Peniel

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

A spot remarkable in Scripture from the vision of Jacob. The patriarch called it by this name on this account; for he said, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." (See  Genesis 32:30) The word is a compound, from Pana, to see—and El, God. And who was it Jacob saw, and with whom did he wrestle? If Jehovah in his threefold character of person, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, how could this be, who is said to be invisible? If "no man hath seen God at any time," if, as JEHOVAH declared to Moses, ( Exodus 33:20) "There shall no man see me and live," who could this be whom the patriarch Jacob saw, conversed and wrestled with; but the Lord Jesus? Him whom though no man hath seen God at any time, yet "the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." ( John 1:18) Let the reader read the whole passage concerning this Peniel, this hallowed ground, as it is recorded through the whole chapter, ( Genesis 32:1-32) and let him then compare what is there said with what the prophet Hosea, about a thousand years after, said concerning this vision; and let him then, looking up for the teaching of God the Holy Ghost, determine for himself. "He took his brother by the heel (said Hosea, speaking of Jacob) in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God; yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed. He wept and made supplication unto him. He found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us, even the Lord God of host: the Lord is his memorial." ( Hosea 12:3; Hos 12:5)

The history of Jacob, in this very interesting transaction, I am not at present engaged in: it is Jacob's Lord that we are now seeking after. And when the reader hath duly attended to the several striking particularities here recorded, and compared them with other Scriptures, I venture to believe that his conclusions will correspond with mine, that this, and indeed all the representations of the Old Testament concerning the Lord's appearance and manifestation to his people, are directly spoken of in reference to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let the reader first remark that the patriarch called the place Peniel on this account, that "he had seen God's face, and his life was preserved." And yet we are told, ( Genesis 32:24) that it was a man which wrestled with Jacob until the breaking of the day. Now it is remarkable, that he whom the prophet Hosea, in the passage just quoted, in one verse calls the angel, in another he calls "the Lord God of hosts," and saith that "the Lord is his memorial." And observe the prophet doth not say an angel, but the angel, thus particularizing and defining one identical person; and we well know that Christ is often called the "angel of the covenant," ( Malachi 3:1;  Acts 7:30-31) Indeed the patriarch Jacob himself, in another period of his life, called him by this name. (See  Genesis 48:15-16) And if we add to these striking particulars what is said of the Lord, and by the Lord, under the character of human feelings, in other parts of the Old Testament, I cannot but conclude that the whole is abundantly confirmed, that it is the Lord Jesus, and him only, in his mediatorial character, who is all along to be understood as the visible JEHOVAH. Thus it is said, that "his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel." ( Judges 10:16) A beautiful and most interesting portrait of Jesus if beheld as picturing him, but inexplicable in any other point of view. So again the Lord is represented as saying: "I will rejoice over my people to do them good; and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart, and with my whole soul." ( Jeremiah 32:41) Here again, supposing it is Jesus-Mediator which thus speaks, nothing can be more plain and nothing more blessed, for we know that his whole heart and soul is his people's; but concerning the Lord JEHOVAH, in his threefold character of person, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, we dare not, because we are not authorized in any part of Scripture thus to speak of him as possessing parts or passions. He is, as the Holy Ghost himself by the apostle describes him, "the king eternal, immortal, invisible." ( 1 Timothy 1:17) Hence, When the read in the word of God that the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears open to their prayers, and that he openeth his hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing, these expressions are literally true, as well as blessedly refreshing, considered as spoken of Him in whom it hath pleased the Father that "all fulness should dwell," and who is the Head of all principality and power; but cannot be said of JEHOVAH in his absolute nature and Godhead "dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen or can see." ( 1 Timothy 6:16)

I shall find cause to bless God if these observations on Peniel, and the thoughts arising out of the same, be directed of the Lord to throw the least light on a subject so highly interesting, and enable any precious lover of Jesus to form clearer views of him, whom truly to know is life eternal. ( John 17:2-3) Surely nothing can be more blessed than to discover Jesus thus refreshing Old Testament saints with such precious manifestations of himself, as if to shew what love he had to his church and people, and how much he longed for the time appointed when he would openly manifest himself as our glorious Head, and Surety, and Saviour. Precious Jesus! methinks I would say for myself and reader, grant many Peniel visits to thy redeemed now, and make all the manifestations of the full GODHEAD in glory to thy redeemed in heaven tenfold more sweet and blessed, by the communications in thee, and through thee, to flow in upon the souls of thy whole church in eternal happiness for ever. Amen.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Peni'el. (Face Of God). The name, which Jacob gave to the place, in which he had wrestled with God: "He called the name of the place, 'face of El,' for I have seen Elohim face to face."  Genesis 32:30. In  Genesis 32:31, and the other passages in which the name occurs, its form is changed to Penuel . From the narrative, it is evident that Peniel lay somewhere, on the north bank of the Jabbok, and between that torrent, and the fords of the Jordan at Succoth, a few miles north of the glen, where the Jabbok falls into the Jordan.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Peniel ( Pe-Nî'El ), Face Of God. The name which Jacob gave to the place in which he had wrestled with God: "He called the name of the place Peniel; (face of God), for. I have seen God face to face."  Genesis 32:30. Called also Penuel.  Genesis 32:31;  Judges 8:17;  1 Kings 12:25. Peniel lay somewhere on the Jabbok, now Zerka, a few miles north of the glen where the Jabbok falls into the Jordan.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

PENIEL or PENUEL ("face of God"). Name given by Jacob to the place where he saw God face to face and wrestled with Him ( Genesis 32:30; compare  Genesis 33:10;  Judges 8:5;  Judges 8:8;  1 Kings 12:25).

