Jacob

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Jacob
Jacob’s Vision and God’s Promise by the Providence Lithograph Company, 1906
PeriodAge of Patriarchs (20 B.C.)
ParentsFather: Isaac, Mother: Rebekah
BrotherEsau (older brother)
SpouseLeah and Rachel
Children12 sons and 1 daughter

Jacob (Hebrew: יַעֲקֹב[1]) was the grandson of Abraham and the younger of the twin sons born to Isaac and Rebekah. His elder twin brother was Esau (עֵשָׂו[2]). The name “Jacob” means “to grasp the heel,” as he was born holding onto Esau’s heel. After wrestling with God at the Jabbok River, Jacob received the name “Israel” (יִשְׂרָאֵל[3]), meaning “one who wrestles with God.” Jacob had 12 sons, whose descendants became the 12 tribes of Israel. These are called the twelve tribes of Israel.

Historical Background

Jacob was born during the patriarchal era, which was characterized by clan-based societies led by patriarchs; His grandfather, Abraham, was called by God to leave his father’s house in Haran and settle in Canaan with all his possessions. Abraham lived to the age of 175, passing all his possessions to his son Isaac before his death.[4] After Abraham’s passing, God continued to bless Isaac, fulfilling the promises made to Abraham.[5][6] However, Isaac married Rebekah at the age of forty and were childless for about twenty years.[7][8]

Life of Jacob

Birth

Isaac prayed to God for his wife, and as a result, Rebekah conceived twins. When the children struggled within her womb, Rebekah inquired of God, who revealed: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” Rebekah gave birth to twins. The firstborn was red and hairy and was named Esau (meaning hairy). The second child was born holding onto Esau’s heel, so he was named Jacob (meaning holding the heel).[9]

The Birthright and Blessing

Isaac Blesses Jacob by Gobert Flinck, 1638

Esau became a skilled hunter, while Jacob stayed among the tents, helping with household affairs. Isaac favored Esau because he enjoyed the game he hunted, whereas Rebekah favored Jacob. One day, Jacob was cooking lentil stew when Esau returned from hunting, famished. Esau begged Jacob for some stew, and Jacob agreed on the condition that Esau sell him his birthright. Despising his birthright, Esau swore an oath to sell it for the stew.[10]

Later, Isaac told Esau to hunt game and prepare a meal so he could bless him before his death. Overhearing this, Rebekah instructed Jacob to disguise himself as Esau and bring Isaac a meal. Jacob obeyed his mother. Isaac, now old and nearly blind, gave Jacob the blessing intended for the firstborn. When Esau discovered what had happened, he wept bitterly and begged his father for a blessing, but Isaac had already given the blessing to Jacob. According to God’s prophecy, “The older will serve the younger,”[11] his brother Jacob received all the blessings of the birthright.[12]

Fleeing to Haran

Jacob’s Ladder and God’s Blessing from the Phillip Medhurst Collection

When Esau, enraged for losing the birthright blessing, sought to kill Jacob, Rebekah sent Jacob to Haran, in Paddan-Aram, to her father’s house. She gave the excuse to Isaac that Jacob could not marry a Canaanite woman.[13] Isaac then blessed Jacob and instructed him to seek a wife from the daughters of his uncle Laban (Rebekah’s brother), rather than from among the Canaanites. On the journey to Haran, at a place called Luz, Jacob slept with a stone for his pillow. In his dream, he saw a ladder reaching up to heaven with angels ascending and descending on it. God, who was above the ladder, blessed Jacob.[14] When Jacob awoke, he set up the stone he had used as a pillow as a pillar, and named the place Bethel, meaning “House of God.” Jacob thanked God for His blessing and made a vow that if God brought him back to his homeland, he would make the stone pillar a house of God and would give a tenth (tithe) of all that God gives him.[15]

Jacob’s Sojourn in Haran

Jacob stayed at the house of his uncle Laban in Haran. Laban had two daughters, Leah and Rachel, and Jacob loved the younger daughter, Rachel. To marry Rachel, Jacob worked for seven years, but due to Laban’s deceit, he was first given Leah as his wife. Subsequently, Jacob agreed to work another seven years to marry Rachel.[16] During his time in Haran, Jacob also took Leah’s maid, Zilpah, and Rachel’s maid, Bilhah, as concubines, and fathered 11 sons and one daughter.

