So Jacob leaves Galeed (region of Gilead) and heads on towards home (Beersheba). Flush from his wealthy and productive sojourn among the Arameans, he seemed to be intent on making peace with his estranged brother Esau. So he sends emissaries ahead of him to Edom (south east of Beersheba) where Esau's tribe was located.
Along the way he struggles with a man, he recognizes as 'God' who injures the sinew of his thigh (real thigh this time...probably dislocated his hip). The significance of this curious story is not very clear and various commentators have different speculative interpretations of this event.
Jacob apparently makes peace with Esau, perhaps recognizing that their tribes were fated to encamp next to each other, and that he would be in dire danger if Esau continued to harbour thoughts of vengeance.
Then the story of Dinah (daughter of Leah) who went visiting in the Canaanite city of Shechem. This fateful trip resulted in Dinah being raped by the Prince of Shechem. Despite the Prince's attempts to marry Dinah, the sons of Jacob, tricked the Shechem tribesmen into enduring a circumcision. And while they were in pain, the brothers massacred the entire tribe, much to Jacob's consternation.
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You know, this part about Jacob wrestling with God, I struggle to understand the significance of this passage. I know it's supposed to be about Jacob's life taking a turn here - but besides the name change, I really cannot see any other change in Jacob. I mean he was a conniving fella, constantly 'wrestling' for blessing - but isn't he doing exactly that now, with God? Even when he was crippled, he wouldnt let go until he was blessed. I read elsewhere that he went from wrestling to clinging, and that was supposed to mean that there is a change somehow. But I still cannot see it. Immediately after this, he set out to meet Esau - and he was still the conniving fella - placing his least favoured ones in the frontline and his most precious at the back, and told Esau yet another lie. Was the change reported in Chap 35 - where he got his whole family to get rid of all the foreign gods in Bethel? Is that supposed to show that he is more a man of God now? I dont think so. So what was the significance in that passage, and also in the name change - "for you have struggled with God and with man and have overcome"? overcome what?
Yeah, this passage continues to puzzle me. None of the explanations and theories given by commentators are in any way convincing.
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