A Different Perspective on Jacob

By Jenny Fulton

*A shorter version of this article was originally posted on iBelieve.com on March 12, 2024 (there was a word limit on that one).

I’ve heard many people describe Jacob (from the story of Jacob and Esau) as nothing more than a tricky liar and deceiver. Oh, sure, they’ll acknowledge that God chose him over his older brother Esau, and sometimes they’ll mention that Jacob seemed to improve by the end of the story. But the most common narrative I’ve heard or read centers solely on Jacob unfairly and unrighteously taking what belonged to Esau.

I think that’s an unfair and inaccurate narrative that misses an important point.

In Genesis 32:28, when Jacob met God face to face, God told Jacob how He viewed his life: “He said, ‘Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed’” (NASB95).

The word, “striven,” can also be also be translated as, “to persist, exert oneself, persevere” [Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998).]

To prevail carries the idea of having power, succeeding, or gaining victory.

In other words, it seems God saw Jacob as someone who persevered with Him throughout his life and succeeded. If we look at Jacob through this lens, we see someone who longed for the promises, blessings, and presence of God. We see a man who struggled to obtain those good, godly desires and never gave up.

A Heel Grabber (Genesis 25:19-26)

The biblical narrative of Jacob’s life begins before his birth. Rebekah, Jacob’s mother, was barren, so she and her husband Isaac prayed for a child. The Lord gave them twins. Those brothers began fighting in the womb. This was so uncomfortable that Rebekah asked God what was going on.

“The Lord said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger’” (Genesis 25:23, NASB95).

Esau was born first, with Jacob right behind, holding onto Esau’s heel (v. 26).

Some Bibles, like the NASB, have a notation that tells us the name Jacob means “one who takes by the heel or supplants.” Most commentaries describe Jacob’s newborn action as an attempt to hold his brother back so he could be born first. Preachers and writers speak of this behavior as though it was a sneaky, selfish effort to gain control. They define Jacob’s entire life through this interpretation.

Yet, this raises questions. If he truly was capable of such complex thoughts and motivations as a newborn, why did he want that position? How do we know his desire for familial authority was selfish rather than honest, selfless, and God-given, especially since God had already declared its reality? And let’s not forget the commentary in Romans 9:10-12 that completely absolves Jacob of any sin while he was in the womb. “Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, ‘The older will serve the younger’” (NASB95).

In addition to this, there’s also a lesser-known view on Jacob’s name that comes from a Jewish commentary. It says, “By folk etymology, the name is here derived from Hebrew ʿakev, ‘heel.’ In reality, Hebrew yaʿakav stems from a Semitic root ʿ-k-v, ‘to protect.’ It is abbreviated from a fuller form with a divine name or epithet as its subject. Yaʿakov-ʾel, ‘May El protect,’ is a name that has turned up several times in cuneiform texts over a wide area. The name Jacob is thus, in origin, a plea for divine protection of the newly born—most appropriate for the one who was to live his entire life in the shadow of danger.” [Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis, The JPS Torah Commentary (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1989), 180]

So, was Jacob named as a description of a deceitful character, or as a prayer to God for His protection? Does the way we define the actions of Jacob’s birth change the way we perceive his character?

A Peaceful Man (Genesis 25:27-28, 26:34-35, 28:8-9)

Genesis 25:27 tells us something significant about Jacob’s life and character: “When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents” (NASB95).

Esau was gone a lot. He spent his time roaming about the land and hunting. We later learn he married foreign women, possibly without his parents’ consent or blessing, since we’re told this behavior displeased and grieved them (Genesis 26:34-35, 28:8-9).

Meanwhile, Jacob is described as a peaceful man. This word can also mean completeness or integrity. Other translations use the words “mild,” “quiet,” or “plain.” Each carries the idea of someone who is a good, reputable man. He stayed close to home and probably knew the people and their problems far better than Esau did. Is it any wonder he’d want to be the one to lead them?

One with Proper Priorities (Genesis 25:29-34)

The birthright came with privileges and responsibilities. It was a spiritual and material inheritance. The firstborn son was considered as belonging to God. As other stories throughout the Bible show us, the birthright wasn’t guaranteed to remain with the oldest son. The father could decide to give it to another son. Other Near Eastern writings from that time tell us that the heir could sell his birthright. This is what happens in Genesis 25:29-34.

Most scholars suggest that Jacob tricked Esau out of his birthright, but the transaction seems pretty straightforward.

Esau returned from hunting.
Esau asked Jacob for food.
Jacob stated his price, the birthright.
Esau declared food was more important and agreed to the trade.
Jacob demanded an oath as proof of payment.
Esau made the oath.
The transaction was complete.

Esau was understandably tired and hungry. It seems all he could think about was his immediate discomfort. It also seems highly unlikely that he was actually on the verge of dying from starvation. However, Esau was so focused on solving a physical problem in the fastest possible way that he showed no regard for something with spiritual significance.

After he sold his birthright, Esau “ate and drank, and rose and went on his way” (v. 34). At that moment, the trade didn’t seem to bother him. It was only later, when his dad was dying and Esau realized Jacob had received the blessing, that Esau exhibited any kind of regret. He accused Jacob of taking the birthright and attributed him with the more negative meaning of his name: supplanter. However, the Bible’s commentary on this food-for-birthright exchange places the blame on Esau. “Thus Esau despised his birthright” (v. 34).

