Christians, why did God refuse to tell Jacob his name yet God told Moses what his name was?

Question

In Genesis 32:29 God refused to tell Jacob his name, but in Exodus 3:14 God tells Moses his name is "I AM WHO I AM."

Why refuse Jacob's request, yet grant Moses' requst? And what does "I AM WHO I AM" mean or signify?

Answer 1

Back then, names had great significance and meaning, so to know a person's name was to understand something about them. Giving a name to a baby was Serious Business and many Bible names are prophetic.



Jacob's name sounds like the Hebrew words for 'heel' and 'deceiver'. This relates to how he followed his twin brother out of the womb, grasping his brother's heel. And throughout his life, Jacob was a deceiver - till many years of struggling with God and man mellowed him. The episode in chapter 32 was Jacob wrestling all night with a mysterious character. At dawn the man touched Jacob's hip and wrenched it out of its socket (causing Jacob to limp thereafter.) At that point Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."



Then the man asked, "What is your name?"

"Jacob".

"Your name will no longer be Jacob. From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won."

"Please tell me your name" Jacob asked.

"Why do you want to know my name?" the man replied, then he blessed Jacob.



Jacob's request was an attempt to regain some control. But this theophany was controlled by God, who would not reveal His name, which cannot be had on demand.



With Moses, God chose to reveal His character by stating His covenant name. This would enable Moses to obtain the allegiance of the Hebrews in Egypt. They would want some evidence that Moses was truly God's representative. So Moses could claim to have the authority of God's name as his warrant.



The Divine Name can be translated as I am who I am, or I will be what I will be. It speaks of a God who is self-sufficient, self-existent, all encompassing, and without limitations, the one Being in the universe who is not dependent on something else for His existence.



Yahweh (the Tetragram) is a transliteration of the proper name YHWH and is a form of the Hebrew verb 'to be' so it could mean 'He causes to be' or, 'He who is', or 'I am'.



God is sovereign, and He is in complete control of revealing Himself to His covenant people. Over the centuries, God has revealed more of His character and, supremely, in the person of Jesus Christ, who is the exact representation of God, the visible image of the invisible God. "For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ". - Colossians 1:15-19. That is why Jesus could say, "Before Abraham was, I Am." John 8:58

Answer 2

In many cultures in the past names used to name a person contained some statement, some deep, or not so deep, meaning. When e.g. a person did some valiant deed, memorable deed - the person would even be given a new name to signify something about him. If you read Genesis, the first humans born were given such names. I believe the old American Indians used this kind of practice, as did so many others. Today, Japanese and Chinese names all use this kind of name with some beautiful significance that the family wants their child to be known by.



It is then no surprise to see that even our God named himself in this manner. If then he named himself, "I am what I shall prove to be" - or some similar translation - we can understand that in this name there is a message to us about himself. He doesn't promise to be good, to be evil, or some such; rather, he promises to be himself, to show us what that is, to demonstrate to us what that eventually would be as we now can look back a bit and understand - namely, a fear-inspiring God whose power over events here on earth is unlimited so that if he should want something to happen, it will.



Why did God refuse to tell Jacob his name, you ask. Simple really!

When we examine the text there are two possible answers!



First, Jacob already knew this name and the question God asked (Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? ) could simply be God's way of saying, 'why do ask! You already know it![because of his forefathers])



The second possibility is equally correct. Since Jacob was not contending with God himself, but with an angel of God, this angel did not want to disclose his name to Jacob so as to avoid the worship or deification of said name, said angel.



That this was not God, but an angel may be verified from this scripture:

Hosea 12:4 Yea, he had strength over the heavenly agent, and prevailed, as he wept, and made supplication to him. He found him at Bethel, and there he spoke with us. (ACV)

(KJV) 4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Beth–el, and there he spake with us

Answer 3

Actually the two statements are about the same, and show consistency in the Old Testament interactions with God.



As linguists can explain, that famous declaration "I Am Who/That I Am" is NOT some profound, metaphysical statement of God's nature. The meaning is much different to scholars of Hebrew.



For example, in Hebrew, if someone said the sentence "They went where they went" the meaning would basically be: "They had no idea where they were going." In this context, the best possible translations of "I Am Who I Am" are:



"It's no one's business who I am" or (less likely) "You don't know who I am."



Both of which are avoiding the question Moses asked....Just as God refused to answer Jacob.

Answer 4

All names of God are man made and imposed on God. God is nameless, hence "I am that which I am." The omnipresence of God suggest that God is all things, seen and unseen, form and formless, immanent and transcendent, and is without a designated label or term. "I am what I am," is the 'Truth'. All things are what they are, which is what is meant by the expression 'It is what it is.' God is the Eternal Immutable Truth, so it is only appropriate that God identifies with It. Forms and labels are trivial, superficial, and subject to change, which is why God alludes the mind's comprehension and human observation. The mind emphasizes content and appearances. God is directly experiential as context and essence.

Answer 5

The given OT name of God, YHWH (Yahweh, or as anglicized, Jehovah) comes from the root hayah.



Pondering that root's meaning proves that God's name is revealed in what he does, which well explains the answer given Jacob. Ponder that in the Strong's definition of that root,below:



H1961 hayah -- pronounced: haw-yaw - a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary): KJV -- beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.



H3068 Yahweh -- pronounced: yah-weh - from 1961; (the) Self-Existent One or the Eternal (One); Jehovah, the Jewish national name of God: KJV -- Jehovah, the Lord.



It is clear, then, that at Exodus 3:14 God meant that he had not revealed his power to Jacob and the earlier Israelite peoples the way he was now doing for those in union with his then selected mediator,, Moses.



