Esau and Jacob | Genesis 25-27 | Bible Storyteller Bible Storyteller Esau and Jacob Based on Genesis 25-27 Isaac's wife Rebekah gives birth to twin sons, Esau and Jacob. As the first born it should be Esau who inherits God's promise of a land and many descendants, but Esau swaps his birthright for a bowl of stew and Jacob tricks Isaac into giving him the blessing that will put him in charge of the land when his father dies. Copyright Gavin Owen 2005 Way back near the beginning of Bible times, lived a man called Abraham and his wife Sarah. They were very special people because God had made them two promises. He'd promised to give them a land of their own. Can you imagine having your own country to live in? And he'd promised to give them a family that one day would be so large it would be like the stars in the sky, too many to count. God was quick to keep the promise about the special land – he took them to a beautiful place called Canaan and they settled down to live there. But the promise about the family, well, that took a bit longer!

You see, it wasn't until Abraham was one hundred years old and Sarah was ninety that she finally gave birth to a beautiful baby boy and they called him Isaac. Now when Isaac grew up he married a girl called Rebekah and they had to wait a long time to have children too. But when the time came they were fortunate, they had two babies at once – twins. The first little baby boy was born covered from head to foot in hair. Can you imagine having a hairy baby? So they called the little boy Esau, because the name Esau means “hairy”. Think of his first day at school – “What's your name?” the teacher would ask him, “Hairy,” he would reply, “Oh come on! What's your name?” “Hairy!” The second little boy was born straight after the first, he just popped right out because the Bible says he was holding on to his brother's ankle. So they called this boy Jacob, because the name Jacob means “holding the heel”. As the two boys grew up it soon became obvious that they didn't just look different, they were different kinds of people.

Esau was more your outdoors sort of boy, if you'd asked him he would have said,“I like to be in the fields with the animals, I like running and fishing and most of all I like hunting!” But Jacob was more your indoors sort of boy, if you'd asked him he would have said, “I like mathematics and cookery and organising things, but most of all I like to stay at home with mumsy!” Isaac's favourite son was Esau because he loved to hear his stories about hunting and eat the fresh meat that he brought back with him. But Rebekah's favourite son was Jacob because he always stayed at home and kept her company. Everybody knew that when Isaac died Esau would become head of the family and the whole land of Canaan because he had been born first. But everybody also knew that Jacob would be much better at the job. But there was nothing that could be done about it ... or so they thought. One day, years later, Jacob was in the kitchen making a big pot of stew when along came his brother, Esau. Esau had been away hunting, he'd been gone for days and he was tired and thirsty, but most of all he was hungry.

Esau sniffed the air: “Mmmmm! What's that lovely smell?” he asked. “I'm making some stew” Jacob replied. “Would you like some? “Yes, please!” So Jacob picked up a bowl and he was about to fill it with stew when suddenly he had an idea. “I say brother, what will you give me in return for this bowl of stew?” “I don't know, what do you want?” “I want,” Jacob declared, quick as a flash, “to be head of the family and the land of Canaan when father dies”. Let's face it, only a complete dummy would swap a whole country for a bowl of stew. But luckily for Jacob, Esau was a complete dummy! “If I don't eat something soon I'll starve to death and I won't be head of the family and the land then, so I don't suppose it makes any difference. You be in charge, it's fine with me.” “Do you promise?” asked Jacob. “You have my word” said Esau and he took his bowl of stew and left. Jacob hurried off to tell his mother what had happened. But Rebekah understood that it wasn't as simple as that.

It wasn't up to Esau who would be the next head of the land of Canaan, it was Isaac's decision. Isaac would give his special blessing to the one he chose – he would put his hands on their shoulders and pray for them, giving them the land, and once it was done there was no going back – and Rebekah knew, Isaac wanted to give the blessing to Esau. Years and years went by until the day came when Isaac was so old that he knew he didn't have much longer to live, so he called his son Esau to him. “My son, go hunting and bring me fresh meat and then I will give you my blessing. Off you go!” Isaac didn't know it, but his wife Rebekah was just outside the tent and she heard everything that he said. She went at once to her other son, Jacob.

