And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
When he saw that he could not defeat Jacob, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip, and Jacob's hip was pulled out of joint as they continued wrestling.
The mysterious wrestler, realizing he couldn't overpower Jacob through strength alone, injured Jacob's hip during their intense struggle.
📚 Historical Context
This verse occurs during Jacob's famous all-night wrestling match with a mysterious figure (later revealed to be God or an angel) at the Jabbok River. Jacob was returning to his homeland after twenty years away, anxious about meeting his brother Esau whom he had deceived. This supernatural encounter would transform Jacob's identity and give him the new name Israel, meaning 'he who wrestles with God.'
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