Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
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
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
(supplanter), the second son of Isaac and Rebekah. He was born with Esau, probably at the well of Lahai-roi, about B.C. 1837. His history is related in the latter half of the book of Genesis. He bought the birthright from his brother Esau, and afterward acquired the blessing intended for Esau, by practicing a well-known deceit on Isaac. (Jacob did not obtain the blessing because of his deceit, but in spite of it. That which was promised he would
have received in some good way; but Jacob and his mother, distrusting God’s promise, sought the promised blessing in a wrong way, and received with it trouble and sorrow.—ED.) Jacob, in his 78th year, was sent from the family home to avoid his brother, and to seek a wife among his kindred in Padan-aram. As he passed through Bethel, God appeared to him. After the lapse of twenty-one years he returned from Padan-aram with two wives, two
concubines, eleven sons and a daughter, and large property. He escaped from the angry pursuit of Laban, from a meeting with Esau, and from the vengeance of the Canaanites provoked by the murder of Shechem; and in each of these three emergencies he was aided and strengthened by the interposition of God, and in sign of the grace won by a night of wrestling with God his name was changed at Jabbok into Israel. Deborah and Rachel died before he
reached Hebron; Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob, was sold into Egypt eleven years before the death of Isaac; and Jacob had probably exceeded his 130th year when he went tither. He was presented to Pharaoh, and dwelt for seventeen years in Rameses and Goshen, and died in his 147th year. His body was embalmed, carried with great care and pomp into the land of Canaan, and deposited with his fathers, and his wife Leah, in the cave of Machpelah. The
example of Jacob is quoted by the first and the last of the minor prophets. Besides the frequent mention of his name in conjunction with the names of the other two patriarchs, there are distinct references to the events in the life of Jacob in four books of the New Testament - (John 1:51; 4:5,12; Acts 7:12,16; Romans 9:11-13; Hebrews 11:21; 12:16)
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
JA'COB (heel-catcher, supplanter), the third of the Jewish patriarchs, the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and twin brother to Esau. He received his name from the circumstance which occurred at his birth. Gen 25:26. The family were then living at Lahai-roi. The twins greatly differed in tastes: Esau was a hunter, Jacob "a plain man, dwelling in tents." Gen 25:27. But though domestic, he was selfish and scheming. He bought the birthright from Esau,
taking advantage of the latter's temporary weakness. Gen 25:29-34. When Isaac, fearing a sudden death, desired to bless Esau, whose manly character made him his favorite, while the more pliable Jacob was the favorite of Rebekah, Jacob was ready to fall in with his mother's plan, and, by deceiving his blind and aged father, to secure the elder brother's blessing. The event, so momentous to all parties, is related in detail in Gen 27. The hate of
Esau, naturally aroused, compelled Jacob in fear to flee somewhere, and the anxiety of Rebekah lest Jacob should marry a daughter of Heth was the ostensible reason for turning his steps toward Padan-aram, where her brother Laban lived. Previous to his departure Isaac blessed him again, and thus with the assurance of divine favor, but with a heavy and fearful heart, did this man of at least 50 years (it is usual to call him 78 years old) turn his
back upon his home and wearily go among strangers. But, though unworthy, he was the heir to the promises; and accordingly, God cared for him. At Bethel his eyes were opened to see a glorious vision and his ears to hear the voice of God. On awaking he made a vow to serve the Lord, giving the tenth, if the Lord on his part would protect and prosper him. Gen 28:20-22. An every-day incident introduced him to the family of Laban; an act of gallantry
won him a home at once. Loving Rachel, he promised to serve Laban for her. But when the time was fulfilled, Laban, favored by the marriage-customs of the Orient, fraudulently married him to the elder daughter, Leah, but afterward to Rachel also. Jacob contrived an expedient whereby his flocks became larger and healthier than Laban's, and thus in the course of time the desire of his heart after the things of this life was gratified. He had
"increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and men-servants, and camels, and asses." Gen 30:43. Eleven sons and one daughter had been born to him by his two wives and their two servants, who were his concubines. But he yearned after his native land and determined to brave his brother's anger. Secretly, knowing Laban's feelings, he fled, but was followed and overtaken. A parley ensued. Jacob asserted his grievance: "I served
thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle; and thou hast changed my wages ten times." A covenant of peace was made, of which a pillar was a reminder, Gen 31:45-54, and Laban left him with expressions of goodwill. Still dreading Esau, he sent messengers to him, and found Esau was approaching — he feared with hostile intentions. He prudently guarded against destruction by separating his company into two bands and by
sending a handsome present to Esau. Fear acted like a slave to bring him to God. He prayed humbly, not to say cringingly, quoting the divine promises. After sending his family over the brook Jabbok, he tarried behind to see that nothing was forgotten, when there appeared "a man" who wrestled with him till the breaking of the day. The wrestling forms an extraordinary scene. Gen 32:24-32. God prevailed not against man. But when the day dawned the
exhausted son of Isaac was no longer Jacob, but Israel; for though the sinew of his thigh shrank under the angel's touch, and though after this he was to know much sorrow, the all-night conflict had brought victory, so that the angel of the Lord could say, "As a prince hast thou power with God and with men; and hast prevailed." With the new name came the new nature. The man who met Esau was not Jacob, the supplanter, but Israel, the soldier of
God. Behind him lay the guilty past; before him stretched the illimitable future, whose near part was full of trial, but whose far part was full of glory. Like many other awaited ills, the meeting with Esau was an agreeable disappointment. Esau was all kindness, and Jacob was compelled to refuse his friendly offers. After the brothers separated, Jacob finally settled near the city of Shechem, where he bought some land. Gen 33. In retaliation for
the ravishment of Dinah by Shechem, the son of the prince of the country, by a stratagem the city was destroyed. See Dinah. The patriarch was therefore compelled to leave that part of the land. By divine direction he came to Bethel, where he paid the vow he had made so many years before, and here God again appeared unto him. On their way to Hebron, at Bethlehem, Benjamin was born, but Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob, died. The memory of the
event was ineffaceable. Gen 35:19. Shortly after his arrival, it would seem, Isaac died, and he and Esau buried him. Gen 35:29. The history now is taken up with Joseph, and Jacob does not play a prominent part until, lying upon his deathbed, he utters his prophetic blessing, tracing from the starting-point of individual character the fortunes of the tribes his twelve sons were destined to found. But the future was revealed to him only a little
while before he belonged to the past for ever, for scarcely had he spoken out the pride, affection, apprehension, and warning of his fatherly heart than he "yielded up the ghost," aged 147 years, "and was gathered unto his people." Gen 49:33. He was buried with great pomp; his body was embalmed by the court-physicians and carried to Hebron, and there at last, after 147 years of wandering and trouble, Jacob rested with his ancestors in the cave of
Machpelah. Gen 50:13. Jacob had more weaknesses and faults by nature than his father and grandfather, but his life was also more checkered and troubled, and his character purified by affliction, Abraham exemplifies heroic faith; Isaac, quiet humility; Jacob, patience and perseverance. His checkered life teaches us the lesson that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of heaven. The terms "Jacob" and the "seed" or "children of Jacob"
are often applied to the body of true believers generally. Deut 33:10: Ps 14:7; Ps 22:23; Ps 105:6; Ps 135:4; Isa 14:1; Isa 44:2; Mic 7:20.
Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869)
that supplants, undermines; the heel