Introduction

Disclaimer: Liberty taken with the depiction of Jacob. Please remember the Bible does not specify a description for most individuals.

Jacob is the youngest son of Isaac and Rebekah. His twin brother is Esau, whom he shares a bitter rivalry with during his youth. God eventually changes Jacob's name to Israel and it is his sons who father the 12 tribes of Israel. Throughout the blog I refer to him as Jacob to avoid confusion between Israel the person and Israel the nation. Upon his death in Egypt, Jacob's remains are carried back to Canaan where he is buried in the cave of Machpelah with the rest of his ancestors.
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Bible Verses

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Character

When we are first introduced to Jacob, he is not the most likable character. He tricks his older brother into selling his brithright, then proceeds to trick his father into giving him his brother's blessing. He is forced to flee at the threat of his brother killing him. During his journey to Rebekah's family, he is approached by God. This is when he has his famous vision of the ladder to heaven (the source material of the song "Jacob's Ladder:). Following this, his character shifts. He meets and falls in love with Rachel, daughter of his uncle Laban. Laban agrees that they may marry is Jacob works 7 years for him. When the 7 years are up, Laban tricks him into marrying Leah. Jacob works an addition 7 years to marry Rachel. While experiencing a period of barrenness, both Leah and Rachel give Jacob their handmaids to wife, leaving him with a total of 4 wives. When Jacob finally returns to Canaan, he comes back with humility (and fear), sending a multitude of gifts for his brother. The two patch things up, though they part ways shortly after. Through Jacob's narrative, we get to witness his growth as he walks with God and grows from a trickster to a man of God.
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Descendants

Jacob's first wife, Leah, has 6 sons and a daughter: Rueben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah. His second wife, Rachel, has 2 sons: Joseph and Benjamin. His wife Bilhah has 2 sons: Dan and Napthali. His last wife, Zilphah, has 2 sons: Gad and Asher. His sons are the namesakes of the 12 tribes of Israel.
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References