“Quickly my son,” she told him, “go to your father now and ask him to give you his special blessing.” “But mother,” Jacob protested, “Father wants to give his blessing to Esau, he won't give it to me.” “Don't worry about that,” Rebekah reassured him, “Your father is nearly blind now, he won't realise you're not Esau.” “But what if he touches me?” Jacob warned, “He'll feel that I'm not all hairy like my brother and then he'll know that I'm not Esau.” Now that was a problem. Rebekah thought for a minute and then she had an idea. She rushed off and soon returned with armfuls of hairy, smelly goatskins. She wrapped them around Jacob's arms and put one across the back of his neck, and then she dressed him in Esau's finest robe. “There, that should do the trick,” she said, “Now off you go!” So Jacob went straight to his father's tent, pushed back the curtain and stepped inside. “Hello father, I've come for the special blessing.” “Erm, Esau? Is that you?

You sound more like your brother Jacob.” “Oh, er, no, no, it's definitely me, Esau” Jacob replied, trying his best to sound like his big brother. “Hmmm,” Isaac muttered, “come closer.” So trembling with fear, Jacob stepped towards his father who reached out his hands and ran them up and down his son's arms. “Well, you certainly feel like Esau ... and you definitely smell like him! Alright, kneel down boy and I'll give you my blessing.” So Jacob knelt down in front of his father who placed his hands on Jacob's shoulders and prayed for him, making him head of the family, giving him the land of Canaan, and once it was done there was no going back. As soon as it was over, Jacob hurried off to tell his mother what had happened. At that very moment Esau returned from the hunt. He went straight to Isaac's tent and greeted him, “Here I am father! I've brought you fresh meat, now give me your blessing.” The moment the poor old man heard the voice, his heart began to break.

“Oh my son, your brother came here pretending to be you and I gave him my special blessing!” “What?” demanded Esau, “Take it back! Give it to me!” “I can't!” groaned Isaac, “Once the blessing has been given it cannot be taken back.” “Well what's left for me?” “Nothing,” the old man murmured. “JACOB!” Esau roared, “When I get my hands on him I'm going to kill him!” When Rebekah heard that Esau was threatening to kill his brother she called Jacob to her. “Gather your things and get out of here,” she commanded him, “head for the town of Haran and when you get there ask for my brother, Laban, he'll take care of you.” So Jacob packed his bags and without stopping to look back he ran and he didn't return until his brother had calmed down. He was gone for twenty years! While he was away he had the most amazing series of adventures, but that's a story for some other time.

Esau in the Bible – The Twin Brother of Jacob By Jack Zavada "Instant gratification" is a modern term, but it applied to the Old Testament character Esau, whose shortsightedness led to disastrous consequences in his life. Esau, whose name means "hairy," was the twin brother of Jacob . Since Esau was born first, he was the elder son who inherited the all-important birthright , a Jewish law that made him the major heir in his father Isaac 's will. Once, when the red-haired Esau came home famished from hunting, he found his brother Jacob cooking stew. Esau asked Jacob for some, but Jacob demanded that Esau first sell him his birthright for the stew. Esau made a poor choice, not considering the consequences. He swore to Jacob and exchanged his precious birthright for a mere bowl of stew. Later, when Isaac's eyesight had failed, he sent his son Esau out to hunt for game for a meal, planning to give Esau his blessing later. Isaac's scheming wife Rebekah overheard and quickly prepared meat.

Then she put goatskins on her favorite son Jacob's arms and neck, so that when Isaac touched them, he would think it was his hairy son Esau. Jacob thus impersonated Esau, and Isaac blessed him by mistake. When Esau returned and found out what had happened, he became furious. He asked for another blessing, but it was too late. Isaac told his firstborn son he would have to serve Jacob, but would later "throw his yoke from off your neck." ( Genesis 27:40, NIV ) Because of his treachery, Jacob feared Esau would kill him. He fled to his uncle Laban in Paddan Aram. Again going his own way, Esau had married two Hittite women, angering his parents. To try to make amends, he married Mahalath, a cousin, but she was a daughter of Ishmael , the outcast. Twenty years later, Jacob had become a rich man. He went back home but was terrified of meeting Esau, who had become a powerful warrior with an army of 400 men. Jacob sent servants ahead with flocks of animals as gifts for Esau.