Jacob valued the spiritual blessings that Esau despised. Jacob wanted the birthright even though he knew he’d have to wait to receive its full benefits.

A Reluctant Deceiver (Genesis 27:1-40)

We don’t know if anyone else knew about the birthright exchange, including the parents. What is interesting to note is that Rebekah was the one who orchestrated the big blessing deception and offered to take the blame.

Rebekah overheard Isaac talking to Esau about receiving the blessing.
Rebekah devised a plan and did most of the work to execute it.
Rebekah told Jacob to obey her.
Jacob expressed doubts about the plan.
Rebekah said, “Your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me” (Genesis 27:13, NASB95).
Jacob obeyed.

Yes, Jacob deceived his dad and received the blessing Isaac intended to give Esau. But what’s so hard for many of us to comprehend is that neither Isaac nor God condemned Jacob for possessing the birthright. Yes, there were consequences—Jacob was forced to flee Esau’s wrath—but those consequences weren’t accompanied by condemnation.

Again, I don’t think deception was a normal part of Jacob’s character. His heart wasn’t set on cheating people. Rather, it was fixed on obtaining God’s blessings and promises. Jacob wanted what was good, what was of God, even when it was a struggle to obtain it.

Though I don’t see God supporting an ends-justifies-the-means type of living, I do see God honoring a heart that desires what He desires and a soul that’s willing to persevere through trials to receive those godly yearnings.

As anyone familiar with Jacob’s story knows, his hardships didn’t end when he left home.

A Blessed, Obedient Fugitive (Genesis 27:41-28:22)

When Rebekah overheard Esau’s plan to kill Jacob after Isaac died, she told her favorite son to prepare to flee to her brother’s house. But first, she convinced Isaac that Jacob needed to leave so he could marry a woman from her family. Rather than condemn Jacob for tricking him, Isaac blessed him before he departed for Paddan-aram and gave him instructions. Of course, Jacob obeyed.

I don’t think we understand how hard it may have been for Jacob to leave. He loved his home and family. All his life he had dwelled among them. God had promised that he would lead them someday. But although Jacob now possessed the birthright and blessing, it seemed he was being pushed further from his dreams.

On the way to Paddan-aram, God, rather than condemning Jacob for deceiving his dad, gave him a dream in which He promised to always be with him, bless him, protect him, and bring him back home where God would fulfill His promised blessings.

In turn, Jacob promised that if God fulfilled His end of the deal, “then the Lord will be my God” (Genesis 28:21, NASB95).

A One-Woman Man (Genesis 29-30)

Throughout the story of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel, it’s easy for me to feel sympathy for Leah and irritation with Jacob and Rachel. Why couldn’t Jacob just love Leah more and see what a brat Rachel was?

However, I will say this for Jacob: he was a loyal, one-woman man. Like his dad and grandpa, he only ever wanted one wife. What he got was two competitive wives, their maidservants, and an incredibly contentious home full of kids. Through it all, his unconditional love for Rachel held firm.

A Blessed, Honest Worker (Genesis 30:25-31:55)

If you want to see a true deceiver, take a look at Jacob’s uncle Laban. In Genesis 31:6-7, Jacob summarizes his dealings with his father-in-law. “You know that I have served your father with all my strength. Yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times; however, God did not allow him to hurt me” (NASB6).

In spite of Laban’s dishonesty, Jacob acted with integrity and trusted God to provide for him. As He promised, God was with Jacob and greatly blessed him during those hard years.

Can you imagine how tough those years must have been for Jacob? How much he missed home? But no matter how poorly Laban treated him or how badly Jacob wanted to return, he trusted and waited for God to give him permission to leave.

When God finally told Jacob it was time to go, Jacob obeyed immediately.

One Who Struggles and Prevails (Genesis 32)

Jacob was so close to seeing the fulfillment of all God’s promises, so close to finally having everything he’d ever wanted. And he was scared. He was still terrified of what Esau might do to him. He trusted God but feared Esau too much to trust Him completely.

The night before the dreaded family reunion, after praying for God’s protection and doing what he could to protect his family, Jacob prepared to spend the night alone. But that didn’t exactly happen. A man showed up and they wrestled. Jacob refused to give up or let go of the man until the man blessed him.

The man said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:28, NASB95).

Throughout Jacob’s life, he desired and struggled to receive God’s blessings. He contended with his brother, his father, and his uncle. He persevered through exile, unfair treatment, and complicated, dysfunctional family dynamics.

God changed Jacob’s name in honor of his struggles and perseverance in obtaining God’s blessings. That is the point we miss if we only view Jacob as a deceiver. We miss seeing the heart and desire that God honored in Jacob and still honors in us today.

God called His people Israel — those who struggle with God and with men and prevail. Those who desire Him and His blessings above all else.

Similarly, Christians are those who desire God’s presence and persevere through the trials in life to love Him and be with Him, to follow Him and walk in His ways. As with Jacob/Israel, God has promised to always be with us.

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