John Gill Commentary Genesis 32:30

"And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for, [said he], I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." — Genesis 32:30 (ASV)

And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel
In (Genesis 32:31); Penuel, which signifies the face of God, or God has looked upon me, or has had respect to me: there was afterwards a city built here, called by the same name; see (Judges 8:8) (1 Kings 12:25); it is said ^F11 to be four miles from Mahanaim; the reason of it follows:

for I have seen God face to face :
it may be observed, that in wrestling men are face to face, and in this position were Jacob and the man that wrestled with him; which he seems to have respect unto, as well as to the familiarity and intimate communion he was admitted to:

and my life is preserved :
though he had wrestled with one so vastly superior to himself, who could have easily crushed this worm Jacob to pieces, as he is sometimes called; and though he had had such a sight of God as face to face, referring, as is thought, to a notion that obtained early, even among good men, that upon sight of God a man instantly died; though we have no example of that kind:

but perhaps he observed this for his encouragement; that whereas he had met with God himself, and wrestled with him in the form of a man, and yet was preserved, he doubted not that, when he should meet with his brother and debate matters with him, he should be safe and unhurt.

---

FOOTNOTES:

• F11: Bunting's Travels, p. 72. 74.