Jacob

==Genesis narrative==
[[File:Abraham - Isaac - Jacob - Judah by Michelangelo Buonarroti.jpg|thumb|right|250px|''Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Judah'' by [[Michelangelo|Michelangelo Buonarroti]], [[Sistine Chapel]], [[Vatican City]]]]
The biblical account of the life of Jacob is found in the Book of Genesis, chapters 25–50.

===Birth===
Jacob and his twin brother, Esau, were born to [[Isaac]] and [[Rebecca]] after 20 years of marriage, when Isaac was 60 years of age.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|25:20|HE}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Genesis|25:26|HE}}</ref> Rebecca was uncomfortable during her pregnancy and went to inquire of God why she was suffering. She received the prophecy that [[twin]]s were fighting in her womb and would continue to fight all their lives, even after they became two separate nations. The prophecy also said that "the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger"  [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2025:23&version=KJV (Genesis 25:25 KJV)].

When the time came for Rebecca to give birth, the firstborn, Esau, came out covered with red hair, as if he were wearing a hairy garment, and his heel was grasped by the hand of Jacob, the secondborn. According to Genesis 25, Isaac and Rebecca named the first son Esau ({{lang-he|עשו}}).<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|25:25|HE}}</ref> The second son they named Jacob (Hebrew: יעקב, Ya'aqob or Ya'aqov, meaning "heel-catcher", "supplanter", "leg-puller", "he who follows upon the heels of one", from {{lang-he|link=no|עקב}}, ''{{'}}aqab'' or ''{{'}}aqav'', "seize by the heel", "circumvent", "restrain", a wordplay upon {{lang-he|עקבה|link=no}}, ''{{'}}iqqebah'' or ''{{'}}iqqbah'', "heel").<ref>''Strong's Concordance'' 3290, 6117.</ref>

The boys displayed very different natures as they matured: "... and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a simple man, dwelling in tents".<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|25:27|HE}}</ref> Moreover, the attitudes of their parents toward them also differed: "And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebecca loved Jacob."<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|25:28|HE}}</ref>
[[File:JacobBirthright.jpg|thumb|left|Jacob offering a bowl of [[stew]] to Esau for his birthright, 18th-century painting by [[Zacarias Gonzalez Velazquez]]]]

===Acquiring birthright===
{{main|Jacob and Esau}}
Genesis 25:29–34 tells the account of Esau selling his [[Primogeniture|birthright]] to Jacob.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|25:29–34|HE}}</ref> This passage tells that Esau, returning famished from the fields, begged Jacob to give him some of the stew that Jacob had just made. (Esau referred to the dish as "that same red pottage", giving rise to his nickname, {{lang-he|link=no|אדום}} ('''Edom'', meaning "Red").) Jacob offered to give Esau a bowl of stew in exchange for his birthright, to which Esau agreed.

===Blessing of Isaac===
As Isaac aged, he became blind and was uncertain when he would die, so he decided to bestow Esau's birthright upon him. He requested that Esau go out to the fields with his weapons (quiver and bow) to kill some venison. Isaac then requested that Esau make "savory meat" for him out of the venison, according to the way he enjoyed it the most, so that he could eat it and bless Esau.

