Jacob

Jacob was the son of Isaac and Rebekah and the twin brother of Esau. God renamed him Israel, and his twelve sons became the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Birth and birthright

• Genesis 25:21-26
  ²¹And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.Later, Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. ²²And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord.But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So Rebekah went to inquire of the LORD, ²³And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.and He declared 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.” ²⁴And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.When her time came to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb. ²⁵And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.The first one came out red, covered with hair like a fur coat; so they named him Esau. ²⁶And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.
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• Genesis 25:29-34
  ²⁹And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:One day, while Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the field and was famished. ³⁰And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am famished.” (That is why he was also called Edom.) ³¹And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.“First sell me your birthright,” Jacob replied. ³²And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?“Look,” said Esau, “I am about to die, so what good is a birthright to me?” ³³And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.“Swear to me first,” Jacob said. So Esau swore to Jacob and sold him the birthright. ³⁴Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.Then Jacob gave some bread and lentil stew to Esau, who ate and drank and then got up and went away. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
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The blessing and Bethel

• Genesis 27:18-29
  ¹⁸And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son?So Jacob went to his father and said, “My father.” “Here I am!” he answered. “Which one are you, my son?” ¹⁹And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may bless me.” ²⁰And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the Lord thy God brought it to me.But Isaac asked his son, “How did you ever find it so quickly, my son?” “Because the LORD your God brought it to me,” he replied. ²¹And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come closer so I can touch you, my son. Are you really my son Esau, or not?” ²²And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.So Jacob came close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” ²³And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau’s hands: so he blessed him.Isaac did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he blessed him. ²⁴And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.Again he asked, “Are you really my son Esau?” And he replied, “I am.” ²⁵And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank.“Serve me,” said Isaac, “and let me eat some of my son’s game, so that I may bless you.” Jacob brought it to him, and he ate; then he brought him wine, and he drank. ²⁶And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.Then his father Isaac said to him, “Please come near and kiss me, my son.” ²⁷And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed:So he came near and kissed him. When Isaac smelled his clothing, he blessed him and said: “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed. ²⁸Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:May God give to you the dew of heaven and the richness of the earth— an abundance of grain and new wine. ²⁹Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be the master of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”
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• Genesis 28:10-17
  ¹⁰And Jacob went out from Beer–sheba, and went toward Haran.Meanwhile Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. ¹¹And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.On reaching a certain place, he spent the night there because the sun had set. And taking one of the stones from that place, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. ¹²And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.And Jacob had a dream about a ladder that rested on the earth with its top reaching up to heaven, and God’s angels were going up and down the ladder. ¹³And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;And there at the top the LORD was standing and saying, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you now lie. ¹⁴And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and east and north and south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. ¹⁵And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.Look, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” ¹⁶And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.When Jacob woke up, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was unaware of it.” ¹⁷And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven!”
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Laban and his family

• Genesis 29:18-28
  ¹⁸And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” ¹⁹And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.” ²⁰And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her. ²¹And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.” ²²And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast. ²³And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. ²⁴And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant. ²⁵And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?” ²⁶And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older. ²⁷Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.” ²⁸And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
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• Genesis 35:23-26
  ²³The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:The sons of Leah were Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. ²⁴The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. ²⁵And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:The sons of Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali. ²⁶And the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padan–aram.And the sons of Leah’s maidservant Zilpah were Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan-aram.
  Show context · Read Genesis 35 →

Wrestling with God

• Genesis 32:24-30
  ²⁴And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.So Jacob was left all alone, and there a man wrestled with him until daybreak. ²⁵And 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.When the man saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he struck the socket of Jacob’s hip and dislocated it as they wrestled. ²⁶And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” ²⁷And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.“What is your name?” the man asked. “Jacob,” he replied. ²⁸And 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.Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.” ²⁹And 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.And Jacob requested, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed Jacob there. ³⁰And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.So Jacob named the place Peniel, saying, “Indeed, I have seen God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”
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• Genesis 33:1-4
  ¹And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. ²And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear. ³And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. ⁴And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
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• Genesis 35:9-12
  ⁹And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan–aram, and blessed him.After Jacob had returned from Paddan-aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. ¹⁰And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.And God said to him, “Though your name is Jacob, you will no longer be called Jacob. Instead, your name will be Israel.” So God named him Israel. ¹¹And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;And God told him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation—even a company of nations—shall come from you, and kings shall descend from you. ¹²And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.”
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Last years and death

• Genesis 46:1-4
  ¹And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer–sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.So Israel set out with all that he had, and when he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. ²And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.And that night God spoke to Israel in a vision: “Jacob, Jacob!” He said. “Here I am,” replied Jacob. ³And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:“I am God,” He said, “the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. ⁴I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will surely bring you back. And Joseph’s own hands will close your eyes.”
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• Genesis 47:28
  And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, and the length of his life was 147 years.
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• Genesis 49:33
  And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.When Jacob had finished instructing his sons, he pulled his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and he was gathered to his people.
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Elsewhere in Scripture

• Malachi 1:2-3
  ²I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob,“I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you ask, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet Jacob I have loved, ³And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.but Esau I have hated, and I have made his mountains a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.”
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• Romans 9:10-13
  ¹⁰And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac. ¹¹(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand, ¹²It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” ¹³As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
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• Hebrews 11:21
  By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
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See also

• Isaac
• Abraham
• Joseph, son of Jacob
• Covenant

Notes

1. Verses are quoted in the translation chosen in the Translation menu at the top of the page. See Translations for sources and copyright notices.
2. Each reference links to the full chapter so the verse can be read in context.