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The Story of Jacob in the bible has lots of drama and intrigue. It is also a story that clearly shows God’s love, mercy, provision, and protection. As you read the story of Jacob, you realize the transformation power of God.

Jacob was the second born of the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah. His name means

One who follows another’s heels because his hand was holding onto his brother Esau’s heel (Genesis 25:26).

Supplanter because he took his brother Esau’s birthright and his blessing through scheming (Genesis 27:36).

Jacob was of a quiet and gentle temperament just like his father Isaac. When he grew up, he became a shepherd.

Even though Jacob was quiet and gentle, conspiring against his father exposed him as selfish and cunning.

Esau, Jacob’s brother was meant to receive the birthright because he was the firstborn. However, Jacob and his mother Rebekah conspired to deceive his father Isaac who was 160 years old and could not see. The plan was to transfer the birthright to himself. The birthright gave someone,

A double portion of his father’s inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:17)

Successor to his father as head of the family (Genesis 49:3)

In the story of Jacob, we read of a scheme between his mother and himself to deceive his father, Isaac.

Isaac did not want to die before he blessed Esau, therefore, he sent his son to hunt game and prepare him a meal. Rebekah, Isaac’s wife heard what he said. As soon as Esau left, she told her son Jacob, who was her favorite, commanded her son to get her two young goats. She would prepare a favorite dish for her husband and have Jacob take the food to him so he could get the blessing of a firstborn.

Jacob brought to the attention of his mother that Esau was a hairy man and he was not so if their father touched him, he would know it was not him. Rebekah had a solution to that problem. She gave Jacob Esau’s best clothes which he wore and put the goat’s skins on his hands and neck. She then gave her son Jacob the delicious meal and he took it to his father.

When he went to his father, Isaac was not convinced that it was Esau because his voice sounded like Jacob’s. But after he touched and felt the hair and smelled Esau’s clothing, he blessed him (Genesis 27:28-29).

In the story of Jacob, his mother Rebekah learned of Esau’s plans to murder Jacob because of stealing his birthright. Therefore, she asked her husband Isaac to send Jacob away to Haran so that he could get himself a wife instead of marrying the Canaanite women. Isaac thought it was better for his son to go and look for a wife in his wife’s family. He blessed him and sent him away. Jacob left Beersheba, his home, and traveled toward Haran.

On his way, he decided to stay overnight in a certain place because the sun had gone down. As he slept, he had a dream. In his dream, he saw a ladder placed on the earth. He could not see the top of the ladder. He saw angels ascending and descending on this ladder. And then, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:13-15 ESV)

When he got to Haran, he located his mother’s family who welcomed him with open arms. Laban, his uncle had two daughters. Leah was the older one and Rachel was the younger. Jacob fell in love with Rachel, a strikingly, beautiful woman. He told his uncle Laban that he would serve him for seven years if he would give him her hand in marriage. Laban decided it was better for his daughter to be married to Jacob.

Jacob served his uncle for seven years. At the end of the seven years, Laban tricked Jacob and gave him Leah, his older daughter. Jacob found out the next morning that he had been tricked. Laban explained to Jacob that their customs did not allow a younger sister to be married before the older one. So, Jacob had to work another seven years for Rachel, the woman he loved (Genesis 29:30).

The Story of Jacob and his family was one full of drama. The competition between his wives must have left him exhausted.

Because of her father’s interference, Leah was unloved. Jacob did not love her. He had not chosen her, but Laban forced her upon him.

Leah was the first one to conceive and she “bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.” Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi (Genesis 29:31-34).

The names Leah gave her children underscored her desire to be loved. She thought by getting Reuben, Jacob would love her. When she conceived again, she named her son Simeon and attributed this to the fact that God had given her a son because her husband did not love her. She thought by getting her third son Levi, Jacob would be joined to her because she had borne him three sons.

In the story of Jacob, we see that his love for his children was not enough to make him fall in love with Leah.

As I read this portion of scripture, I could not imagine how she felt being stuck in a marriage where she was not loved. It was probably difficult and sometimes lonely.

Rachel was the love of Jacob’s life. However, she struggled because she did not have children. Because of her situation, she envied her sister. So, she decided to give Jacob her maid Bilhah so that she could get children through her. Bilhah bore two children who Rachel called Dan and Naphtali.

Leah decided to give Jacob her maid who bore him two children. She named them Gad and Asher. She bore two other sons, namely Issachar and Zebulun. Rachel had not had any children of her own. This was a challenging situation for her. After some time, God gave her two sons. One was called Joseph and another Benjamin.

In the Story of Joseph in the bible, Jacob’s love and favoritism of Joseph is obvious. I will have to summarize the rest of the Story of Jacob.

He endured more trickery from his uncle Laban. He eventually left Haran with his family a wealthy man. His family drama did not end in Haran but continued. God blessed, guided, and protected him (Genesis 31:4-7)

God’s plans for your life do not change amid challenges around you. In the story of Jacob, God did change the plan he had concerning a redeemer through Judah. No matter the chaos and drama, Jesus would be born through the line of the tribe of Judah.

God will protect you from those who want to destroy you. In Genesis 31:24, God warned Laban through a dream and said, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”

God is the giver of children. In the story of Jacob, conceiving and bearing children is attributed to God. As you pray for yourself or others who are struggling with conditions that make the process of bearing children difficult, encourage yourself because God can bless anyone with children.

Some parental interference can cause challenges in marriage. Laban’s trickery when it came to giving his daughter Leah to Jacob caused not only problems for Leah but for Jacob and Rachel as well. As parents, it is better to pray for your children unless they need to leave a dangerous situation. Then you can get involved.

Favorites among children cause problems all the time. Jacob was Rebekah’s favorite therefore, he conspired against her other son. Jacob had to leave and she never saw him again.

In conclusion, the story of Jacob is full of drama but that did not stop God from keeping his promises.

The Story of Rahab

The Story of Hannah