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Jacob

He grabbed at blessings all his life, until he wrestled with God and limped away blessed.

Old Testament · Patriarchal era · Genesis, Hosea, Hebrews · Also known as Israel, Son of Isaac

About Jacob

Jacob was born holding his twin brother Esau’s heel. He bought Esau’s birthright for a bowl of stew and, with his mother Rebekah’s help, tricked his blind father Isaac into blessing him. Fleeing Esau’s anger, he dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven, and God promised to be with him. He was tricked in turn by his uncle Laban, married Leah and Rachel, and became the father of twelve sons. Returning home, he wrestled through the night and was renamed Israel. The twelve tribes of Israel are named after his sons.

Jacob’s new name, Israel, became the name of the whole nation, and his twelve sons gave their names to its tribes. In the ancient world the firstborn son usually received a double share and the family leadership, which is why the birthright and the blessing mattered so much.

The story

Holding on to a heel

Rebekah’s twins struggled even before birth. Esau came out first, "and after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob." Years later, a hungry Esau sold Jacob his birthright for bread and a bowl of lentil stew.

Genesis 25:24-34

A ladder to heaven

Running from Esau, Jacob slept with a stone for a pillow. "He dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven." God promised, "I am with thee, and will keep thee." Jacob woke and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not."

Genesis 28:10-22

The trickster tricked

Jacob served his uncle Laban seven years for Rachel, "and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her." But on the wedding night Laban gave him Leah instead. "Wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?" Jacob asked, and he worked seven more years for Rachel.

Genesis 29:15-30

Wrestling until daybreak

Alone by the river Jabbok, "there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day." Jacob would not let go: "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." He was given a new name, Israel, and he limped away saying, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."

Genesis 32:22-31

Esau runs to meet him

Jacob came home afraid, bowing seven times as he approached his brother. "And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept."

Genesis 33:1-11

Key moments

Questions about Jacob

In meetBible these answers are given in Jacob’s voice. They are written by hand and checked against Scripture.

Who did you wrestle with?

Genesis calls him simply "a man" who wrestled with me until daybreak. When it was over I said, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved," and I named the place Peniel. The prophet Hosea later says I "had power over the angel." Scripture doesn’t explain more than that, and readers have wondered about it ever since.

Why did you trick your brother?

Twice I took what was Esau’s. He came in hungry and sold me his birthright for bread and lentil stew, and Scripture adds that "Esau despised his birthright." Later my mother Rebekah planned for me to dress as Esau and take our father’s blessing. Before we were born, God had told her that "the elder shall serve the younger," but Scripture doesn’t excuse how we went about it. It cost me twenty years away from home.

Why is your new name Israel?

After the wrestling, I was told, "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." My sons became the twelve tribes, and so the whole people came to be called by that name: Israel.

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Read it yourself

Start with Genesis 27–33.

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