But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. (Genesis 33:4, NIV) Jacob returned to Canaan and Esau went to Mount Seir. Jacob, whom God renamed Israel, became father of the Jewish nation through his twelve sons . Esau, also named Edom, became father of the Edomites, an enemy of ancient Israel. The Bible does not mention Esau's death. A very confusing verse regarding Esau appears in Romans 9:13: Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” (NIV) Understanding that the name Jacob stood for Israel and Esau stood for the Edomite people helps us decipher what is meant. If we substitute "chose" for "loved" and "did not choose" for "hated," the meaning becomes clearer: Israel God chose, but Edom God did not choose. God chose Abraham and the Jews, from whom the Savior Jesus Christ would come. The Edomites, founded by Esau who sold his birthright, were not the chosen line.

Esau's Accomplishments: Esau, a skilled archer, became rich and powerful, father of the Edomite people. Without doubt his greatest accomplishment was forgiving his brother Jacob after Jacob had cheated him out of his birthright and blessing. Esau's Strengths: Esau was strong-willed and a leader of men. He set out on his own and founded a mighty nation in Seir, as detailed in Genesis 36. Esau's Weaknesses: His impulsiveness often led Esau into making bad decisions. He thought only of his momentary need, giving little thought to the future. Life Lessons: Sin always has consequences, even if they are not immediately apparent. Esau rejected the spiritual in favor of his urgent physical needs. Following God is always the wisest choice. Hometown: Canaan. References to Esau in the Bible: Esau's story appears in Genesis 25-36. Other mentions include Malachi 1:2, 3; Romans 9:13; and Hebrews 12:16, 17.

Occupation: Key Verses: Genesis 25:23 The LORD said to her (Rebekah), “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” ( NIV ) Genesis 33:10 “No, please!” said Jacob (to Esau). “If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably." ( NIV ) (Sources: gotquestions.org ; International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, James Orr, general editor; Bible History: Old Testament, by Alfred Edersheim) New Testament People of the Bible (Index) Jack Zavada, a career writer and contributor for About.com, is host to a Christian website for singles. Never married, Jack feels that the hard-won lessons he has learned may help other Christian singles make sense of their lives. His articles and ebooks offer great hope and encouragement. To contact him or for more information, visit Jack's Bio Page . Esau Site map Esau Esau and Jacob were twins, born to Isaac and Rebekah.

Esau was the first of the twins to be born. He was covered with red hair, and was called Esau. Some scholars believe that the word Esau means "hairy." Esau became the ancestor of the people of Edom ("red."), which was a country near Israel during ancient times. Before Esau's birth, the Lord told Rebekah that her older son would serve the younger son ( Genesis 25:23 ). This was an unusual concept in ancient times because the oldest son was regarded as the heir of the father's wealth, power and authority. Esau was born first. But when his twin brother Jacob was being born, Jacob's hand was holding onto Esau's heel. This was taken as a sign that Jacob wanted to be born first. Later in life, Jacob continued to show that he wanted to be his father's heir. One day, Esau returned from an unsuccessful hunting trip and was famished. He saw that Jacob had been cooking food and he asked for a serving. Jacob asked him if he would be willing to sell his rights as the first-born son in exchange for a bowl of food. Esau agreed.

( Genesis 25:29-34 .) Regardless of whether Esau was being serious or flippant in selling off his birthright, Jacob sought to make good on the deal and, with his mother's help, tricked his aging father into giving Jacob the blessing that traditionally would been reserved for the first-born. After Jacob had gotten the blessing from his father, Esau vowed to kill Jacob. To protect Jacob, his mother arranged for him to live with her relatives in Haran . Jacob lived in Haran for about 20 years, working for his uncle, Laban. When Jacob returned home, his brother, Esau, who now had wealth and a 400-man army, forgave Jacob. Esau married Hittite women, against his parents wishes. He also married two Ishmaelite women. One of them was Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son. After Isaac died, Esau took his wives, his children, his servants and his cattle and moved away from his brother to Mount Seir. In the New Testament passage of Hebrews 12:16, Esau is described as immoral and unreligious.

