through this verb Scripture reveals a God who engages, blesses, and renames His people, ensuring that every limp testifies to sovereign grace. Forms and Transliterations בְּהֵֽאָבְק֖וֹ בהאבקו וַיֵּאָבֵ֥ק ויאבק bə·hê·’ā·ḇə·qōw bəhê’āḇəqōw beheaveKo vaiyeaVek way·yê·’ā·ḇêq wayyê’āḇêqLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 32:24 HEB: יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֵּאָבֵ֥ק אִישׁ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ NAS: and a man wrestled with him until KJV: was left alone; and there wrestled a man INT: Jacob alone wrestled another with Genesis 32:25 2 Occurrences |
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