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Genesis
32: 1-12
1. Having
woken up his family in the middle of the night for no apparent
reason, Jacob crossed the Ford of Jabbok. It was a suitable crossing
point, but behold he still got damp.
2. And Jacob was alone. And lo, a man came unto him, saying, Come on
then. Put them up!
3. And this troubled Jacob, who did not want to wrestle with such a
man, for who would believe his story in the morning.
4. But he looked more upon the man and saw his muscles, and leaped
upon him with an half-nelson.
5. Yet the man shrugged him away saying, That's nothing. Watch this.
6. And he somersaulted towards Jacob. And Jacob side-stepped the
man, who rolled into a nearby rock.
7. And they wrestled on until day-break. And then the man saw that
he could not prevail against Jacob he jumped on his hip from a great
height, and behold Jacob's hip was put out of joint. And he was
exceedingly vexed.
8. Yet he held the man in a stranglehold saying, I will not let you
go until you have blessed me.
9. And the man said unto him, What is your name?
10. And Jacob said, Jacob.
11. And the man said unto him, You shall not be called Jacob, but
Huge Haystacks Jacob, for you did not surrender this fight. Then the
man was seen no more, and Jacob limped into the shade exceeding
sore.
12. Therefore to this day the Israelites do not begin their
wrestling matches without first remembering that first bout at
Peniel.
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