Paul, in Romans 9:10-13, indicates that God had chosen Jacob to be the heir to the promises that he had made to his grandfather, Abraham. Details about Esau can be found in Genesis chapters 25-36. Next person in the Bible: Esther Genesis 25:19-34 NIV - Jacob and Esau - This is the account of - Bible Gateway Genesis 25:19-34New International Version (NIV) Jacob and Esau 19 This is the account of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac. Abraham became the father of Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram[ a ] and sister of Laban the Aramean. 21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 22 The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.

23 The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” 24 When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. 25 The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau.[ b ] 26 After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob.[ c ] Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them. 27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew!

I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.[ d ]) 31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” 32 “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” 33 But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright. Footnotes: All the Twins in the Bible All the Twins in the Bible October 15, 2012 Finding out we were going to have twins was, perhaps, the biggest shock of our lives. They have been a double blessing to our lives. There are many famous sets of twins in history, and this includes Biblical history. 1. Jacob and Esau – Jacob and Esau, sons of Isaac and Rebecca, are the first twins mentioned in the Bible (Genesis 25:19-28).

The story of Jacob is told in Genesis 25:19-37:36 and 42:1-50:3. The story of Esau is found in Genesis 25:19-28:9, 32:1 -33:20, and 35:27-36:43. From Jacob the twelve tribes of Israel descended. Esau became the father of the Edomites (Genesis 36:19,43; Obadiah 1:6; Malachi 1:2-3). 2. Perez and Zerah – Judah’s daughter-in-law, Tamar, was widowed and did not want to be childless. Wrapping her face in a veil and disguising herself as a prostitute, she intercepts Judah on the road and he sleeps with her. The result of their union was Perez and Zerah (Genesis 38:12-30). From Perez would come the family of David (Ruth 4:18-22). 3.

Ephraim and Manasseh –The Bible does not directly state that the two sons of Joseph and Asenath were twins, but there is good reason to believe they were. First, Genesis mentions they were both born “before the year of famine came” (Genesis 41:50). Second, two conceptions are not mentioned in the text. Third, if they are twins they fit nicely into the pattern seen in the lives of Isaac and Judah: both their younger twins inherited the birthright, just as the younger Ephraim was blessed first by Jacob (Genesis 48:19). Jacob promised that both Ephraim and Manasseh would become patriarchs of a multitude, which began a traditional blessing said in Israel: “God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh” (Genesis 48:20). 4. Thomas and his unnamed sibling – Thomas was one of the twelves apostles (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13).

His name means “twin.” His surname was Didymus (John 11:16; 20:24; 21:2), meaning “double,” or “twofold.” Thomas is perhaps best known as “Doubting Thomas” because of the resurrection story in John 20:24-29, but other stories in the Gospel of John reveal Thomas to be a man of great devotion of to Christ (John 11:16; 14:5). 5. Castor and Pollux – This probably shouldn’t make the list, but I’ll include it to be thorough. In Acts 28:11 we read that Paul sailed aboard an Alexandrian ship with the figureheads of Castor and Pollux on it. In Greek mythology these were the twin sons of Zeus and Leda, and were the patron deities of sailors. 6. Were Cain and Abel Twins? – Some Bible scholars believe Cain and Abel were twins.

Genesis 4:1-2a states, “Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” And again, she bore his brother Abel.” The word “again” is the Hebrew term yacaph can also mean “add” or “increase,” giving the impression that Abel was born directly after Cain. This is a possibility, but because the text moves very quickly through time (in the very next statement Cain and Abel have grown up and engaging in their respective occupations), one can’t be dogmatic about it. There is no early Jewish or Christian tradition supporting this claim. Jacob | Define Jacob at Dictionary.com Share Jacob [jey-kuh b for 1, 3; French zha-kawb for 2] /ˈdʒeɪ kəb for 1, 3; French ʒaˈkɔb for 2/ Spell noun 1. the second son of Isaac, the twin brother of Esau, and father of the 12 patriarchs. Gen. 25:24–34. 2.

