Jacob's thigh was disabled by the Angel, to show the patriarch that his prevalence was through his faith and prayer, not through force, Genesis 32:25-31. Smiting the thigh was a gesture of self-condemnation and grief, Jeremiah 31:19 Ezekiel 21:12.
In general, a datum is a base elevation used as a reference from which to reckon heights or depths. A tidal datum is a standard elevation defined by a certain phase of the tide.
The definition of a datum is a fact used to make a conclusion or a point of reference in geography or geology. 1  An example of a datum is a new scientific discovery used to reach a conclusion about the common cold. An example of a datum is the assumed altitude of a specific piece of land used as the basis in calculating the altitude of the top of a mountain on the land.