And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
Ver. 24. And Jacob was left alone.] Purposely, for secret prayer: so the Church gets her into "the clefts of the rocks"; Son 2:14 Isaac, into the fields; Daniel, to the river's side; Christ, into the mount; Peter, up to the roof, or house top; that they might pour out their prayers and solace themselves with God in secret. This a hypocrite may seem to do, either of custom or vain glory: as the Pharisee went up to the temple to pray solitarily, as well as the publican; the temple being then, in regard of ceremonial holiness, the place as well of private as public prayer. "But will the hypocrite delight in God? will he pray always?". Job 27:10
There wrestled a man with him.] In a proper combat, by might and slight; to the raising of dust, and causing of sweat; as the word importeth. This strife was not only corporeal, but spiritual; as well by the force of his faith, as strength of body. "He prevailed," saith the prophet, Hos 12:4 by prayers and tears. Our Saviour also prayed himself into "an agony"; Luk 22:44 and we are bidden to "strive in prayer," even to an agony. Romans 15:30 , συναγωνισασθαι Nehemiah prayed himself pale. Neh 2:2 Daniel prayed himself "sick". Dan 8:27 Hannah prayed, striving with such an unusual motion of her lips, that old Eli, looking upon her, thought her drunk. 1Sa 1:13 Elijah puts his head betwixt his knees, as straining every string of his heart in prayer: 1Ki 18:42 "he prayed, and prayed," saith St James; and, by his prayer, he had what he would of God. Whereupon also he infers (as a result) that "the effectual prayer of a righteous man avails much," if it be "fervent" James 5:16,17 , ενεργουμενη or working; if it be such as sets all the faculties awork, and all the graces awork, then it speeds. Every sound is not music; so neither is every uttering petitions to God a prayer. It is not the labour of the lips, but the travail of the heart. Common beggary is the easiest and poorest trade: but this beggary, as it is the richest, so the hardest. A man can with more ease hear two hours together than pray half an hour, if he "pray in the Holy Ghost," as St Jude hath it. Jdg 1:20 He must strive with his own indevotion, with Satan's temptations, with the world's distraction: he must wrestle with God, and wring the blessing out of his hands, as the woman of Canaan did: he must "stir up himself to take hold of God," Isa 64:7 as the Shunamite did of Elisha, 2Ki 4:30 as the Church did of her spouse, Son 3:4 and "not let him go" till he bless us. This is to wrestle; this is to threaten heaven, as Gorgonia did, thus to be modestly impudent and invincible, as her brother speaks of her; in beseeching God, to besiege him, and get the better of him. as Jacob; whose wrestling was by "weeping," and his "prevailing" by praying.