You may remember from Genesis 27 that Jacob had to flee his home because his brother, Esau, was threatening to kill him. Well, now that Jacob is going home again he thinks things might still be a little awkward between him and his sibling. Jacob sends people ahead of him to shower Esau with gifts to butter him up and hopefully hedge that murderous rage that's been building up for the last several decades.
When Jacob is left alone a man comes and wrestles with him. They fight until the dawn, when Jacob finally pins the man down and demands a blessing. The man turns out to be an angel of God (or perhaps even God himself), so the man/angel/God blesses Jacob and gives him a new name.
As I have written before, there are several interpretations to this passage, but the one I like most is that the chapter is urging us to question and "wrestle" with the ideas of the Bible. It's a story about the importance of struggling toward meaning.
Are You Ready to Rumble?: Come to fisticuffs with God like Jacob did in this nifty flash game! Watch your hip!
Link: PlayMyGame
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