different sources. In 26a it is a stratagem resorted to by a wrestler unable to gain the advantage by ordinary means (like the trick of Ulysses in Il. xxiii. 725 ff.); in 26b it is an accident which happens to Jacob in the course of the struggle. It has even been suggested that in the original legend the subj. of 26a was Jacob—that it was he who disabled his antagonist in the manner described (Ho. Gu. Che.: see Müller, AE, 1631; Luther, ZATW, xxi. 65 ff.; Meyer, INS, 57). It is possible (though certainly not probable) that this was the view of the document (J or E) to which 26a belongs, and that it underlies Hos. 125.
27. Let me go, for the dawn is breaking] Comp. Plautus,
Amphitr. 532 f., where Jupiter says: "Cur me tenes?
Tempus est: exire ex urbe priusquam lucescat volo." It is
a survival of the wide-spread belief in spirits of the night
which must vanish at dawn (Hamlet, Act 1. Sc. i.); and
as such, a proof of the extreme antiquity of the legend.—But
the request reveals to Jacob the superhuman character of
his adversary, and he resolves to hold him fast till he has
extorted a blessing from him.—28, 29. Here the blessing is
imparted in the form of a new name conferred on Jacob in
memory of this crowning struggle of his life.—thou hast striven with God] Yisrā'ēl, probably = 'God strives' (v.i.), is
interpreted as 'Striver with God'; cf. a similar transformation
of (
Hebrew characters) ('Baal contends') in Ju. 632. Such a name is a
true 'blessing,' as a pledge of victory and success to the
nation which bears it.—and with men] This can hardly
refer merely to the contests with Laban and Esau; it points
rather to the existence of a fuller body of legend, in which
Jacob figured as the hero of many combats, culminating
G (Greek characters), S (Syriac characters), V emarcuit, TO (Hebrew characters) ('gave way'),—all conjectural.—29.
(Hebrew characters)] A name of the same type as (Hebrew characters), (Hebrew characters), etc., with some such
meaning as 'God strives' or 'Let God strive'; originally (it has been
suggested) a war-cry which passed into a proper name (see Steuernagel,
Einw. 61). The vb. (Hebrew characters), however, only occurs in connexion with this
incident (Ho. 124. 5, where read (Hebrew characters)), and in the personal name (Hebrew characters); and
its real meaning is uncertain. If it be the Heb. equivalent of Ar. šariya,
Dri. argues that it must mean 'persist' or 'persevere' rather than
'strive' (DB, ii. 530), which hardly yields a suitable idea. Some take
it as a by-form of (Hebrew characters), either in a denominative sense ('rule,' from (Hebrew characters),
prince), or in its assumed primary significance 'shine forth' (Ass. šarâru:
see Vollers, ARW, ix. 184). Some doubt has even been thrown on the
traditional Heb. pronunciation by the form Ysir'r, found on an inscr. of
Merneptah (Steindorff, ZATW, xvi. 330 ff.), with which we may compare
