Yacob Called Yisrael
The appearance on the scene of two brothers
The life of Yacob-Yisrael, the third Scriptural patriarch, is set before us in a vivid, brisk and colorful narrative. But, in typically eastern fashion, it is rather formless; if this complex adventure of a new and important character in the annals of Yisrael is to be seen with any clarity, it requires division into three sections:
Yacob In His Father's Camp
At the outset Yacob is a rather disturbing youth, engrossed in ensuring material possessions for himself, often by underhand methods which even in those days were hardly to be commended.
Yacob: The Long Round-Trip From Bethel To Bethel
Now begins the progressive discovery of the important mission to which one day he was to be called by YAHWEH. Between two successive revelations are interposed twenty hard years of service in the Upper Euphrates with his uncle Laban, whose two daughters, Leah and Rachel, he married.
Yacob: The New Patriarch
After the death of his father Yitschaq Yacob returned to the Negeb and assumed the leadership of the clan. In accordance with the commands given him by YAHWEH he had now to preserve intact the precious spiritual deposit, the idea of the one YAHWEH.
It is a drama in three acts, each of a distinctly different character. The first is rather anecdotal, the second often moving and the third is imbued with greatness.
Yacob In His Father's Camp
Here we are in touch with the daily lives of the Scriptural patriarchs. It is an eventful story interspersed with familiar tales of a somewhat intractable nature. All this is set against the background of the pastoral countryside of southern Palestine.
Yitschaq And Rebekah Await An Heir
(Bereshith 25)
After many years of marriage Yitschaq and Rebekah still awaited the birth of an heir. To have no children was a great affliction and even a disgrace for an oriental. It was also a continual worry for Yitschaq, son of Abraham, to whom YAHWEH had entrusted an important mission, promising him numerous descendants as the reward for bringing it to a successful conclusion. And now it seemed that Rebekah was barren. Then events took a dramatic turn. YAHWEH at last heard Yitschaq's prayer and Rebekah became pregnant. But things did not seem much better because, as the Scriptures tells us, the children struggled with one another inside her, and she said, 'if this is the way of it, why go on living l' It must have been a very difficult pregnancy. So she went to consult YAHWEH, and HE said to her:
'There are two nations in your womb, Your issue will be two rival peoples.
One nation shall have the mastery of the other, 2 and the elder shall serve the younger.'
It seemed that great struggles were to be expected.
1 The two twins (Esau. the elder; Yacob, the younger) were the founders of two tribes which later separated Esau, called Edom, was to be leader of the Edomites who settled to the south of the Dead Sea, and on this account this region was called the land of Edom Yacob, called Yisrael, was to be the ancestor of the twelve tribes, each formed by the descendants of his twelve sons; the twelve tribes of Yisrael were to occupy the Promised Land
2 In the time of King David (800 years after this prophecy) the Edomites were conquered and annexed by the Yisraelites. It may well be wondered whether the prophecy did not take shape at that time.
Rebekah Gives Birth To Twins
The midwife took care to tie a red cord to the wrist of the child who appeared first; thus, later, when the question of succeeding his father arose, he could claim the rights of the first born. We know nowadays that physiologically the elder of twins is the one who is born last. In antiquity they were less well informed.
On this occasion Rebekah gave birth first to a fine boy who was red and very hairy, as though he was completely wrapped in a hairy cloak. He was at once called Esau. Subsequently he became a skilled hunter, a man of the open country. He was not a man of acute mind and was rather uncouth in his behavior.
Then Rebekah gave birth to the second twin, Yacob. He was a beautiful baby with the delicate features characteristic of his race. In the years to come he was to appear as an astute and clever diplomat. Unlike his brother, he felt strongly attracted to life with the flocks and became the typical peace-loving shepherd, a good though crafty and astute administrator.
We do not know the meaning of Esau, but as he had red hair (a colour not appreciated in the East) he was given the other name of Edom (the 'red-haired'). The name Yacob is a shortened form of Ya'aqob-EI which can be translated 'May YAHWEH protect!' But the oriental, always fond of a pun, preferred a more popular explanation. The story was told that Yacob (Ya'aqob) was born with his hand grasping his twin's heel ('aqeb). So we are not to be surprised if one day Yacob (Ya'aqob) supplants (ya'aqob) his brother Esau. Etymologies of this kind appealed to the Hebrew shepherds.
Thus we are shown the appearance on the scene of two brothers hostile to each other, of two protagonists very dissimilar in their physical features as in their different vocations. To complicate the situation even further Esau seemed to be the favourite of his father Yitschaq, to whom he regularly brought the produce of his hunting. Yacob, on the other hand, was the favourite of his mother whose side he scarcely left.
Yacob Called Yisrael Index Yacob Sitemap Scripture History Through the Ages Yacob Called Yisrael Yacob and Esau Theft Of The Paternal Blessing Flight, The Only Solution For Yacob Yacob's Dream At Bethel Yacob Puts Up A Stele Named BethEl The Location Of Bethel Importance Of The Well, A Meeting Place Details Of The Mohar The Sons Of Yacob How Yacob Became Rich Yacob Leaves The Land Of The Fathers Treaty Between Yacob And Laban Messages Between Yacob And Esau Yacob Wrestles With YAHWEH Two Brothers, Yacob and Esau Meet Towards The Promised Land The Departure From Shechem The Conclusion Of Yacob