Man living at the time of the Patriarchs
Jacob
Isaac and Rebekah’s younger twin, born holding his brother Esau’s heel, so named Jacob (Genesis 25:26). He bought Esau’s birthright and, with his mother’s help, took Isaac’s blessing by deception, and fled to Laban in Paddan Aram (Genesis 25:29–34; 27). On the way, at Bethel, he dreamed of a stairway to heaven, and God repeated Abraham’s promise to him: “In you and in your offspring, all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 28:10–15).
He served Laban twenty years, for Leah and Rachel, and their servants Bilhah and Zilpah; he became the father of twelve sons and a daughter, and grew rich in flocks (Genesis 29–31). On his way home he wrestled all night with a man at the Jabbok, and was told, “Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:24–30). He was reconciled with Esau, buried Rachel at Ephrath, and later lost Joseph, as he believed, until a famine took the family to Egypt (Genesis 33–46). He lived 147 years, the last seventeen in Egypt, blessed his sons and Joseph’s two sons, and was buried in the cave of Machpelah (Genesis 47:28; 48–49; 50:12–13). His twelve sons gave their names to the tribes of Israel.
Twin of Esau. Left home at 77 by Ussher's reckoning, served Laban 20 years, and moved to Egypt at 130, where he lived his last 17 years.
Family
- Father
- Isaac
- Mother
- Rebekah
- Wives
- Rachel, Leah, Zilpah, Bilhah
- Children
- Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Dinah, Joseph son of Jacob, Benjamin
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