François [frahn-swa] /frɑ̃ˈswa/ (Show IPA), 1920–2013, French geneticist: Nobel Prize in Medicine 1965. 3. a male given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “supplanter.”. Dictionary.com Unabridged Examples from the Web for Jacob Expand Frank's Campaign Horatio Alger, Jr. British Dictionary definitions for Jacob Expand noun 1. (Old Testament) the son of Isaac, twin brother of Esau, and father of the twelve patriarchs of Israel 2. Also called Jacob sheep. any of an ancient breed of sheep having a fleece with dark brown patches and two or four horns Word Origin sense 2 in allusion to Genesis 30:40 Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd.

1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for Jacob Expand masc. proper name, name of Old Testament patriarch, son of Isaac and Rebecca and father of the founders of the twelve tribes, from Late Latin Iacobus, from Greek Iakobos, from Hebrew Ya'aqobh, literally "one that takes by the heel" (Gen. xxviii:12), a derivative of 'aqebh "heel." The most popular name for boys born in the U.S. from 1999 through 2008. Jacob's ladder, in various transferred uses from 1733, is from Gen. xxviii:12. Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper Expand Jacob Ja·cob (zhä-kôb'), François. Born 1920. French geneticist. He shared a 1965 Nobel Prize for the study of regulatory activity in body cells.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. Jacob (zhä-kôb') French geneticist who studied how genes control cellular activity by directing the synthesis of proteins. With Jacques Monod, he theorized that there are genes that regulate the activity of other, neighboring genes. They also proposed the existence of messenger RNA. The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved. Jacob in the Bible Expand 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 Canaanitish 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 .) 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 ØT0002335; BETHEL .) Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary JACOB: steals from Esau, meets an Angel, Dinah raped, sale of Joseph Bible study ideas for moreJacob - lies, lies, lies Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebecca, twin brother of Esau, husband of the sisters Rachel and Leah, and father of the twelve sons who became the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel Rachel, his beloved wife, mother of Joseph and Benjamin; she died giving birth to Benjamin Leah her older sister, also married to Jacob. The unloved wife who bore her husband six sons and a daughter. Joseph, favored son of Jacob Labin, father of Rachel and Leah The birth of Esau and Jacob Rebecca, wife of Isaac, bore twin sons, Esau and Jacob.

When they were born they seemed to be scrambling for first place: Esau came first, but Jacob came out holding onto Esau's tiny heel. They were in competition from the start. But they were quite different in personality. Jacob was a thinker, a man who preferred to stay close to home. Esau was a man's man, a hunter and farmer. As the old saying goes, one was an 'arty', the other was a 'hearty'. Theft of the Birthright and Blessing Jacob hated being second in line. He always wanted the birthright - the eldest son was entitled to twice the inheritance that any of his brothers got when their father died. One day when Esau came in from the fields, famished with hunger and exhausted, Jacob refused to give him the food he was cooking unless Esau renounced the birthright of the eldest son and gave it to him. Esau probably didn't take him too seriously, and when Jacob insisted he gave in, to get his hands on the food. He swore an oath that Jacob would have the birthright of the eldest son. Their father Isaac loved Esau better than Jacob, but Jacob was his mother's favorite.

She decided that he, not Esau, would be a better leader of the tribe, and she primed Jacob on how to steal the Blessing from Esau - the Blessing of the tribal leader had ritual and legal significance, naming the next leader of the tribe. Rebecca waited until Isaac's eyesight was failing badly, then she disguised Jacob so that Isaac mistook him for Esau. Jacob was a willing partner to the trickery, disguising his voice, skin and clothing so that Isaac would think he was speaking to Esau. The old man then gave the Blessing not to the son he favored, but to Jacob. Read the Bible Text Jacob's dream Knowing that Esau would be enraged by what he had done, Jacob fled. He took his mother's advice and set off for Padan-Aram, where her family still lived. On the journey he stopped one night and lay down to sleep, laying his head on a flat stone. While he was asleep he had a strange dream that affected him deeply. He dreamed he saw a ladder reaching from the earth up to heaven, and angels were going up and down the ladder.

