Bible Location

Penuel

Penuel, also called Peniel, was a settlement east of the Jordan River near the Jabbok River. Its name means "face of God" and is associated with Jacob's encounter with God before his reunion with Esau.

The site later appears during Gideon's pursuit of the Midianites and was fortified or rebuilt by Jeroboam I after the division of the kingdom.

Penuel is commonly identified with Tell edh-Dhahab esh-Sherqiyeh in the Jabbok Valley of modern Jordan, although the identification is not completely certain.

Biblical Significance

Genesis 32 describes Jacob wrestling through the night with a mysterious man as he prepared to meet Esau. After receiving a blessing and the name Israel, Jacob called the place Peniel because he said that he had seen God face to face and yet his life had been preserved.

The name appears as Penuel as Jacob continued his journey after crossing the Jabbok.

During Gideon's pursuit of the Midianite kings Zebah and Zalmunna, the men of Penuel refused to provide food for his exhausted army. After his victory, Gideon returned and destroyed the tower of Penuel.

After the division of the monarchy, Jeroboam I fortified or rebuilt Penuel along with Shechem, demonstrating the strategic importance of the site east of the Jordan.

Historical Background

Penuel occupied an important position along the Jabbok Valley in Transjordan. Routes through this valley connected the Jordan Valley with the highlands of Gilead and territory farther east.

The biblical reference to a substantial tower at Penuel during Gideon's time suggests that the settlement possessed defensive architecture.

The later rebuilding of Penuel by Jeroboam indicates its strategic value to the northern kingdom, particularly for controlling routes and territory east of the Jordan.

Modern Identification

Penuel is commonly identified with Tell edh-Dhahab esh-Sherqiyeh, one of two prominent archaeological mounds in the Jabbok Valley of modern Jordan.

The location fits the biblical requirement that Penuel lie near the Jabbok and within the region traversed by Jacob and later Gideon.

The identification is plausible and widely used in biblical atlases, but it has not been established with the certainty provided by an inscription naming the ancient settlement. AVWJ should therefore describe the identification as probable rather than certain.

Scripture References

Genesis 32:30 Genesis 32:31 Judges 8:8 Judges 8:17 1 Kings 12:25

Related Resources

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Sources

Bible: Genesis 32:22-32, Judges 8:4-17, 1 Kings 12:25; biblical geographical reference works concerning Penuel; archaeological and historical studies of the Jabbok Valley and Tell edh-Dhahab