jacob Summary and Overview

one who follows on another's heels; supplanter, (Gen. 25:26; 27:36; Hos. 12:2-4), the second born of the twin sons of Isaac by Rebekah. He was born probably at Lahai-roi, when his father was fifty-nine and Abraham one hundred and fifty-nine years old. Like his father, he was of a quiet and gentle disposition, and when he grew up followed the life of a shepherd, while his brother Esau became an enterprising hunter. His dealing with Esau, however, showed much mean selfishness and cunning (Gen. 25:29-34). When Isaac was about 160 years of age, Jacob and his mother conspired to deceive the aged patriarch (Gen. 27), with the view of procuring the transfer of the birthright to himself. The birthright secured to him who possessed it (1) superior rank in his family (Gen. 49:3); (2) a double portion of the paternal inheritance (Deut. 21:17); (3) the priestly office in the family (Num. 8:17-19); and (4) the promise of the Seed in which all nations of the earth were to be blessed (Gen. 22:18). Soon after his acquisition of his father's blessing (Gen. 27), Jacob became conscious of his guilt; and afraid of the anger of Esau, at the suggestion of Rebekah Isaac sent him away to Haran, 400 miles or more, to find a wife among his cousins, the family of Laban, the Syrian (28). There he met with Rachel (29). Laban would not consent to give him his daughter in marriage till he had served seven years; but to Jacob these years "seemed but a few days, for the love he had to her." But when the seven years were expired, Laban craftily deceived Jacob, and gave him his daughter Leah. Other seven years of service had to be completed probably before he obtained the beloved Rachel. But "life-long sorrow, disgrace, and trials, in the retributive providence of God, followed as a consequence of this double union." At the close of the fourteen years of service, Jacob desired to return to his parents, but at the entreaty of Laban he tarried yet six years with him, tending his flocks (31:41). He then set out with his family and property "to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan" (Gen. 31). Laban was angry when he heard that Jacob had set out on his journey, and pursued after him, overtaking him in seven days. The meeting was of a painful kind. After much recrimination and reproach directed against Jacob, Laban is at length pacified, and taking an affectionate farewell of his daughters, returns to his home in Padanaram. And now all connection of the Israelites with Mesopotamia is at an end. Soon after parting with Laban he is met by a company of angels, as if to greet him on his return and welcome him back to the Land of Promise (32:1, 2). He called the name of the place Mahanaim, i.e., "the double camp," probably his own camp and that of the angels. The vision of angels was the counterpart of that he had formerly seen at Bethel, when, twenty years before, the weary, solitary traveller, on his way to Padan-aram, saw the angels of God ascending and descending on the ladder whose top reached to heaven (28:12). He now hears with dismay of the approach of his brother Esau with a band of 400 men to meet him. In great agony of mind he prepares for the worst. He feels that he must now depend only on God, and he betakes himself to him in earnest prayer, and sends on before him a munificent present to Esau, "a present to my lord Esau from thy servant Jacob." Jacob's family were then transported across the Jabbok; but he himself remained behind, spending the night in communion with God. While thus engaged, there appeared one in the form of a man who wrestled with him. In this mysterious contest Jacob prevailed, and as a memorial of it his name was changed to Israel (wrestler with God); and the place where this occured he called Peniel, "for", said he, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved" (32:25-31). After this anxious night, Jacob went on his way, halting, mysteriously weakened by the conflict, but strong in the assurance of the divine favour. Esau came forth and met him; but his spirit of revenge was appeased, and the brothers met as friends, and during the remainder of their lives they maintained friendly relations. After a brief sojourn at Succoth, Jacob moved forward and pitched his tent near Shechem (q.v.), 33:18; but at length, under divine directions, he moved to Bethel, where he made an altar unto God (35:6,7), and where God appeared to him and renewed the Abrahamic covenant. While journeying from Bethel to Ephrath (the Canaanite name of Bethlehem), Rachel died in giving birth to her second son Benjamin (35:16-20), fifteen or sixteen years after the birth of Joseph. He then reached the old family residence at Mamre, to wait on the dying bed of his father Isaac. The complete reconciliation between Esau and Jacob was shown by their uniting in the burial of the patriarch (35:27-29). Jacob was soon after this deeply grieved by the loss of his beloved son Joseph through the jealousy of his brothers (37:33). Then follows the story of the famine, and the successive goings down into Egypt to buy corn (42), which led to the discovery of the long-lost Joseph, and the patriarch's going down with all his household, numbering about seventy souls (Ex. 1:5; Deut. 10:22; Acts 7:14), to sojourn in the land of Goshen. Here Jacob, "after being strangely tossed about on a very rough ocean, found at last a tranquil harbour, where all the best affections of his nature were gently exercised and largely unfolded" (Gen. 48). At length the end of his checkered course draws nigh, and he summons his sons to his bedside that he may bless them. Among his last words he repeats the story of Rachel's death, although forty years had passed away since that event took place, as tenderly as if it had happened only yesterday; and when "he had made an end of charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost" (49:33). His body was embalmed and carried with great pomp into the land of Canaan, and buried beside his wife Leah in the cave of Machpelah, according to his dying charge. There, probably, his embalmed body remains to this day (50:1-13). (See HEBRON T0001712.) The history of Jacob is referred to by the prophets Hosea (12:3, 4, 12) and Malachi (1:2). In Micah 1:5 the name is a poetic synonym for Israel, the kingdom of the ten tribes. There are, besides the mention of his name along with those of the other patriarchs, distinct references to events of his life in Paul's epistles (Rom. 9:11-13; Heb. 12:16; 11:21). See references to his vision at Bethel and his possession of land at Shechem in John 1:51; 4:5, 12; also to the famine which was the occasion of his going down into Egypt in Acts 7:12 (See LUZ T0002335; BETHEL T0000554.)

(supplanter), the second son of Isaac and Rebekah. He was born with Esau, probably at the well of Lahai-roi, about B.C. 1837. His history is related in the latter half of the book of Genesis. He bought the birthright from his brother Esau, and afterward acquired the blessing intended for Esau, by practicing a well-known deceit on Isaac. (Jacob did not obtain the blessing because of his deceit, but in spite of it. That which was promised he would have received in some good way; but Jacob and his mother, distrusting God's promise, sought the promised blessing in a wrong way, and received with it trouble and sorrow. --ED.) Jacob, in his 78th year, was sent from the family home to avoid his brother, and to seek a wife among his kindred in Padan-aram. As he passed through Bethel, God appeared to him. After the lapse of twenty-one years he returned from Padan-aram with two wives, two concubines, eleven sons and a daughter, and large property. He escaped from the angry pursuit of Laban, from a meeting with Esau, and from the vengeance of the Canaanites provoked by the murder of Shechem; and in each of these three emergencies he was aided and strengthened by the interposition of God, and in sign of the grace won by a night of wrestling with God his name was changed at Jabbok into Israel. Deborah and Rachel died before he reached Hebron; Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob, was sold into Egypt eleven years before the death of Isaac; and Jacob had probably exceeded his 130th year when he went tither. He was presented to Pharaoh, and dwelt for seventeen years in Rameses and Goshen, and died in his 147th year. His body was embalmed, carried with great care and pomp into the land of Canaan, and deposited with his fathers, and his wife Leah, in the cave of Machpelah. The example of Jacob is quoted by the first and the last of the minor prophets. Besides the frequent mention of his name in conjunction with the names of the other two patriarchs, there are distinct references to the events in the life of Jacob in four books of the New Testament - #Joh 1:51; 4:5,12; Ac 7:12,16; Ro 9:11-13; Heb 11:21; 12:16|

JA'COB (heel-catcher, supplanter), the third of the Jewish patriarchs, the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and twin brother to Esau. He received his name from the circumstance which occurred at his birth. Gen 25:26. The family were then living at Lahai-roi. The twins greatly differed in tastes: Esau was a hunter, Jacob "a plain man, dwelling in tents." Gen 25:27. But though domestic, he was selfish and scheming. He bought the birthright from Esau, taking advantage of the latter's temporary weakness. Gen 25:29-34. When Isaac, fearing a sudden death, desired to bless Esau, whose manly character made him his favorite, while the more pliable Jacob was the favorite of Rebekah, Jacob was ready to fall in with his mother's plan, and, by deceiving his blind and aged father, to secure the elder brother's blessing. The event, so momentous to all parties, is related in detail in Gen 27. The hate of Esau, naturally aroused, compelled Jacob in fear to flee somewhere, and the anxiety of Rebekah lest Jacob should marry a daughter of Heth was the ostensible reason for turning his steps toward Padan-aram, where her brother Laban lived. Previous to his departure Isaac blessed him again, and thus with the assurance of divine favor, but with a heavy and fearful heart, did this man of at least 50 years (it is usual to call him 78 years old) turn his back upon his home and wearily go among strangers. But, though unworthy, he was the heir to the promises; and accordingly, God cared for him. At Bethel his eyes were opened to see a glorious vision and his ears to hear the voice of God. On awaking he made a vow to serve the Lord, giving the tenth, if the Lord on his part would protect and prosper him. Gen 28:20-22. An every-day incident introduced him to the family of Laban; an act of gallantry won him a home at once. Loving Rachel, he promised to serve Laban for her. But when the time was fulfilled, Laban, favored by the marriage-customs of the Orient, fraudulently married him to the elder daughter, Leah, but afterward to Rachel also. Jacob contrived an expedient whereby his flocks became larger and healthier than Laban's, and thus in the course of time the desire of his heart after the things of this life was gratified. He had "increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and men-servants, and camels, and asses." Gen 30:43. Eleven sons and one daughter had been born to him by his two wives and their two servants, who were his concubines. But he yearned after his native land and determined to brave his brother's anger. Secretly, knowing Laban's feelings, he fled, but was followed and overtaken. A parley ensued. Jacob asserted his grievance: "I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle; and thou hast changed my wages ten times." A covenant of peace was made, of which a pillar was a reminder, Gen 31:45-54, and Laban left him with expressions of goodwill. Still dreading Esau, he sent messengers to him, and found Esau was approaching -- he feared with hostile intentions. He prudently guarded against destruction by separating his company into two bands and by sending a handsome present to Esau. Fear acted like a slave to bring him to God. He prayed humbly, not to say cringingly, quoting the divine promises. After sending his family over the brook Jabbok, he tarried behind to see that nothing was forgotten, when there appeared "a man" who wrestled with him till the breaking of the day. The wrestling forms an extraordinary scene. Gen 32:24-32. God prevailed not against man. But when the day dawned the exhausted son of Isaac was no longer Jacob, but Israel; for though the sinew of his thigh shrank under the angel's touch, and though after this he was to know much sorrow, the all-night conflict had brought victory, so that the angel of the Lord could say, "As a prince hast thou power with God and with men; and hast prevailed." With the new name came the new nature. The man who met Esau was not Jacob, the supplanter, but Israel, the soldier of God. Behind him lay the guilty past; before him stretched the illimitable future, whose near part was full of trial, but whose far part was full of glory. Like many other awaited ills, the meeting with Esau was an agreeable disappointment. Esau was all kindness, and Jacob was compelled to refuse his friendly offers. After the brothers separated, Jacob finally settled near the city of Shechem, where he bought some land. Gen 33. In retaliation for the ravishment of Dinah by Shechem, the son of the prince of the country, by a stratagem the city was destroyed. See Dinah. The patriarch was therefore compelled to leave that part of the land. By divine direction he came to Bethel, where he paid the vow he had made so many years before, and here God again appeared unto him. On their way to Hebron, at Bethlehem, Benjamin was born, but Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob, died. The memory of the event was ineffaceable. Gen 35:19. Shortly after his arrival, it would seem, Isaac died, and he and Esau buried him. Gen 35:29. The history now is taken up with Joseph, and Jacob does not play a prominent part until, lying upon his deathbed, he utters his prophetic blessing, tracing from the starting-point of individual character the fortunes of the tribes his twelve sons were destined to found. But the future was revealed to him only a little while before he belonged to the past for ever, for scarcely had he spoken out the pride, affection, apprehension, and warning of his fatherly heart than he "yielded up the ghost," aged 147 years, "and was gathered unto his people." Gen 49:33. He was buried with great pomp; his body was embalmed by the court-physicians and carried to Hebron, and there at last, after 147 years of wandering and trouble, Jacob rested with his ancestors in the cave of Machpelah. Gen 50:13. Jacob had more weaknesses and faults by nature than his father and grandfather, but his life was also more checkered and troubled, and his character purified by affliction, Abraham exemplifies heroic faith; Isaac, quiet humility; Jacob, patience and perseverance. His checkered life teaches us the lesson that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of heaven. The terms "Jacob" and the "seed" or "children of Jacob" are often applied to the body of true believers generally. Deut 33:10: Ps 14:7; Ps 22:23; Ps 105:6; Ps 135:4; Isa 14:1; Isa 44:2; Mic 7:20.

