The Meaning of Genesis 32:22 Explained

Genesis 32:22

KJV: And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.

YLT: And he riseth in that night, and taketh his two wives, and his two maid-servants, and his eleven children, and passeth over the passage of Jabbok;

Darby: And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford of the Jabbok;

ASV: And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two handmaids, and his eleven children, and passed over the ford of the Jabbok.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he rose up  that night,  and took  his two  wives,  and his two  womenservants,  and his eleven  sons,  and passed over  the ford  Jabbok. 

What does Genesis 32:22 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 32:13-32 - Jacob Wrestles And Prevails
There is a fulsomeness in Jacob's address to Esau, which sounds inconsistent with the noblest manhood and the firmest faith. Why should he speak of "my lord" Esau, and endeavor to appease his wrath with soft speeches and rich gifts? Evidently much had to be effected in his character before he could become one of the great spiritual forces of the world, and his supreme discipline came in that midnight wrestle. The Angel who wrestled with him could have been none other than the Son of man, who is also the Angel of the Covenant and Son of God. It was not that Jacob wrestled with the Angel, but that the Angel wrestled with him, as though to discover and reveal his weakness, and to constrain him to quit reliance on his own strength and to learn to cling with the tenacious grip of a lame man, who dare not let go, lest he fall to the earth. Ah, it is well to be even maimed, if through the withered thigh we may learn to lay hold on the everlasting strength of God, and learn His secret Name! [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 32

1  Jacob's vision at Mahanaim
3  His message to Esau
6  He is afraid of Esau's coming
9  He prays for deliverance
13  He sends a present to Esau, and passes the brook Jabbok
24  He wrestles with an angel at Peniel, where he is called Israel
31  He halts

What do the individual words in Genesis 32:22 mean?

And he arose night that and took - two his wives and his maidservants one [and] ten his sons and crossed over - the ford of Jabbok
וַיָּ֣קָם ׀ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה ה֗וּא וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־ שְׁתֵּ֤י נָשָׁיו֙ וְאֶת־ שִׁפְחֹתָ֔יו אַחַ֥ד עָשָׂ֖ר יְלָדָ֑יו וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֔ר אֵ֖ת מַעֲבַ֥ר יַבֹּֽק

וַיָּ֣קָם ׀  And  he  arose 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
בַּלַּ֣יְלָה  night 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַיִל 
Sense: night.
ה֗וּא  that 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
וַיִּקַּ֞ח  and  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שְׁתֵּ֤י  two 
Parse: Number, fdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
נָשָׁיו֙  his  wives 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
שִׁפְחֹתָ֔יו  his  maidservants 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שִׁפְחָה  
Sense: maid, maid-servant, slavegirl.
אַחַ֥ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
עָשָׂ֖ר  [and]  ten 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂר 
Sense: ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers).
יְלָדָ֑יו  his  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יֶלֶד  
Sense: child, son, boy, offspring, youth.
וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֔ר  and  crossed  over 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
אֵ֖ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מַעֲבַ֥ר  the  ford 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲבָר 
Sense: ford, pass, passing.
יַבֹּֽק  of  Jabbok 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יַבֹּק  
Sense: Additional Information: Jabbok = “emptying”.