Table of Contents
Who Was Jacob in The Bible?
Jacob in the bible is Essau's brother and the patriarch Isaac's son.
He is also the Father of the 12 tribes of Israel which are named after his sons. His most popular son is Joseph.
His name was changed from Jacob to Israel, which means "prince with God" after wrestling the angel of the Lord and prevailing.
More Facts We Know About The Patriarch, Jacob
- Jacob was the younger twin brother of Esau.
- He was the son of Isaac and Rebecca
- Jacob was a twin in the womb with Esau his brother.
- Esau was a skilled hunter, while Jacob was a quiet man who stayed among the tents (Genesis 25:27).
- Jacob is a biblical hero who depicts the power and grace of God to change and renew.
- The names Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob appear often as a group when listing the Jewish Patriarchs and in reference to God being the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
- Jacob is considered as a heel catcher or deceiver.
- Jacob was a shrewed and deceitful con man who tricked his brother Esau and lied to his father Isaac. But as we know, the plan of God for His life was still fulfilled in the midst of the deceit.
- Jacob is the grandson of Abraham and Sarah and the son of Isaac and Rebecca.
Scholarly Table On Jacob and his life:
| Scholar / Source | Focus of Interpretation | Scholarly Summary of Jacob |
|---|---|---|
| Gerhard von Rad (Genesis Commentary) | Pentateuchal tradition history | Jacob narratives show layers of early tribal sagas shaped into a theological portrait of the patriarch whose life reflects God’s election despite human weakness. |
| Claus Westermann (Genesis 12–36) | Literary and form-critical | Jacob’s story combines diverse folk traditions—trickster tales, family narratives, and cult-legends—woven into a unified narrative of divine guidance and promise. |
| Walter Brueggemann (Interpretation: Genesis) | Theological interpretation | Jacob embodies the tension of grace and struggle; his life illustrates a God who works through conflicted, morally flawed individuals to advance covenant purposes. |
| Nahum Sarna (JPS Torah Commentary: Genesis) | Jewish exegesis, ancient Near Eastern parallels | Jacob is a complex figure whose personal conflicts (e.g., with Esau, Laban) mirror Israel’s historical and geopolitical challenges; the Bethel visions legitimize Israelite sanctuaries. |
| John Walton (NIVAC Genesis) | Ancient Near Eastern worldview | Jacob’s experiences—dreams, blessing customs, household gods—reflect typical ANE cultural patterns, but the narrative reframes them to emphasize Yahweh’s sovereignty. |
| Gordon Wenham (Word Biblical Commentary: Genesis 16–50) | Canonical and literary | The Jacob cycle forms a tightly structured narrative emphasizing transformation from deceiver to “Israel,” marking his spiritual maturation. |
| Bruce Waltke (Genesis: A Commentary) | Literary-theological | Jacob’s life highlights divine election and sanctification; his struggles expose the shaping of his character into a patriarch of faith. |
| Terence Fretheim (The Book of Genesis) | Relational theology | Jacob’s narrative emphasizes the deeply relational nature of God—who wrestles, speaks, confronts, and accompanies Jacob through negotiation and tension. |
| Robert Alter (The Art of Biblical Narrative) | Literary artistry | The Jacob cycle showcases sophisticated narrative technique—motifs of deception, reversals, and wordplay—demonstrating the Bible’s literary unity and artistry. |
| Israel Finkelstein & Neil Asher Silberman (The Bible Unearthed) | Historical-critical / archaeology | Jacob as an individual patriarch is historically uncertain; the stories likely preserve cultural memories of early Israelite groups, especially pastoralist migrations. |
| Tikva Frymer-Kensky (biblical theology) | Gender and family dynamics | Jacob’s relationships with Leah, Rachel, and their servants expose ancient family structures and highlight women’s roles in the formation of Israel’s tribes. |
| Joseph Blenkinsopp | Patriarchal traditions | The Jacob story functions as an origin legend for diverse tribes, explaining alliances and rivalries (e.g., Judah, Joseph, Benjamin, etc.). |
| E. A. Speiser (Anchor Bible: Genesis) | Philology & ancient cultures | Jacob’s name, customs, and journeys fit well with second-millennium traditions; the narrative includes authentic ANE social and legal features. |
| James Kugel (How to Read the Bible) | Reception history | Interpretations of Jacob evolved: early Jewish readings emphasized piety; later readings highlight moral ambiguity; Christianity sees typology in the transformation to “Israel.” |
| Kenneth A. Kitchen | Historical reliability | The patriarchal narratives reflect plausible 2nd-millennium backgrounds—inheritance customs, treaty forms, and migration patterns—supporting Jacob as a real historical figure. |
Scripture about Jacob Plotting With His Mother To Get His Brother's Birthright
Genesis 27:9-14 9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:
10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.
11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:
12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.
13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.
Jacob Wrestles With The Angel of The Lord
Genesis 34:24-32 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 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.
29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. 31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. 32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.
References:
Commentaries & Monographs
Von Rad, Gerhard. Genesis: A Commentary. Rev. ed. Westminster John Knox, 1972.
Westermann, Claus. Genesis 12–36: A Commentary. Augsburg Publishing, 1985.
Brueggemann, Walter. Genesis (Interpretation Commentary). Westminster John Knox, 1982.
Sarna, Nahum M. Genesis: The Traditional Hebrew Text with New JPS Translation Commentary. Jewish Publication Society, 1989.
Walton, John H. Genesis (NIV Application Commentary). Zondervan, 2001.
Wenham, Gordon. Genesis 16–50 (Word Biblical Commentary). Word Books, 1994.
Waltke, Bruce K., with Charles Yu. Genesis: A Commentary. Zondervan, 2001.
Fretheim, Terence E. The Book of Genesis (New Interpreter’s Bible). Abingdon Press, 1994.
Alter, Robert. The Art of Biblical Narrative. Basic Books, 1981.
Speiser, E. A. Genesis (Anchor Bible Commentary). Doubleday, 1964.
Blenkinsopp, Joseph. The Pentateuch: An Introduction to the First Five Books of the Bible. Yale University Press, 1992.
Historical / Archaeological Studies
Finkelstein, Israel, and Neil Asher Silberman. The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology’s New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts. Free Press, 2001.
Kitchen, K. A. On the Reliability of the Old Testament. Eerdmans, 2003.
Dever, William G. What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It? Eerdmans, 2001.
Theological / Literary Studies
Kugel, James L. How to Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture Then and Now. Free Press, 2007.
Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. Reading the Women of the Bible. Schocken Books, 2002.
Hamilton, Victor P. The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18–50 (NICOT). Eerdmans, 1995.
Sailhamer, John H. The Pentateuch as Narrative. Zondervan, 1992.
Background & ANE Culture
Hallo, William W., & K. Lawson Younger (eds.). The Context of Scripture. 3 vols. Brill, 1997–2002.
Bright, John. A History of Israel. 4th ed. Westminster John Knox, 2000.
Matthews, Victor H. Manners and Customs in the Bible. Hendrickson, 1991.
