Matthew Poole and continuators on Hosea 12:4

4 Yea, he had power over the angel and prevailed : he wept and made supplication unto him : he found him in Bethel , and there he spake with us .

Your famous Progenitour of whom you boast.

Behaved himself as a Prince with God, Gen. 32.28.

With, the Angel was willing to be conquered, or Iacob could not have gotten the Victory.

Called ver. 3. God, and ver. 5. is Iehovah Lord of hosts. He was no created Angel but the uncreated Angel Christ, the Messiah, Eternal God by Nature and Essence, Angel by Office, and voluntary undertaking.

Got the victory, went out of the Field a Conquerour, but not by such Armes, and Methods as you use. You are conquer'd by man because of your sins, he conquer'd with God by Faith and Prayer.

Not the Angel, as some through mistake but your father Iacob.

By this we know he pray'd with Tears though the story say not so with sense of his own unworthiness, with earnestness for the mercy he desired, and apprehensive of the Majesty of him with whom he wrestled. But you quite contrary proud as if worthy, regardless of the best part of the blessing, and earnest onely for the meaner part, seek it not of God but Idols.

It is Christ who is here intended, it was no meer creature, Iacob might not have pray'd to such, but 'twas the Creator of Angels and the Redeemer of Man, the blessed Jesus, to whom every knee ought to bow, Phil. 2.9.

God.

Iacob full of weariness, fears and solicitude on his Journey to Laban, Gen. 28.12, 20. when prayers obtain'd a blessing, but with this, and more directly, when on his return after this wrestling bout, Gen. 35.1; &c. God appeared to him, ver. 7, 8. to 15. and blessed him.

Formerly called Luz, but by Iacob new named and called Bethel, Gen. 28.19.

God.

Renewed his promise and confirm'd the blessing.

By the current of the words in their grammatical order it should be, He spake to him; but 'tis, not without good reason, changed to the plural first person, us, as Posterity were in Iacobs Loins, and blessed with him, Yet more where God appeared to Iacob he commanded him to build an Altar there to God, to restore Religion and reform his Family from Idolatry, Gen. 35.4. which he did. But you children of this Iacob by natural descent are of another, and far different humour, though you have been call'd and exhorted to leave your Idols, yet this 200 years you have kept them and will, I see, keep them, this is your sin, and in it you are obstinate, and I will punish such a Iacob as you.