Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/296

Rh The Book of Ccncsis

278

Peniel was apiparently situated at or near this stream.

that at night.

The exact

site,

Vv. 31 f.

however, not an

are

is

not known.

integral

part

name

of

the

story,

but

an

rather

where the struggle Peniel, "face of God". According is supposed to have taken place. t(i the common belief in ancient Israel, no mortal could behold God's Peniel (also called Penuel), face and live: cf. Exodus XXXIII, 20. was one of the two towns east of the Jordan which was destroyed by Gideon because it had refused to aid him in his pursuit of the Midianites (Judges VIII, 8f. and 17). V. 33. For the origin and meaning of this strange rite, cf. above, note explaining the

editorial

p.

of

the

place

201.

XXXIII,

3.

Bowing

to the

ground seven times shows the degree

of Jacob's humility before Esau.

Y. deity so

Ordinarily

10.

(cf.

was a

XXXII. mark of

mortals

might not look upon the face of

a

Exodus XXXIII, 20). To be permitted to do hence the divine favor (cf. Exodus XXIV, 9-11) 31;



comparison here. V. 17 tional

is

origin

also an editorial note, inserted to account for the tradi-

of

the

name

Siiccoth,

"booths",

the

other

town

of the Jordan destroyed by Gideon (Judges VIII. 5-7. 14-16).

1

Jacob's Well as Seen

Today

east \n