Quiet your thoughts and ponder this.

Answer 6

In the ancient days (and even today in many Asian communities), pagan worship is often one that invokes the names of gods that human have created, the invoking of the names of their gods often is in a context of a "bargain prayer" - e.g.bless me with this and I will do this..., this kind of prayer only recognises that the pagan god is a "blesser" of things the worshipper seeks and fails to recognise that such a god could be in fact the "blessing" where the worshipper is privileged to have a personal relationship with the god he prays to, thus such pagan worship is devoid of a personal relationship between the worshipper and the god that is being worshipped.

In contrast, the relationship that the Almighty seeks to establish with Jacob is one where there is a personal but reverent relationship with the Almighty God, not one like pagan worship where God s name can be invoked at will by the worshipper whenever he needs some "magic" done.



Thus I believe that God did not reveal His Name to Jacob because God is telling Jacob that the worship of and relationship that He seeks is nothing like the way the pagans worship their self-created gods. Jacob would have to learn to walk with and trust God daily, as he leans on his staff daily since the day he was physically impaired during the gracious encounter he had with the Almighty God(Heb 11:21).

Answer 7

Consider the resent signs in the media concerning what happened in France



they held signs that stated JE SUIS which means ( I AM )



now consider the English version of the name JE SUS



Which btw is the GREAT I AM in the bible...think not ?



What did Jesus Himself say ? " I come in my Fathers Name"....so what was the Fathers name in the Old Testament, He told Moses I AM , Jesus came in the name JESUS so what is the name of God according to the Bible?



JESUS =I AM



Jesus even told the Jews that fact when He said," Before Abraham was I AM."



NOW you know the TRUTH may it set you Free !!



It basically means HE IS ALL AND ALL

The beginning the end-the First the last-He is Alone and None beside Him thus He is ONE BEING

Answer 8

The Lord during Jacob's time was Michael; the Lord during Moses' time was Jehovah.i

I AM WHO I AM is more a description than a name.

Answer 9

Neither did he tell Moses his name. "I AM THAT I AM" was not a name. It rather described God. He was making the point to Moses that there is only one God so he doesnt need a name. He just said I am that which or who I am.



We know God by his reputation - his eternal qualities. He does not need a name. Thats why today, most just call him "God." Thats not a name either.

Answer 10

God just Is. Perhaps God does not know, anymore than we do why we are. This I Am is a great secret to creation. Intelligent awareness, beingness, consciousness is something that all things share. I believe even the particles and building blocks of life are alive, aware and constantly in motion.

Answer 11

Moses already knew Gods name-Jehovah - but he was asking for more than a name, he was asking for a character name (many people in the Bible have two or more names, which are given to show their nature or character) As with Jacob, who was given the name of Israel.



The I AM translation is very poor and a better translation would be I shall prove to be. Moses was worried that the Israelites wouldnt listen to him. After all, he was 80 years old, and hadnt been in Egypt for 40 years. So, Jehovah gave him a character name which was to reassure them that Jehovah, the God of their fathers would be anything he wanted to be to fulfil his purpose.



When Jacob wrestled all night, it was with an angel messenger of God. No one has ever seen God, but they do see his mouth pieces - when people say they have seen God in the Bible, they mean they have had contact with these personal messengers. The lack of angel giving their names was a safeguard against giving undue honor and worship to these creatures. Angels were dispatched by God as agents to act in his name, not in their own name. Hence, when Jacob asked an angel for his name, he refused to give it.

Answer 12

there are several cases where God was asked for His Name and they all got varying replies.

I don't see the problem unless God is supposed to be a windup toy or machine like the wizard of oz

Answer 13

Yes, the Bible is God's word. And His word is TRUTH. Jesus was called "the Faithful Witness": Rev.1:5 and from Jesus Christ, “the Faithful Witness,” “The firstborn from the dead,” and “The Ruler of the kings of the earth.” Rev 3:14. 14“And to the angel of the congregation in La·o·di·ce´a write: These are the things that the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God, ~ Jehovah's First, and Faithful Witness. ~

Answer 14

Perhaps it was the purpose, from what I remember Moses was instructed to tell Pharaoh, but Jacob was just curious. Perhaps a need to know basis so as not to use the name in vain?

Answer 15

God told Moses his name so he could tell the people. Jacob had no such need.



I AM WHO I AM basically means God is not like people. He can only be compared to himself.

Answer 16

Firstly, God treats us as individuals.

However, 'I am Who I am' at depth means,

"You will only discover who I am, as you follow"

Answer 17

Have you heard about the end of this world on October 7th 2015? Learn more at www.ebiblefellowship.com. This is certainly not to make you scared, because I cannot get anyone saved.God has to call those he ha elected. I;m just giving you future news. Go to www.ebiblefellowship.com to learn more

Answer 18

Jacob wasn't enough of a bro I guess.

Answer 19

because jacob was not close to god but a trickster at that time in his life



moses on the other hand was serious about god

Answer 20

Because God is sovereign which means he can do whatever he wants to do however he wants to do it.

Answer 21

cos they were 2 different gods



one was friendly- the other one wasnt (maybe the devil in disquise)

Answer 22

No one knows as it is a story and incomplete in meaning.

Answer 23

Laughing at the xtians speculating and getting it wrong.

Answer 24

"I am who I am" means God is Popeye.

Answer 25

It was Popeye who said, "I yam what I yam" and the Christians plagiarised the statement, changed the words and wrote it into their Bible.

Answer 26

sounds familiar