Hosea 12:3

Modern

In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and in his vigor he wrestled with God.

Traditional

He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:

Literal

In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his strength he struggled with God.

Latin

In utero supplantavit fratrem suum, et in fortitudine sua directus est cum angelo.

Hebrew

English

In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and in his vigor he wrestled with God.

he grasped his brother’s heel (literally he supplanted his brother): The Hebrew verb ‘aqab is the root of Jacob's name. Even before birth, Jacob lived up to his name by supplanting his brother Esau (Genesis 25:26).
As an adult, Jacob even fought with God (see Genesis 32:22–30) and was renamed “Israel,” meaning “God fights.”

Israel has engaged in deception and dishonesty since Jacob's time.

Theme notes and profiles

Genesis 25:26
After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.
James 5:16–18
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.
Genesis 32:24–28
So Jacob was left all alone, and there a man wrestled with him until daybreak.
Romans 9:11
Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,