Rebecca overheard this conversation. It is suggested that she realized prophetically that Isaac's blessings would go to Jacob, since she was told before the twins' birth that the older son would serve the younger.<ref>Scherman, Rabbi Nosson (1993). ''The Chumash''. [[Brooklyn, New York]]: Mesorah Publications, p. 135.</ref> Rebecca blessed Jacob and she quickly ordered Jacob to bring her two kid goats from their flock so that he could take Esau's place in serving Isaac and receiving his blessing. Jacob protested that his father would recognize their deception since Esau was hairy and he himself was smooth-skinned. He feared his father would curse him as soon as he felt him, but Rebecca offered to take the curse herself, then insisted that Jacob obey her.<ref>Ginzberg, Louis (1909). ''[[Legends of the Jews]] [http://www.swartzentrover.com/cotor/e-books/misc/Legends/Legends%20of%20the%20Jews.pdf Vol I : Isaac blesses Jacob]'' (Translated by Henrietta Szold) Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society.</ref> Jacob did as his mother instructed and, when he returned with the kids, Rebecca made the savory meat that Isaac loved.  Before she sent Jacob to his father, she dressed him in Esau's garments and laid goatskins on his arms and neck to simulate hairy skin.
[[File:Govert Flinck - Isaac Blessing Jacob - WGA07930.jpg|thumb|250px|An elderly Isaac blessing Jacob, oil on canvas by [[Govert Flinck]], 1638]]
Disguised as Esau, Jacob entered Isaac's room. Surprised that Esau was back so soon, Isaac asked how it could be that the hunt went so quickly. Jacob responded, "Because the LORD your God brought it to me." [[Rashi]] says Isaac's suspicions were aroused even more, because Esau never used the personal name of God.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible''  {{bibleverse||Genesis|27:21|HE}}</ref> Isaac demanded that Jacob come close so he could feel him, but the goatskins felt just like Esau's hairy skin. Confused, Isaac exclaimed, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau!"<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|27:22|HE}}</ref> Still trying to get at the truth, Isaac asked him directly, "Art thou my very son Esau?" and Jacob answered simply, "I am." Isaac proceeded to eat the food and to drink the wine that Jacob gave him, and then told him to come close and kiss him. As Jacob kissed his father, Isaac smelled the clothes which belonged to Esau and finally accepted that the person in front of him was Esau. Isaac then blessed Jacob with the blessing that was meant for Esau. Genesis 27:28–29 states Isaac's blessing: "Therefore God give thee of the dew of heavens, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee."

Jacob had scarcely left the room when Esau returned from the hunt to prepare his game and receive the blessing. The realization that he had been deceived shocked Isaac, yet he acknowledged that Jacob had received the blessings by adding, "Indeed, he will be [or remain] blessed!" (27:33).

Esau was heartbroken by the deception and begged for his own blessing. Having made Jacob a ruler over his brothers, Isaac could only promise, "By your sword you shall live, but your brother you shall serve; yet it shall be that when you are aggrieved, you may cast off his yoke from upon your neck" (27:39–40).

Although Esau sold Jacob his own birthright, which was his blessing, for "red pottage," Esau still hated Jacob for receiving his blessing that their father Isaac unknowingly had given to him. He vowed to kill Jacob as soon as Isaac died. When Rebecca heard about his murderous intentions,<ref>{{bibleverse||Genesis|27:42|NIV}}</ref> she ordered Jacob to travel to her brother [[Laban (Bible)|Laban]]'s house in [[Haran (biblical place)|Haran]], until Esau's anger subsided. She convinced Isaac to send Jacob away by telling him that she despaired of his marrying a local girl from the idol-worshipping families of [[Canaan]] (as Esau had done). After Isaac sent Jacob away to find a wife, Esau realized his own Canaanite wives were evil in his father's eyes and so he took a daughter of Isaac's half-brother, [[Ishmael]], as another wife.

===Jacob's ladder===
{{main|Jacob's Ladder}}
[[File:Blake jacobsladder.jpg|right|thumb|''Jacob's Dream'' by [[William Blake]] ({{circa|1800}}, British Museum, London)]]
Near [[Luz (biblical place)|Luz]] en route to Haran, Jacob experienced a vision of a ladder, or staircase, reaching into heaven with angels going up and down it, subsequently referred to in popular culture as "[[Jacob's ladder]]." He heard the voice of God, who repeated many of the blessings upon him, coming from the top of the ladder.

According to [[Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer]], the ladder signified the exiles that the Jewish people would suffer before the coming of the [[Jewish messianism|Jewish Messiah]]: the angels that represented the exiles of Babylonia, Persia, and Greece each climbed up a certain number of steps, paralleling the years of the exile, before they "fell down"; but the angel representing the last exile, that of [[Edom]], kept climbing higher and higher into the clouds. Jacob feared that his descendants would never be free of Esau's domination, but God assured him that at the End of Days, Edom too would come falling down.<ref>[https://www.sefaria.org/Pirkei_DeRabbi_Eliezer.35.6 Pirkei Derabbi Eliezer 35]</ref>

In the morning, Jacob awakened and continued on his way to Haran, after naming the place where he had spent the night "[[Bethel]]", "God's house."