Then God stood beside him and spoke, telling Jacob that this land should be his, and that he would have innumerable descendants. Then Jacob woke up, and was afraid. God was in this place, and Jacob had somehow stumbled on a place that joined heaven and earth. Next morning he took the stone he had used as a pillow and set it up as an altar, pouring oil on it to sanctify it. He called the place Bethel. Marriage with two sisters Then he set out again on his journey to his mother's family. He came to a well where some shepherds were watering their flocks. A young girl wanted to draw water from the well, and Jacob learnt from the shepherds she was Rachel, a cousin of his, daughter of his mother's brother Laban. He was smitten. He rolled the stone away from the lid of the well for her and she took him to meet his relatives. Laban had two daughters, Leah and Rachel. Jacob wanted to marry Rachel, and said so. But he had no bride price, and Laban demanded that Jacob work for him for seven years to pay the bride price for Rachel. This Jacob did, and at the end of the seven years he prepared to marry Rachel.

But Laban tricked him into marrying Lead instead - the face of the bride was hidden during the wedding, and once they'd had sexual intercourse in the darkness of the wedding night, there was no going back. Of course when Jacob found out he'd been tricked he was white-hot with anger. He had tricked his father Isaac but now had been tricked in turn by his uncle. He demanded to be given Rachel, and was so threatening that Laban agreed - on condition that Jacob work another seven years for her. This he did - but the anger inside him rankled, and he planned a way to get even. Read the Bible Text This paintings by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel is labelled 'Jacob, Joseph'. On the left side sits Jacob - and the face given him by Michelangelo suits the deceitful man in Genesis very well. Beside him is a rather sickly Rachel (she dies at the birth of her second son) with her first son Joseph. On the right side is Leah 'of the beautiful eyes', blessed with many sons and a daughter Dinah (far right), whose life will be ruined when she is raped by a man who professes to love her.

Be wary of information on art websites that tells you the 'Joseph' referred to in this painting is Joseph, husband of Mary of Nazareth, and that the female figure on the right is Mary of Nazareth. Comments like this are made by art historians who do not seem to have read the Old Testament stories on which Michelangelo based his Lunettes. Escape from Laban Jacob now had four wives - two full wives in Leah and Rachel, and their two maids Zilpah and Bilhah. He loved Rachel, but she did not seem able to conceive. Leah on the other hand was fertile. She had six sons and a daughter, Dinah, in rapid succession. Zilpah had two sons, as did Bilhah. Finally Rachel had a son whom she called Joseph. Meanwhile, Jacob and Laban had worked uneasily together. Neither trusted the other, with good reason. When the full bride price had been paid, Jacob asked Laban if he could leave and return to his native country. Laban prevaricated, but they came to an arrangement. Laban's flocks would consist of all the animals who were white.

Jacob could have all the animals who were spotted or dark - these were not as valuable as the white animals. Laban thought he had made a bargain, but Jacob took steps to stop the white animals breeding, and put the strong male animals with the spotted or black females, so that he bred a stronger and more numerous flock. He had outwitted Laban. Figurines from Ur, southern Mesopotamia, 5,000-4,000BC One day, without any farewell, Jacob gathered up his wives, children and flocks, and left. Rachel, who had never forgiven her father for tricking Jacob into marrying Leah, stole the household gods - small statuettes that represented the spirit of her family, similar to the lares and penetes of the Romans. This might seem a petty action, but these statuettes guaranteed legal title to all Jacob had taken from Laban. Jacob did not know she had done this. When he found out three days later, Laban pursued them - to get back his flocks and the statuettes. When they met each one accused the other of cheating - and each one was right.

