Jacob
Israelite / Jew Hebrew; father of the nation of Israel · Creation & Patriarchs · Old Testament
- Also called
- Israel
- Name means
- He takes by the heel; supplanter
- Role
- Patriarch; father of the twelve tribes
- When
- c. 1900 BC (traditional)
What they did
Took Esau's birthright and blessing, fled to Laban, and saw a ladder reaching to heaven at Bethel. After wrestling with God he was renamed Israel; he went down to Egypt with his family.
Why it matters: the purpose of their role
God's covenant passed to Jacob, and his twelve sons became the tribes of Israel. His life shows God's grace in transforming a schemer into a prince with God.
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. Genesis 32:28 (KJV)
Bible references
And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them. Genesis 25:26 (KJV)
And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. Genesis 28:12-15 (KJV)
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. Genesis 32:28 (KJV)
And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Genesis 49:1 (KJV)
By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. Hebrews 11:21 (KJV)
Family
- Father
- Isaac
- Mother
- Rebekah
- Spouse(s)
- Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, Zilpah
- Children
- Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dinah
- Brothers / sisters
- Esau (twin)
Lived 147 years (Genesis 47:28).
A fuller character study, with strengths, failures, lessons and a relationship diagram:
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