What is the Prayer of Joseph?

The Prayer of Joseph is a pseudepigraphic work associated with the Old Testament patriarch Jacob. Pseudepigraphal writings are works attributed to historical figures who did not actually write them. Only a few fragments of the Prayer of Joseph survive today. Historians believe the Christian theologian Origen (185—253 A.D.) preserved them.

The work describes Jacob as an archangel with a prominent status before God. It also claims that Jacob wrestled with an archangel in the encounter recorded in Genesis 32:22–32. The Bible, however, portrays Jacob as a human being whom God chose to become the father of the nation of Israel. Although the Prayer of Joseph may provide insight into some ancient Jewish beliefs, it is not Scripture. Therefore, it is not an authoritative source of Christian doctrine.

Much about the origin of the Prayer of Joseph remains uncertain. Scholars generally regard it as a Jewish work, possibly written in Greek or Aramaic around the first century A.D. Jacob is the speaker in the surviving fragments. Most of Fragment A describes his interaction with an archangel named Uriel. The work identifies Uriel with the “man” Jacob wrestled in Genesis 32:24. Fragment B appears to refer to Jacob’s blessing of Joseph and his descendants.

In Fragment A, Jacob declares that he “is also Israel” and “an angel of God and a ruling spirit.” He also calls himself the “first-born of every creature.” The text then describes Uriel confronting and wrestling with Jacob. Uriel claims the name Jacob for himself and argues that his name should come before Jacob’s. Jacob responds by calling himself an “archangel” and “the first minister in the sight of God.” He also acknowledges Uriel as an angel of prominent rank.

Fragment B contains only a single surviving line: “For I read in the tablets of heaven all things that shall happen to you and your sons.” This statement may relate to the blessings Jacob gave to Joseph and his sons in Genesis 48—49. The apparent connection with Joseph may help explain why the work became known as the Prayer of Joseph.

The Bible’s portrayal of Jacob does not align with his description in the Prayer of Joseph. Jacob was Isaac's younger twin son and Abraham's grandson. Before Jacob and Esau were born, God revealed that “the older will serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23). Jacob later received Isaac’s primary blessing after deceiving his father (Genesis 27). God nevertheless confirmed that the promises given to Abraham would continue through Jacob and his descendants (Genesis 28:13–15). The nation of Israel would eventually descend from him.

God continued to bless Jacob throughout his life and repeatedly confirmed His promises. These encounters demonstrated Jacob’s special place in God’s plan. However, Scripture never indicates that Jacob was an angel or possessed supernatural powers.

One of Jacob’s most notable encounters occurred when he wrestled with an unnamed “man” in Genesis 32:22–32. Genesis does not identify the man directly. However, the passage indicates that Jacob understood the encounter as being with God. The Prayer of Joseph adds a detail not found in Scripture by identifying the wrestler as the archangel Uriel. The Bible also does not record Jacob claiming his own power or authority. Instead, the man gave him the name Israel because he had “striven with God and with men” (Genesis 32:28, ESV).

Afterward, Jacob declared that he had “seen God face to face” (Genesis 32:30, ESV). Many conservative interpreters understand the man as a preincarnate appearance of Christ. However, the passage does not explicitly identify Him as such. In Genesis, Jacob does not claim authority over the man as he does in the Prayer of Joseph. Instead, he recognizes his need for God’s blessing.

The Prayer of Joseph may offer insight into certain Jewish beliefs about the patriarchs around the time of Christ. In particular, the work reflects speculation that Jacob had a heavenly existence before his earthly life. However, its description of Jacob as an angelic being does not align with the Bible’s portrayal of him. Therefore, the Prayer of Joseph may help us understand ancient Jewish religious ideas, but its teachings should not be regarded as authoritative Christian doctrine.