But they agreed to a truce, with each one staying on his own side of an agreed landmark. Laban looked for the statuettes, know they must be in Jacob's camp, but Rachel hid them in a saddlebag then sat on them. She had her menstrual periods, she told her father - and by tribal law this meant he would be unclean if he touched the place where she had been sitting. He could not search the saddlebags, and so she had her revenge on her father. Read the Bible Text Wrestling with the Angel Jacob moved on. As he approached his home territory, he knew there would be a confrontation with Esau, his wronged brother. He heard that Esau had set out looking for him, and was afraid. Cautiously he sent flocks of animals as a sweetener to appease Esau, then waited to see what would happen. He also sent his wives and children away, so that they would be safe. Jacob Wrestling with an Angel, Gauguin That night, standing alone by the River Jabbok, a solitary man approached Jacob and began to wrestle with him. They wrestled and fought all night, but neither could get the upper hand.

Then the stranger struck Jacob in the hollow of his thigh, and Jacob's hip was dislocated. But Jacob held on. The stranger told him to let go, but Jacob demanded a blessing before he would do so. 'What is your name?' asked the stranger. 'Jacob'. 'Now it is no longer Jacob, but Israel', said the stranger. Jacob knew that he had seen God face to face - and lived. But Esau was still coming, and Jacob had to deal with that. He prepared for the worst, but to his amazement Esau ran to meet him, embracing him and welcoming him. He held no grudges - in fact, throughout the story he is consistently more likable than Jacob. They wept together, and were reunited as brothers, Esau having forgiven his brother completely. Read the Bible Text The rape of Dinah Jacob continued on to the city of Shechem, where he bought land. His family began the process of settling there, and the women began to visit the local women and make friends with them. On one of these visits Jacob's daughter Dinah was molested by the son of the local ruler, Shechem son of Hamor. Molested is too gentle a word.

The young girl was raped. Strangely, Shechem seems to have fallen deeply in love with her at the time - the Bible says 'his soul was drawn to her'. He persuaded his father Hamor to ask for her hand in marriage. Nowhere in this story is Dinah's reaction described. Jacob knew what had happened, but his sons did not - they were away in the fields at the time. When they heard about it they were very angry, but Hamor met with them and told them his sons wanted to marry Dinah, and that this could be the beginning of friendship between the inhabitants of the city and the new settlers. There could be intermarriage, trade and friendship between the groups. But Jacob's sons held onto their anger, and made a condition: that Shechem could only be accepted by them if he was circumcised. Not only Shechem, but every male among Shechem's people. Probably to their surprise, Shechem was more than willing to fall in with their request. There is something rather plaintive in his desire to please Dinah's brothers. He seems truly to have loved Dinah. He persuaded all the men of the city to accept the newcomers as equals, and to be circumcised.

He himself led the way. But a few days later, when all the men of the city had been newly circumcised and were in pain with the wound, the sons of Jacob attacked them and the city, killing and looting, stealing the wives and children of the city and taking all the loot they could. They killed Hamor and Shechem and took Dinah out of Shechem's house where she had gone to live. Jacob was aghast. He himself has been a trickster, but not a murderer. Now the tribe was in real trouble, with a whole new set of enemies. His sons' grisly acts had destroyed the harmony that might have been. Hastily Jacob pulled up roots and fled, taking his family and all they could carry to Bethel where they would be safe. Read the Bible Text The sale of Joseph After they had been in Bethal awhile they set out again, but Rachel was heavily pregnant, and not strong. She had a difficult labor, gave birth to a son called Benjamin, then died. Jacob had lost the woman he loved more than any other. Joseph's Coat Brought to Jacob, Giovanni Andrea de Ferrari Her son lived on - Joseph, and Jacob loved him more than any of his other sons.

He favored Joseph in many ways - there is a hint of this in the mention of the long-sleeved coat Jacob gave to Joseph. Heavy work cannot be done in a long-sleeved coat, so the fact that Joseph gave him this article of clothing meant that Joseph was not expected to do any of the heavy, tedious work of a tribesman or farmer. Unfortunately Joseph's sons were well aware of this, and grew jealous of Joseph. One day when they were well away from Jacob and the rest of the tribe, Joseph's brothers saw a chance to kill him - to get rid of him permanently. Only one of them spoke out against the plan - Reuben, the eldest son of Leah. He suggested that instead of killing him they imprison Joseph in one of the empty water cisterns - he meant to come back later and free his brother. Eventually they ended up selling Joseph as a slave to a passing trader. Jacob was heartbroken when they went back and told their father that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal.

