What does Genesis 32:32 mean?
In his grappling match with a mysterious man—some manifestation of God, it turns out—Jacob suffered a catastrophic hip injury (Genesis 32:25). Dislocations of the hip can cause major damage to ligaments and tendons, some of which may never fully heal. Scripture often glosses over minor details, but this passage has been very specific that Jacob—now renamed Israel—is limping as he leaves Peniel. Most likely, this is a permanent condition, and Jacob will carry the physical evidence of his struggle with God for the rest of his life.The custom of not eating this specific part of an animal's body is still followed by many Jewish people. The law of Moses does not forbid this eating of the sinew of the thigh on the hip socket. However, it is many Jewish persons' way of recognizing this crucial moment in Israel's identity and acknowledging the God who fights for them.