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Genesis 32:30

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

PENIEL. See Penuel.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

See PENUEL.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Penil', פְּנַיאֵל , Face Of God; Samar. פנו אל ; Sept. Ειδος Θεοῦ ; Vulg. Phanuel, and so also the Peshito), the name which Jacob gave to the: place in which he had wrestled with God: "He called the name of the place ‘ Face of El,' for I have seen Elohim face to face" ( Genesis 32:30). With that singular correspondence between the two parts of this narrative which has already been noticed under Mahanaim there is apparently an allusion to the bestowal of the name in 33:10, where Jacob says to Esau, "I have seen thy face as one sees the face of Elohim." In 32:31, and the other passages in which the name occurs, its form is changed to PENUEL ( פְנוּאֵל , Penuel', apparently of the same signification). On this change the lexicographers throw no light. It is perhaps not impossible that Penuel was the original form of the name, and that the slight change to Peniel was made by Jacob or by the historian to suit his allusion to the circumstance under which the patriarch first saw it. The Samaritan Pentateuch has Penuel in all. The promontory of the Ras-el-Shukah. on the coast of Syria above Beirfit, was formerly called Theouprosopon, probably a translation of Peniel, or, its Phoenician equivalent. The scene of Jacob's vision was evidently some spot on the north bank of the Jabbok, between that torrent and Succoth (comp. 32:22 with 33:17). This is in exact agreement with the terms of its next occurrence.

It does not appear that there was any town or village upon the spot at the time of this wondrous event; but it was probably then marked by some rude cairn or stone to serve as a record of the divine presence. We hear no more of it for five hundred years. After the defeat of the Midianites in the valley of Jezreel, Gideon pursued them to their home in the eastern district. On reaching the fords of the Jordan at Succoth, he asked the people of that city to supply food to his fainting followers; they refused, "and he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise" ( Judges 8:8). He probably ascended from the valley of the Jordan through the glen of the Jabbok, which falls into the Jordan a few miles below Succoth. This would bring him direct to the site of Peniel, on which a city appears to have been built in the interval. It was natural, and in accordance with Eastern custom, that a holy place such as Penuel should become the nucleus of a town. In the time of Gideon there was a Tower ( מגדל ) at Peniel, which Gideon destroyed on his return from the conquest of the Midianites. It would seem too that the city was then completely depopulated ( Judges 8:17). It may have remained a ruin till the days of Jeroboam, of whom we read that after taking up his abode in Shechem, he "went out from thence, and built Penuel" ( 1 Kings 12:25). This was done, no doubt, on account of its commanding the fords of Succoth and the road from the east of Jordan to his capital city of Shechem, and also, perhaps, as being an ancient sanctuary. We hear no more of Peniel in Scripture. Josephus merely repeats the Scripture notices (Ant. 1:20, 2; 8:8, 4), as do Eusebius and Jerome (Onomast. s.v. Fanuel). They do not appear to have known the exact site; and, indeed, Jerome represents the Penuel of Jacob, Gideon, and Jeroboam as distinct places.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

pḗ - nı̄´el , pen´i - el , pē´ni - el ( פּניאל , penı̄'ēl , "face of God"; Εἶδος θεοῦ , Eı́dos theoú ): This is the form of the name in   Genesis 32:30 . In the next verse and elsewhere it appears as "Penuel." The name is said to have been given to the place by Jacob after his night of wrestling by the Jabbok, because, as he said, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." It was a height evidently close by the stream over which Jacob passed in the morning. Some have thought it might be a prominent cliff, the contour of which resembled a human face. Such a cliff on the seashore to the South of Tripoli was called theoú prósōpon , "face of God" (Strabo xvi. 2, 15 f). In later times a city with a strong tower stood upon it. This lay in the line of Gideon's pursuit of the Midianites. When he returned victorious, he beat down the place because of the churlishness of the inhabitants ( Judges 8:8 ,  Judges 8:9 ,  Judges 8:17 ). It was one of the towns "built" or fortified by Jeroboam ( 1 Kings 12:25 ). Merrill would identify it with Telūl edh - Dhahab , "hills of gold," two hills with ruins that betoken great antiquity, and that speak of great strength, on the South of the Jabbok, about 10 miles East of Jordan (for description see Merrill, East of the Jordan , 390 if). A difficulty that seems fatal to this identification is that here the banks of the Jabbok are so precipitous as to be impassable. Conder suggests Jebel 'Osha . The site was clearly not far from Succoth; but no certainty is yet possible.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Peni´el (face of God), or Penuel, a place beyond the Jordan, where Jacob wrestled with the angel, and 'called the name of the place Peniel; for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved' . There was in after-times a fortified town in this place, the inhabitants of which exposed themselves to the resentment of Gideon, for refusing succor to his troops when pursuing the Midianites . The site is not known; but it must have been at some point on or not far from the north bank of the Jabbok. Men of this name occur in; .