Patriarch — father of the twelve tribes of Israel
c. 2006–1859 BC · Old Testament
The deceiver renamed 'Israel' (he who wrestles with God) — son of Isaac, twin of Esau, husband of Leah and Rachel, father of the twelve sons whose descendants became the tribes of Israel.
Jacob was the younger twin of Esau, born to Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 25:24-26). Even in the womb, the twins struggled — and God told Rebekah 'the elder shall serve the younger' (Genesis 25:23). Jacob's name means 'heel-grabber' or 'supplanter' — for he came out holding his brother's heel. The character matched the name. Jacob bought Esau's birthright for a bowl of lentil stew (Genesis 25:29-34). Later, with Rebekah's help, he deceived the dying Isaac into giving him Esau's blessing (Genesis 27). To escape Esau's murderous wrath, he fled to his uncle Laban in Padanaram (Genesis 28). On the journey he saw a vision at Bethel — a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending — and God renewed Abraham's covenant promises to him (Genesis 28:10-22). In Laban's household Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, was tricked into marrying Leah, then worked seven more years for Rachel (Genesis 29). In total, Leah, Rachel, and their servants Zilpah and Bilhah bore him twelve sons (and a daughter, Dinah): Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. These twelve became the tribes of Israel. Returning to Canaan, Jacob wrestled with a divine figure all night at the brook Jabbok (Genesis 32:24-30). The figure dislocated Jacob's hip but blessed him, renaming him Israel — 'for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.' Jacob reconciled with Esau (Genesis 33). Tragedies followed — Dinah's defilement and her brothers' violent revenge (Genesis 34), Rachel's death in childbirth (Genesis 35:16-19), the apparent loss of Joseph (Genesis 37). Decades later, famine drove Jacob's family to Egypt where Joseph — risen to vizier of Egypt — saved them (Genesis 42-47). Jacob lived 147 years (Genesis 47:28). On his deathbed he blessed each son with prophetic words (Genesis 49). He died and was buried in the cave of Machpelah with his fathers (Genesis 49:29-33; 50:13).
Name = "supplanter"
For a bowl of stew
Wears Esau's clothes
God renews the covenant
Worked 14 years total
Fathers the twelve tribes
Hip dislocated, blessing received
"I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God"
After 22 years apart
Prophetic words for each tribe
Jacob's significance: (1) He is the eponym of Israel — God's covenant people. (2) His twelve sons are the twelve tribes — Israel's national identity is built on his family. (3) His life shows God's grace to the undeserving — a deceiver transformed by repeated divine encounters. (4) The wrestling at Peniel is one of Scripture's most theologically rich moments — Jacob clings, is wounded, and is renamed. (5) Hebrews 11:21 commends his faith — 'By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph.'
“How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”— Genesis 28:17
“I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.”— Genesis 32:26
“For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”— Genesis 32:30
“I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.”— Genesis 49:18
Jacob was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, twin brother of Esau, grandson of Abraham. He bought Esau's birthright (Genesis 25), deceived his father for the blessing (Genesis 27), fled to Laban, married Leah and Rachel, fathered the twelve sons who became the tribes of Israel, wrestled with God at Peniel and was renamed Israel (Genesis 32). He died at 147 in Egypt (Genesis 47:28) after being reunited with Joseph.
After wrestling with a divine figure all night at Peniel (Genesis 32:24-30), Jacob was renamed Israel — meaning 'he who strives with God' or 'God strives.' The figure 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.' The name change marked Jacob's transformation from supplanter to one who wrestled and prevailed by clinging.
Jacob's twelve sons (by four women) became the twelve tribes of Israel. By Leah: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun. By Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. By Bilhah (Rachel's servant): Dan and Naphtali. By Zilpah (Leah's servant): Gad and Asher. He also had a daughter, Dinah, by Leah. Joseph's tribe later split into Ephraim and Manasseh; Levi became the priestly tribe with no land allotment.
Two ways. First, Jacob bought Esau's birthright for a bowl of lentil stew when Esau was famished (Genesis 25:29-34). Second, when Isaac was old and blind, Rebekah and Jacob conspired to disguise Jacob as Esau — covering his hands with goat hair and giving him Esau's clothes — to receive the firstborn's blessing from Isaac (Genesis 27). Esau wept in rage; Jacob fled. They reconciled decades later (Genesis 33).