===Marriages===
[[File:Rachel WilliamDyce.jpg|thumb|left|''Rachel and Jacob'' by [[William Dyce]]]]
Arriving in Haran, Jacob saw a well where shepherds were gathering their flocks to water them and met [[Laban (Bible)|Laban]]'s younger daughter, [[Rachel]], Jacob's [[cousin|first cousin]]; she was working as a shepherdess. Jacob was 77 years old,<ref name="Craig Olson p.13">Craig Olson, "How Old was Father Abraham? Re-examining the Patriarchal Lifespans in Light of Archaeology", p.13</ref> and he loved Rachel immediately. After spending a month with his relatives he asked for her hand in marriage in return for working seven years for Laban [[Aramean|the Aramean]]. Laban agreed to the arrangement. These seven years seemed to Jacob "but a few days, for the love he had for her." When they were complete and he was 84 years old<ref name="Craig Olson p.13"/> he asked for his wife, but Laban deceived him by switching Rachel for her older sister, [[Leah]], as the veiled bride. In the morning, when the truth became known, Laban justified his action, saying that in his country it was unheard of to give a younger daughter before the older. However, he agreed to give Rachel in marriage as well if Jacob would work another seven years. After the week of wedding celebrations with Leah, Jacob married Rachel, and he continued to work for Laban for another seven years.

Jacob, having been celibate until the age of 84, fathered twelve children in the next seven years.<ref name="Craig Olson p.13"/> He loved Rachel more than Leah, and Leah felt hated. God opened Leah's womb and she gave birth to four sons rapidly: [[Reuben (son of Jacob)|Reuben]], [[Simeon (son of Jacob)|Simeon]], [[Levi]], and [[Judah (son of Jacob)|Judah]]. Rachel, however, remained barren. Following the example of Sarah, who gave her handmaid to [[Abraham]] after years of infertility, Rachel gave her handmaid [[Bilhah]] to Jacob so that Rachel could raise children through her. Bilhah gave birth to [[Dan (son of Jacob)|Dan]] and [[Naphtali]]. Seeing that she had left off childbearing temporarily, Leah then gave her handmaid [[Zilpah]] to Jacob so that Leah could raise more children through her. Zilpah gave birth to [[Gad (son of Jacob)|Gad]] and [[Asher]]. Afterwards, Leah became fertile again and gave birth to [[Issachar]], [[Zebulun]], and [[Dinah]], Jacob's first and only daughter. God remembered Rachel, who gave birth to [[Joseph (son of Jacob)|Joseph]] and [[Benjamin]].

After Joseph was born, Jacob decided to return home to his parents. Laban [[Arameans|the Aramean]] was reluctant to release him, as God had blessed his flock on account of Jacob. Laban asked what he could pay Jacob. Jacob suggested that all the spotted, speckled, and brown goats and sheep of Laban's flock, at any given moment, would be his wages. Jacob placed rods of poplar, hazel, and chestnut, all of which he peeled "white streaks upon them,"<ref>Genesis 30:37</ref> within the flocks' watering holes or troughs, associating the stripes of the rods with the growth of stripes on the livestock.<ref>Genesis 30:39</ref> Despite this practicing of magic, later on Jacob says to his wives that it was God who made the livestock give birth to the convenient offspring, in order to turn the tide against the deceptive Laban.<ref>Genesis 31:7-9</ref> As time passed, Laban's sons noticed that Jacob was taking the better part of their flocks, and so Laban's friendly attitude towards Jacob began to change. The [[angel of the Lord]], in a dream back during the breeding season, told Jacob "Now lift your eyes and see [that] all the he goats mounting the animals are ringed, speckled, and striped, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you",<ref>Genesis 31:12</ref> that he is the God whom Jacob met at Bethel,<ref name="Genesis 31:13">Genesis 31:13</ref> and that Jacob should leave and go back to the land where he was born,<ref name="Genesis 31:13"/> which he and his wives and children did without informing Laban. Before they left, Rachel stole the ''[[teraphim]],'' considered to be household [[cult image|idols]], from Laban's house.

