Jacob

AKA

Israel

By Gary DeVaney

Jacob & Esau

Genesis 25:31-33 Jacob swindled his older brother Esau out of his birthright.

Jacob, God's hero, the Bible described as a swindler!

Genesis 28:12-17 In a dream, Jacob saw a ladder with God’s Angels ascending and descending on it. He saw God above it Who told him that He was God and He would be with Jacob. Jacob awoke, was afraid and said: Surely, this is the Lord’s place. How dreadful is this place. This is the house of God, the gate of Heaven. KJV

Jacob described God's place as "dreadful"? What? Ouch!

Obviously, the "Angels" climbing up and down "Jacob's ladder" had no wings. Why would they climb up and down the ladder if they had wings? If they had wings, the Bible would have described them with wings in this story.

Genesis 28:22 Jacob vowed to God 10% back of what he gets from God.

Could this be the origin of paying 10% "tithes" to a church?

Genesis 29:13-14 Laban ran out to meet Jacob saying: You are indeed my flesh and blood.

Aren’t Jacob’s unions with his uncle Laban’s daughters more inbreeding and Biblical incest, as it was with Abraham and Sarah, Lot and his daughters and later, Moses’ father and mother?

Aren't many of God's Biblical heroes, so far, products of incest? Based on this Biblical model, why is incest illegal?

Mankind has judged "incest" to be wrong and illegal. Because all these God chosen heroes practiced incest, mankind has judged God's values to be wrong and illegal.

Genesis 30:39-43 Jacob cheats his uncle Laban (the father of his 2 or 4 wives) by herd selective-breeding techniques and becomes a wealthy man.

                   Jacob's Sheep                                                             Uncle Laban's Sheep

Could swindling, lying and cheating be the Biblical God’s guidance? Typically, defense attorneys rehearse their clients as to what spin and lies they will present in court.

The Torah-notes indicate that Jacob’s 4 wives were all at least half-sisters, Laban being the father of all 4 girls. Laban was Rebekah’s brother, which makes him also Jacob’s uncle. Wouldn’t that make Jacob’s 2 wives and 2 concubines also his 4 cousins? By these 4 blood-related women, Jacob had 12 sons, who became the Biblical God’s 12 tribes of Israel. Weren’t they a stock of incest? Most of them certainly were.

Genesis 30:22-24 Rachel bore Jacob’s son, Joseph.

(Joseph goes on later to control Egypt.)

Genesis 32:24-29 Jacob wrestled a man… KJV

 Jacob Wrested God / A Man / An Angel?

The Catholic version states that Jacob wrestled a MAN 5 times.

Some claim that Jacob wrestled an Angel. Some also claim that Jacob wrestled God, Himself, in this scenario. If Jacob wrestled God, that certainly reduces the "awesomeness" and strength of God.

Genesis 34: Schechem raped Jacob's daughter and then wanted to marry her. Jacob said ok but that all of Schechem’s men had to be circumcised. Then, Jacob revenged the rape of his daughter by murdering all of Schechem’s men and stole all of their wealth, flocks, women and children.

 Schechem

Jacob had 4 wives - 2 definitely were his Uncle Laban's daughters - the Torah notes suggests all 4 were Laban's daughters.

Jacob had 12 sons who were the 12 tribes of Israel.

Judah, one of Jacob's son, paid for sex with Tamar, his daughter-in-law, and they were in Jesus Christ's sacred bloodline.  

Questions? Comments? Corrections?

gary@gdevaney.com