Joseph, Overseer of Pharaoh's Graneries, Alma Tadema Only many years later did he find out the truth, when he and his sons went to Egypt and met Joseph, not dead at all but doing very well indeed for himself. Jacob died happy, knowing that his son Joseph was successful and respected. His final request was that Joseph return him to his homeland, to be buried with his ancestors, and Joseph honored this final request. Jacob and Esau - Jewish History Jewish History Jacob Receives Isaac’s Blessing Birth of the Twins Twenty years had passed since Isaac’s and Rebecca’s marriage, but as yet, they had not been blessed with children. Finally, G‑d answered Isaac’s prayers, and Rebecca gave birth to twins. The first child to be born was covered with hair like a fully grown person. His parents called him Esau (from the Hebrew word “osso” -- finish). The second child followed Esau, holding on to his brother’s heel, and Isaac called him Jacob (Yaakov, “One that takes by the heel”). Jacob and Esau Grow Up Although the children were twins and grew up together, they displayed a difference in character.

Jacob spent all his time at home, engaged in study with his father and grandfather Abraham. Esau, however, resorted to countless tricks to avoid studying, and spent most of his time in the fields. He enjoyed hunting and killing, and was often absent from his home for many days. Abraham’s Death Abraham lived to a ripe and happy old age, and died at the age of one hundred and seventy-five. His sons, Isaac and Ishmael, buried him in the Cave of Machpelah. Esau Kills Nimrod On the day of Abraham’s death, Esau had been out in the fields as usual. He had lost his way and was trying to find his way back, when King Nimrod arrived with two servants. Esau hid behind a rock, and when Nimrod was left unguarded, he killed him and fought the two servants who rushed to the aid of their master. Esau escaped with King Nimrod’s clothes. These were Adam’s garments which later became the property of Noah; Noah’s son Ham, who was Nimrod’s grandfather, had subsequently become their owner, and finally Nimrod had acquired them. These divine clothes had made Nimrod a powerful and skillful hunter and a mighty ruler over all other kings.

Now Esau had come into possession of the most valuable and cherished property a hunter could desire. Jacob Buys the Birthright The birthright was a sacred privilege enjoyed by the first-born son. This privilege made the first-born the real heir and successor to his father, as the head of the family. Isaac’s first-born son was to be devoted to the service of G‑d and to the sacred traditions of the family. But in the case of Esau, it soon became apparent that he was not the one to fulfill this sacred duty. Esau did not wish to shoulder this responsibility, preferring a happy and carefree life as a hunter and man of the fields. Jacob, on the other hand, seemed the ideal inheritor and successor. The day that Esau returned from that fateful hunting trip, his clothes still covered with the spatter of mud and blood, Jacob rebuked him for neglecting his holy duty as first-born. Esau, however, ridiculed Jacob and spoke very mockingly of the birthright. Jacob was shocked to hear such abuse of, and disrespect towards, the sacred privilege of the first-born, and proposed to buy the birthright from Esau who willingly agreed to make the deal.

Thus Jacob came into the possession of something he cherished more than all the treasures of the world. Isaac Goes To Philistina After Abraham’s death, famine again swept over the land of Canaan. Isaac wanted to follow the example of his father Abraham and go to Egypt. However, G‑d ordered him never to leave the land that had been promised to his father and to him, and Isaac traveled down only to the land of the Philistines. Isaac took the same precaution his father had taken when he sojourned among the Philistines. He said that Rebecca was not his wife, but his sister. King Abimelech desired to marry Rebecca, for she was the fairest woman he had ever seen. But when he found out that Rebecca was really Isaac’s wife, he was afraid to touch her or Isaac. When Isaac grew very prosperous, the Philistines became envious and requested him to leave. Isaac went to Beer Sheba, where his father Abraham had dwelt. Soon after, Abimelech paid Isaac a friendly visit, desiring to make up for his former unfriendly act. Abimelech asked Isaac to make a treaty of peace with him.

This Isaac did, and Abimelech returned to his land.

Question: In the Bible who was the father of twin sons, Jacob and Esau ?
Answer: ISAAC