Laban pursued Jacob for seven days. The night before he caught up to him, God appeared to Laban in a dream and warned him not to say anything good or bad to Jacob. When the two met, Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done, that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword?"<ref>Genesis 31:26</ref> He also asked for his stolen ''teraphim'' back. Knowing nothing about Rachel's theft, Jacob told Laban that whoever stole them should die and stood aside to let him search. When Laban reached Rachel's tent, she hid the ''teraphim'' by sitting on them and stating she could not get up because she was [[menstruation|menstruating]]. Jacob and Laban then parted from each other with a pact to preserve the peace between them near [[Gilead]]. Laban returned to his home and Jacob continued on his way.

===Journey back to Canaan===
[[File:Lutte de Jacob avec l'Ange.jpg|thumb|''Jacob Wrestling with the Angel'' by [[Eugène Delacroix]]]]
{{main|Jacob wrestling with the angel}}
As Jacob neared the land of Canaan as he passed [[Mahanaim]], he sent messengers ahead to his brother Esau. They returned with the news that Esau was coming to meet Jacob with an army of 400 men. With great apprehension, Jacob prepared for the worst. He engaged in earnest prayer to God, then sent on before him a tribute of flocks and herds to Esau, "A present to my lord Esau from thy servant Jacob."

Jacob then transported his family and flocks across the ford [[Jabbok]] by night, then recrossed back to send over his possessions, being left alone in communion with God. There, a mysterious being appeared ("man," Genesis 32:24, 28; or "God," Genesis 32:28, 30, Hosea 12:3, 5; or "angel," Hosea 12:4), and the two wrestled until daybreak. When the being saw that he did not overpower Jacob, he touched Jacob on the sinew of his thigh (the ''[[gid hanasheh]]'', גיד הנשה), and, as a result, Jacob developed a limp (Genesis 32:31). Because of this, "to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket"<ref>''Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|32:32|ESV}}</ref> This incident is the source of the [[mitzvah]] of [[Nikkur|porging]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Porging|encyclopedia=Jewish Encyclopedia|location=[[New York City]]|year=1901–1906|author=Eisenstein, Judah David|url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=453&letter=P|access-date=2008-11-19|lccn=16014703}}</ref>

Jacob then demanded a blessing, and the being declared in Genesis 32:28 that, from then on, Jacob would be called יִשְׂרָאֵל, Israel (''Yisra'el'', meaning "one that struggled with the divine angel" (Josephus), "one who has prevailed with God" (Rashi), "a man seeing God" (Whiston), "he will rule as God" (Strong), or "a prince with God" (Morris), from {{lang-he|שרה|link=no}}, "prevail," "have power as a prince").<ref>''Strong's Concordance'' 3478, 8280.</ref> While he is still called Jacob in later texts, his name Israel makes some consider him the [[eponym]]ous ancestor of the [[Israelites]].

Jacob asked the being's name, but he refused to answer. Afterwards, Jacob named the place [[Penuel]] (''Penuw'el'', ''Peniy'el'', meaning "face of God"),<ref>''Strong's Concordance'' 6439.</ref> saying: "I have seen God face to face and lived."

