Genesis: Jacob

Want to read more about Jacob?

1. God spoke to Rebekah the wife of Isaac, son of Abraham, that He chose Jacob over Esau to inherit the blessings of Abraham.
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. 26 After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob. 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 a quiet man, staying among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Genesis 25: 23 - 28

2. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob, as he treated his birthright with contempt.
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.)

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.
Genesis 25: 29 - 34

3. Jacob cheated his father of his elder brother's blessings with the help of his mother. When Esau, his elder brother, found out about it, he became so mad at Jacob that he wanted to kill Jacob. Rebekah, their mother, was so terrified that she sent Jacob off away from Esau to her brother's place in Haran.
36 Esau said, "Isn't he rightly named Jacob? He has deceived me these two times: He took my birthright, and now he's taken my blessing!" Then he asked, "Haven't you reserved any blessing for me?"
37 Isaac answered Esau, "I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I possibly do for you, my son?"
Genesis 27: 36 - 37

4. Tithing came about when Jacob promised God that he would give a tenth for everything that he had provided God kept him safe and blessed his work.
20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear 21 so that I return safely to my father's house, then the LORD will be my God 22 and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth."
Genesis 28: 20 - 22

5. Jacob marries Leah first and then Rachael who were both daughters of Laban, the elder brother of Rebekah. They eventually had twelve children, which included children bored to him from maidservants of Leah and Rachael, Zilpah and Bilhah respectively. The youngest of them is Benjamin.
23 The sons of Leah:
Reuben the firstborn of Jacob,
Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun.
24 The sons of Rachel:
Joseph and Benjamin.
25 The sons of Rachel's maidservant Bilhah:
Dan and Naphtali.
26 The sons of Leah's maidservant Zilpah:
Gad and Asher.
These were the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.
Genesis 35: 23 - 26

6. Jacob had been struggling within himself, as he did not really understood his name. He was living under the blessings of Esau and not Jacob. Thus, God gave him a new name, and blessed him under this new name of his, "Israel".
28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."
Genesis 32: 28

7. Jacob eventually mended the broken relationship with his elder brother, Esau, when he humbled himself at Esau's sight. Esau even came and welcome him back.
10 "No, please!" said Jacob. "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. 11 Please accept the present that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me and I have all I need." And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted it.
12 Then Esau said, "Let us be on our way; I'll accompany you."
Genesis 33: 10 - 12

Want to read more about Jacob?