(see ESAU , see ISAAC ) ="supplanter, or holding the heel." Esau's twin brother, but second in point of priority. Son of Isaac, then 60 years old, and Rebekah. As Jacob "took his brother by the heel (the action of a wrestler) in the womb" (Hosea 12:3), so the spiritual Israel, every believer, having no right in himself to the inheritance, by faith when being born again of the Spirit takes hold of the bruised heel, the humanity, of Christ crucified, "the Firstborn of many brethren." He by becoming a curse for us became a blessing to the true Israel; contrast Hebrews 12:16,17. Jacob was a "plain," i.e. an upright man, steady and domestic, affectionate, so his mother's favorite: Genesis 25:24, etc., "dwelling in tents," i.e. staying at home, minding the flocks and household duties; not, like Esau, wandering abroad in keen quest of game, "a man of the field," wild, restless, self indulgent, and seldom at home in the tent. Having bought the birthright from Esau, heafterward, at Rebekah's instigation, stole the blessing which his father intended for Esau, but which God had appointed to him even when the two sons were yet unborn; "the elder shall serve the younger" (Genesis 25:23; 27:29; Malachi 1:3; Romans 9:12). His seeking a right end by wrong means (Genesis 27) entailed a life-long retribution in kind. Instead of occupying the first place of honour in the family he had to flee for his life; instead of a double portion, he fled with only the staff in his hand. It was now, when his schemes utterly failed, God's grace began to work in him and for him, amidst his heavy outward crosses. If he had waited in faith God's time, and God's way, of giving the blessing promised by God, and not unlawfully with carnal policy foiled Isaac's intention, God would have defeated his father's foolish purpose and Jacob would have escaped his well deserved chastisement. The fear of man, precautions cunning, habitual timidity as to danger, characterize him, as we might have expected in one quiet and shrewd to begin with, then schooled in a life exposed to danger from Esau, to grasping selfishness from Laban, and to undutifulness from most of his sons (Genesis 31:15,42; 34:5,30; 43:6,11,12). Jacob's grand superiority lay in his abiding trust in the living God. Faith made him "covet earnestly the best gift," though his mode of getting it (first by purchase from the reckless, profane Esau, at the cost of red pottage, taking ungenerous advantage of his brother's hunger; next by deceit) was most unworthy. When sent forth by his parents to escape Esau, and to get a wife in Padan Aram, he for the first time is presented before us as enjoying God's manifestations at Bethel in his vision of the ladder set up on earth, and the top reaching heaven, with "Jehovah standing above, and the angels of God ascending and descending (not descending and ascending, for the earth is presupposed as already the scene of their activity) on it," typifying God's providence and grace arranging all things for His people's good through the ministry of "angels" (Genesis 28; Hebrews 1:14). When his conscience made him feel his flight was the just penalty of his deceit God comforts him by promises of His grace. Still more typifying Messiah, through whom heaven is opened and also joined to earth, and angels minister with ceaseless activity to Him first, then to His people (John 14:6; Revelation 4:1; Acts 7:56; Hebrews 9:8; 10:19,20). Jacob the man of guile saw Him at the top of the ladder; Nathanael, an Israelite without guile, saw Him at the bottom in His humiliation, which was the necessary first step upward to glory. John 1:51: "hereafter," Greek "from now," the process was then beginning which shall eventuate in the restoration of the union between heaven and earth, with greater glory thanbefore (Revelation 5:8-11,21,22). Then followed God's promise of (1) the land and (2) of universal blessing to all families of the earth "in his seed," i.e. Christ; meanwhile he should have (1) God's presence, (2) protection in all places, (3) restoration to home, (4) unfailing faithfulness (Genesis 28:15; compare Genesis 28:20,21). Recognizing God's manifestation as sanctifying the spot, he made his stony pillow into a pillar, consecrated with oil (see BETHEL ), and taking up God's word he vowed that as surely as God would fulfill His promises (he asked no more than "bread and raiment") Jehovah should be his God, and of all that God gave he would surely give a tenth to Him; not waiting until he should be rich to do so, but while still poor; a