Because God was with Jacob, Laban was also blessed, and his flocks grew significantly. When Rachel, who had long been barren, finally gave birth to Jacob’s 11th son, Joseph, Jacob told Laban that he wanted to return to his homeland of Canaan with his family. Laban, wanting to keep Jacob, promised to give him all the speckled and spotted sheep and goats as wages, but then deceitfully sent those animals far away.[17] However, through God’s blessing and wisdom, Jacob prospered even more and became very wealthy. As Jacob’s wealth increased, Laban’s sons became envious and began to slander him, and Laban’s attitude toward Jacob also changed.

One day, God commanded Jacob to return to the land of his ancestors, Canaan. Jacob secretly gathered his family and possessions and hurriedly left. Three days later, Laban learned of Jacob’s departure and pursued him with his relatives. However, after receiving a warning from God in a dream, Laban reconciled with Jacob before parting.[18]

Trouble for Jacob

Jacob Wrestling With the Angel by author unknown, 19th century

Upon hearing of Jacob’s return, Esau set out to meet him with 400 men. Filled with fear, Jacob earnestly prayed to God for deliverance and sent livestock ahead as gifts to appease his brother’s anger. That night, after sending his family and possessions across the Jabbok River, Jacob stayed behind alone. During the night, a man appeared and wrestled with Jacob until daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he struck Jacob’s hip, dislocating it. Despite the pain, Jacob refused to let go unless the man blessed him. The man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and have prevailed.” He then blessed Jacob. Jacob named the place Peniel, meaning the “face of God,” saying, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life was spared.” Afterward, Jacob walked with a limp because of his dislocated hip.[19]

Jacob’s Return

After crossing the Jabbok River with God’s blessing, Jacob met Esau. The brothers embraced and wept together. Reconciled, Esau accepted Jacob’s gifts and returned to Seir. Jacob continued to Canaan and settled near the city of Shechem. There, he pitched his tent, built an altar, and offered sacrifices to God.[20] This marked the fulfillment of God’s promise to bring Jacob back to his homeland,[21] Canaan, after approximately 20 years.

One day, God instructed Jacob to return to Bethel and build an altar at the place where he had encountered God. Jacob obeyed and received God’s reaffirmation of His covenant: “A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.” As Jacob’s family journeyed from Bethel to Ephrath near Bethlehem, Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin, Jacob’s 12th son. Jacob then went to Hebron to see his father, Isaac. When Isaac passed away at the age of 180, Jacob and Esau buried him together.[22] Esau returned to Mount Seir, while Jacob settled in Canaan, where his father had lived.[23]

Moved to the Land of Goshen, Egypt

Joseph Kisses Jacob by Charles Foster, 1897

Jacob favored Joseph, the son of Rachel, above his other sons, giving him a richly ornamented robe. Joseph dreamed that his brothers would bow to him and boasted about his dreams. In their envy, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt and deceived Jacob by claiming he had been killed by a wild animal. Grief-stricken, Jacob mourned for Joseph for a long time.[24] When Jacob heard that Joseph, whom he thought was dead, had become a governor, he was overjoyed and led his family to Egypt.[25] After more than 20 years apart, Jacob reunited with Joseph, embracing him and weeping. Jacob’s family settled in the land of Goshen,[26] where they lived until they were liberated from Egypt under Moses, about 430 years later.[27]

Jacob Blessed Ephraim and Manasseh

Jacob Blessing the Sons of Joseph by Guercino, 17th Century

Seventeen years after moving to Egypt, at the age of 147, Jacob’s strength waned. Joseph brought his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to Jacob. Jacob declared that he would adopt them as his own sons. Joseph positioned Manasseh, the elder, at Jacob’s right hand, and Ephraim, the younger, at his left. However, Jacob crossed his arms, placing his hands on their heads to bless them. When Joseph tried to correct him, Jacob refused, affirming that Ephraim would surpass Manasseh in prominence. Jacob also assured them that God would bring their descendants back to the promised land of Canaan.[28] Jacob gathered his sons to reveal what would happen in the future and blessed each one according to their destiny. Their descendants became the foundation of the 12 tribes of Israel.[29] Before his death, Jacob instructed his sons to bury him in the cave of Machpelah in front of Mamre in Canaan, where his ancestors were buried. Jacob passed away, and his funeral was conducted with great honor. Joseph fulfilled his father’s wishes and buried him in the cave of Machpelah in Canaan.[30]

