Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel - Yisrael , from sar , a prince, or sarah , he ruled as a prince, and el , God; or rather from ish , a man, (the aleph being dropped), and raah , he saw, el , God; and this corresponds with the name which Jacob imposed on the place, calling it peniel , the faces of God, or of Elohim, which faces being manifested to him caused him to say, Genesis 32:30, raithi Elohim panim el panim , i.e., "I have seen the Elohim faces to faces, (i.e., fully and completely, without any medium), vattinnatsel napshi , and my soul is redeemed." We may learn from this that the redemption of the soul will be the blessed consequence of wrestling by prayer and supplication with God: "The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." From this time Jacob became a new man; but it was not till after a severe struggle that he got his name, his heart, and his character changed. After this he was no more Jacob the supplanter, but Israel - the man who prevails with God, and sees him face to face.
And hast prevailed - More literally, Thou hast had power with God, and with man thou shalt also prevail. Im Elohim , with the strong God; im anashim , with weak, feeble man. There is a beautiful opposition here between the two words: Seeing thou hast been powerful with the Almighty, surely thou shalt prevail over perishing mortals; as thou hast prevailed with God, thou shalt also prevail with men: God calling the things that were not as though they had already taken place, because the prevalency of this people, the Israelites, by means of the Messiah, who should proceed from them, was already determined in the Divine counsel. He has never said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye my face in vain. He who wrestles must prevail.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Genesis 25:27
Genesis 32:29
Isaiah 49:2
Romans 9:4
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