pattern to us (compare Genesis 32:10). Next follows his seven years' service under greedy Laban, in lieu of presents to the parents (the usual mode of obtaining a wife in the East, Genesis 24:53, which Jacob was unable to give), and the imposition of Leah upon him instead of Rachel; the first installment of his retributive chastisement in kind for his own deceit. Kennicott suggested that Jacob served 14 years for his wives, then during 20 years he took care of Laban's cattle as a friend, then during six years he served for wages (Genesis 31:38,41). "One (zeh ) 20 years I was with thee (tending thy flocks, but not in thy house); another (zeh ) 20 years I was for myself in thy house, serving thee 14 years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle." The ordinary view that he was only 20 years old in Padan Aram would make him 77 years old in going there; and as Joseph, the second youngest, was born at the end of the first 14 years, the 11 children born before Benjamin would be all born within six or seven years, Leah's six, Rachel's one, Bilhah's two, and Zilpah's two. It is not certain that Dinah was born at this time. Zebulun may have been borne by Leah later than Joseph, it not being certain that the births all followed in the order of their enumeration, which is that of the mothers, not that of the births. Rachel gave her maid to Jacob not necessarily after the birth of <012453>Leah's fourth son; so Bilhah may have borne Dan and Naphtali before Judah's birth. Leah then, not being likely to have another son, probably gave Zilpah to Jacob, and Asher and Naphtali were born; in the beginning of the last of the seven years probably Leah bore Issachar, and at its end Zebulun. But in the view of Kennicott and Speaker's Commentary Jacob went to Laban at 57; in the first 14 years had sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah by Leah; Dan and Naphtali by Bilhah; in the 20 years (Genesis 35:38) next had Gad and Asher by Zilpah, Issachar and Zebulun by Leah, lastly Dinah by Leah and Joseph by Rachel; then six years' service for cattle, then flees from Padan Aram where he had been 40 years, at 97. In Jacob's 98th year Benjamin is born and Rachel dies. Joseph at 17 goes to Egypt, at 30 is governor. At 130 Jacob goes to Egypt (<014601> Genesis 46:1); dies at 147 (Genesis 47:28). The assigning of 40, instead of 20, years to his sojourn with Laban allows time for Er and Onan to be grown up when married; their strong passions leading them to marry, even so, at an early age for that time. The common 11:21), "leaning upon the top of his staff," an additional fact brought out by Paul (adopting Septuagint), as he worshipped on his bed (<014731> Genesis 47:31; 48:2); the staff symbolized his "pilgrim" spirit seeking the heavenly city (Genesis 32:10). Faith adapted him to receive prophetic insight into the characters and destiny of Ephraim and Manasseh respectively, as also of his other representatives. He anticipates the future as present, saying "I have given to thee (Joseph's descendants) above thy brethren (Ephraim was the chief tribe of the N.) one portion of that land which I in the person of my descendants (Joshua and Israel) am destined to take with sword and bow from the Amorites" (Genesis 48:22). In Genesis 49:28 his prophecy as to his several sons and the tribes springing from them is called a "blessing" because, though a portion was denunciatory, yet as a whole all were within the covenant of blessing, but with modifications according to their characteristics. What already was gave intimation to the spirit of prophecy in Jacob of what would be. His prophecy of Shiloh's coming in connection with Judah's ceasing to have the sceptre and a lawgiver more accurately defined the Messianic promise than it had been before. The general promise of "the seed" sprung from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob he now limits to Judah. His faith in "bowing on his bed" after Joseph promised to bury him in Canaan (Genesis 47:29,30) consisted in his confidence of God's giving Canaan to his seed, and he therefore earnestly desired to be buried there. Epistle to Hebrews omits his last blessing on his 12 sons, because Paul "plucks only the flowers by his way and leaves the whole meadow to his hearers" (Delitzsch). His secret and truelife is epitomized in "I have waited for Thy salvation, O Lord" (Genesis 49:18). At 147 he died, and his body was embalmed and after a grand state funeral procession buried with his fathers in the cave of Machpelah before Mamre (Genesis 1).