Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Read, James C" <K0434995 AT kingston.ac.uk>]

Another fine example which shows the tanakh's faint distinction between men, 
yah and his messengers is 
Genesis 32:24-30. We are told here that Jacob grapples all night with a 
'man'. Are we to take this literally 
and understand that Jacob fought with a mortal man? Clearly not! Because the 
context makes it clear that 
this was just language which conveyed the point of view in that moment.
Jacob' receives a blessing and we are told that his name is chaged to Israel 
(contender with God) yet we
are told that he ocntended with a 'man'.
In conclusion we are told that Jaco concludes that he had come face to face 
with The God. This is a fine 
example of how Yah's messengers take the form of men and are then referred to 
as if God himself when it 
is finally perceived that they are his messengers.

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