The 12 Sons of Jacob

Jacob had 12 sons who later became the ancestors of the 12 tribes of Israel. Listed in order of birth, they are:

1 2 3 4 5 6
Reuben (רְאוּבֵן) Simeon (שִׁמְעוֹן) Levi (לֵוִי) Judah (יְהוּדָה) Dan (דָּן) Naphtali (נַפְתָּלִי)
Leah Bilhah (Rachel’s Maid)
7 8 9 10 11 12
Gad (גָּד) Asher (אָשֵׁר) Issachar (יִשָּׂשׂכָר) Zebulun (זְבוּלוּן) Joseph (יְהוֹסֵף) Benjamin (בִּנְיָמִין)
Zilpah (Leah’s Maid) Leah Rachel

Lesson

The One Who Knows the Value of Blessing

Jacob’s older brother, Esau, disregarded the value of his birthright, selling it to his younger brother for a bowl of stew. In contrast, Jacob understood the significance of the blessing tied to the birthright. He earnestly sought to obtain it and followed his mother Rebekah’s guidance to receive the blessing ultimately.

This outcome was not a coincidence, nor was it the result of human plans or schemes. It was the fulfillment of God’s prophecy, accomplished without deviation. Even before Esau and Jacob were born, God had declared, “The older will serve the younger.”[11] Jacob, chosen by God before his birth as the child of promise, achieved God’s will with the help of his mother, Rebekah.[31]

Blessings After Enduring Hardships

Jacob’s life also provides a profound lesson for God’s people today regarding how to face trials with faith and perseverance.

For 20 years, Jacob endured hardship and sorrow as an outsider in a foreign land. Despite his suffering, he never blamed God. Instead, he remained steadfast in his faith, always trusting that God was with him.[32] During times of distress, he sought God through prayer, demonstrating complete reliance on Him.[33] God, seeing Jacob’s unwavering faith, honored him by identifying Himself as the “God of Jacob.”[34]

Even as Jacob returned to Canaan after years away, his trials were not over. To receive God’s blessing, Jacob wrestled all night, enduring extreme fatigue and a dislocated hip. Yet, Jacob refused to let go until he received the blessing. For him, the pain was insignificant, compared with the value of God’s blessing. Jacob’s perseverance and ultimate victory in securing God’s blessing remind us that enduring trials with faith is essential to receiving God’s blessings and glory.[35]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Strong's Hebrew: 3290. יַעֲקֹב, Bible Hub
  2. ↑ Strong's Hebrew: 6215. עֵשָׂו, Bible Hub
  3. ↑ Strong's Hebrew: 3478. יִשְׂרָאֵל, Bible Hub
  4. ↑ "Genesis 25:5–6".
  5. ↑ "Genesis 22:16–18".
  6. ↑ "Genesis 25:11".
  7. ↑ "Genesis 25:19–20".
  8. ↑ "Genesis 25:26".
  9. ↑ "Genesis 25:21–26".
  10. ↑ "Genesis 25:27–34".
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Genesis 25:23".
  12. ↑ "Genesis 27:1–40".
  13. ↑ "Genesis 27:41–47".
  14. ↑ "Genesis 28:1–15".
  15. ↑ "Genesis 28:18–22".
  16. ↑ "Genesis 29:16–30".
  17. ↑ "Genesis 30:27".
  18. ↑ "Genesis 31".
  19. ↑ "Genesis 32".
  20. ↑ "Genesis 33".
  21. ↑ "Genesis 28:15".
  22. ↑ "Genesis 35".
  23. ↑ "Genesis 36:6–8".
  24. ↑ "Genesis 37".
  25. ↑ "Genesis 45:25–46:7".
  26. ↑ "Genesis 46:28–34".
  27. ↑ "Exodus 12:40–41".
  28. ↑ "Genesis 47:27–48:22".
  29. ↑ "Genesis 49:1–28".
  30. ↑ "Genesis 49:29–50:14".
  31. ↑ "Romans 9:8–14".
  32. ↑ "Genesis 31:42".
  33. ↑ "Genesis 32:9–11".
  34. ↑ "Exodus 3:6".
  35. ↑ "Romans 8:17–18".
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