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Isaiah 41 (WEB)

Jacob (Israel) — Jacob (Israel): Son of Isaac and Rebekah·1836 BC – 1689 BC

Jacob was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, born immediately after Esau, and Abraham was his grandfather. He achieved the right of the firstborn by trickery, in offering his older brother, Esau, food in exchange for the birthright, who cared little for this position. He also received the blessing of firstborn from his father Isaac before his death by cunning, and with the assistance of his mother Rebekah.

After his deception of Esau, receiving the blessing from his father, Jacob escaped to his uncle Laban, who in turn deceived Jacob into working for fourteen years for the marriage of Jacob to Leah, and then his beloved Rachel. Laban also sought to deceive Jacob of wages, but God intervened to ensure he would prosper. In a time of trial, when he feared the wrath of Esau, upon returning to the land of Canaan, Jacob had an encounter with God, and his name was changed to Israel, the one who wrestles with God. Even though his early life was characterized by deception, God worked through the situation to ensure that Jacob would be the one in the line of the patriarchs, to create a great nation and ultimately fulfill His purposes in the earth, especially through the future Messiah. The Messiah would guarantee the promise of the land to Abram and a person who would rule over Abraham's descendants, but also He would bring blessings to all the people of the earth (Gen 12:1-3).

In spite of Jacob's early failure by deception, God worked through him, and finally, Jacob became a different type of man after his struggle with God. As one has said,

"Despite Jacob’s faults, God chose him to be the leader of a great nation that still bears his name today. But for this, it is unlikely that we would know much about Jacob, who appears to be in the middle of events while the key players are those around him. There is no great wisdom or bravery in Jacob to speak of, and we are tempted to see him as little more than God’s passive instrument. If we are tempted to think that, because we aren’t in the spotlight performing great acts for God, we are unimportant to Him, then we should consider the life of Jacob and know that, in spite of our failings, God can and will still use us in His plan."

For more on Jacob, see "Who was Jacob in the Bible?", https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Jacob.html

Copyright © 2026 Hershel Wayne House. All rights reserved.
Also called
Israel
Lived
1836 BC – 1689 BC (approximate)
Gender
Male
Died
Egypt
Appears in
Father Isaac
Mother Rebekah
Spouse BilhahLeahRachelZilpah
Children GadDanLevi (patriarch)Benjamin (patriarch)IssacharReubenDinahAsherZebulunSimeonJudah (patriarch)Joseph (son of Jacob)Naphtali
Siblings Esau (Edom)
Person & place data: Theographic Bible Metadata by Robert Rouse (Viz.Bible), CC BY-SA 4.0.
Isaiah 41 (WEB)

1“Keep silent before me, islands,

and let the peoples renew their strength.

Let them come near,

then let them speak.

Let’s meet together for judgment.

2Who has raised up one from the east?

Who called him to his feet in righteousness?

He hands over nations to him

and makes him rule over kings.

He gives them like the dust to his sword,

like the driven stubble to his bow.

3He pursues them

and passes by safely,

even by a way that he had not gone with his feet.

4Who has worked and done it,

calling the generations from the beginning?

I, Yahweh, the first, and with the last, I am he.”

5The islands have seen, and fear.

The ends of the earth tremble.

They approach, and come.

6Everyone helps his neighbor.

They say to their brothers, “Be strong!”

7So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith.

He who smooths with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil,

saying of the soldering, “It is good;”

and he fastens it with nails, that it might not totter.

8“But you, Israel, my servant,

Jacob whom I have chosen,

the offspring of Abraham my friend,

9you whom I have taken hold of from the ends of the earth,

and called from its corners,

and said to you, ‘You are my servant. I have chosen you and have not cast you away.’

10Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you.

Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you.

Yes, I will help you.

Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.

11Behold, all those who are incensed against you will be disappointed and confounded.

Those who strive with you will be like nothing, and shall perish.

12You will seek them, and won’t find them,

even those who contend with you.

Those who war against you will be as nothing,

as a nonexistent thing.

13For I, Yahweh your God, will hold your right hand,

saying to you, ‘Don’t be afraid.

I will help you.’

14Don’t be afraid, you worm Jacob,

and you men of Israel.

I will help you,” says Yahweh.

“Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

15Behold, I have made you into a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth.

You will thresh the mountains,

and beat them small,

and will make the hills like chaff.

16You will winnow them,

and the wind will carry them away,

and the whirlwind will scatter them.

You will rejoice in Yahweh.

You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.

17The poor and needy seek water, and there is none.

Their tongue fails for thirst.

I, Yahweh, will answer them.

I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

18I will open rivers on the bare heights,

and springs in the middle of the valleys.

I will make the wilderness a pool of water,

and the dry land springs of water.

19I will put cedar, acacia, myrtle, and oil trees in the wilderness.

I will set cypress trees, pine, and box trees together in the desert;

20that they may see, know, consider, and understand together,

that Yahweh’s hand has done this,

and the Holy One of Israel has created it.

21Produce your cause,” says Yahweh.

“Bring out your strong reasons!” says the King of Jacob.

22“Let them announce and declare to us what will happen!

Declare the former things, what they are,

that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them;

or show us things to come.

23Declare the things that are to come hereafter,

that we may know that you are gods.

Yes, do good, or do evil,

that we may be dismayed,

and see it together.

24Behold, you are nothing,

and your work is nothing.

He who chooses you is an abomination.

25“I have raised up one from the north, and he has come,

from the rising of the sun, one who calls on my name,

and he shall come on rulers as on mortar,

and as the potter treads clay.

26Who has declared it from the beginning, that we may know?

and before, that we may say, ‘He is right’?

Surely, there is no one who declares.

Surely, there is no one who shows.

Surely, there is no one who hears your words.

27I am the first to say to Zion, ‘Behold, look at them;’

and I will give one who brings good news to Jerusalem.

28When I look, there is no man,

even among them there is no counselor who, when I ask, can answer a word.

29Behold, all of their deeds are vanity and nothing.

Their molten images are wind and confusion.

World English Bible · public domain · ebible.org

Jacob (Israel)