Because the terminology is ambiguous ([[El (deity)#Hebrew Bible|"el"]] in ''Yisra'el'') and inconsistent, and because this being refused to reveal his name, there are varying views as to whether he was a man, an angel, or God. Josephus uses only the terms "angel", "divine angel," and "angel of God," describing the struggle as no small victory. According to Rashi, the being was the guardian angel of Esau himself, sent to destroy Jacob before he could return to the land of Canaan. Trachtenberg theorized that the being refused to identify itself for fear that, if its secret name was known, it would be conjurable by incantations.<ref>Trachtenberg 1939, p. 80.</ref> Literal Christian interpreters like [[Henry M. Morris]] say that the stranger was "God Himself and, therefore, Christ in His preincarnate state", citing Jacob's own evaluation and the name he assumed thereafter, "one who fights victoriously with God", and adding that God had appeared in the human form of the [[Angel of the Lord]] to eat a meal with Abraham in Genesis 18.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Genesis Record: A Scientific and Devotional Commentary on the Book of Beginnings|url=https://archive.org/details/genesisrecordsc00morr|url-access=registration|author=Morris, Henry M.|publisher=[[Baker Book House]]|location=[[Grand Rapids, Michigan]]|year=1976|pages=[https://archive.org/details/genesisrecordsc00morr/page/337 337], 499–502|isbn=9780801060045 |author-link=Henry M. Morris}}</ref> Geller wrote that, "in the context of the wrestling bout, the name implies that Jacob won this supremacy, linked to that of God's, by a kind of [[theomachy]]."<ref>{{cite journal|first=Stephen A. |last=Geller |year=1982 |title=The Struggle at the Jabbok: the Uses of Enigma in a Biblical Narrative |journal=Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society |volume=14 |pages=37–60 |url=http://www.jtsa.edu/Documents/pagedocs/JANES/1982%2014/Geller14.pdf |access-date=June 27, 2013 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814005141/http://jtsa.edu/Documents/pagedocs/JANES/1982%2014/Geller14.pdf |archive-date=August 14, 2014 }}  Also in: {{Cite book|first=Stephen A. |last=Geller |chapter=2 – The Struggle at the Jabbok. The uses of enigma in biblical religion (pp. 9ff.) |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2z_YYiKNJygC&q=%22THE+STRUGGLE+AT+THE+JABBOK+The+uses+of+enigma+in+biblical+religion%22&pg=PA9 |title=Sacred Enigmas. Literary Religion in the Hebrew Bible |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2z_YYiKNJygC |year=1996 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |location=London |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=2z_YYiKNJygC&dq=%22in+the+context+of+the+wresding+bout,+the+name+implies+that+Jacob+won+this+supremacy,+linked+to+that+of+God's,+by+a+kind+of+theomachy%22&pg=PA22 22] |isbn=978-0-415-12771-4 }}</ref>

In the morning, Jacob assembled his four wives and 11 sons, placing the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. Some commentators cite this placement as proof that Jacob continued to favor Joseph over Leah's children, as presumably the rear position would have been safer from a frontal assault by Esau, which Jacob feared. Jacob himself took the foremost position. Esau's spirit of revenge, however, was apparently appeased by Jacob's bounteous gifts of camels, goats and flocks. Their reunion was an emotional one.
[[File:Francesco Hayez 061.jpg|thumb|left|''Esau and Jacob reconcile'' (1844) by [[Francesco Hayez]]]]

Esau offered to accompany them on their way back to Israel, but Jacob protested that his children were still young and tender (born six to 13 years prior in the narrative); Jacob suggested eventually catching up with Esau at [[Mount Seir]]. According to the Sages, this was a prophetic reference to the End of Days, when Jacob's descendants will come to Mount Seir, the home of Edom, to deliver judgment against Esau's descendants for persecuting them throughout the millennia.<ref>''Bible'' {{bibleref2|Obadiah|1:21}}</ref> Jacob actually diverted himself to Succoth and was not recorded as rejoining Esau until, at [[Machpelah]], the two bury their father Isaac, who lived to be 180, and was 60 years older than they were.

Jacob then arrived in [[Shechem]], where he bought a parcel of land, now identified as [[Joseph's Tomb]]. In Shechem, Jacob's daughter Dinah was kidnapped and raped by the ruler's son, who desired to marry the girl. Dinah's brothers, Simeon and Levi, agreed in Jacob's name to permit the marriage as long as all the men of Shechem first [[circumcision|circumcised]] themselves, ostensibly to unite the children of Jacob in Abraham's [[Covenant (biblical)|covenant]] of familial harmony. On the third day after the circumcisions, when all the men of Shechem were still in pain, Simeon and Levi put them all to death by the sword and rescued their sister Dinah, and their brothers plundered the property, women, and children. Jacob condemned this act, saying: "You have brought trouble on me by making me a stench to the [[Canaanites]] and [[Perizzites]], the people living in this land."<ref>''Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|34:30|NIV}}</ref> He later rebuked his two sons for their anger in his deathbed blessing (Genesis 49:5–7).

Jacob returned to Bethel, where he had another vision of blessing. Although the death of Rebecca, Jacob's mother, is not explicitly recorded in the Bible, Deborah, Rebecca's nurse, died and was buried at Bethel, at a place that Jacob calls ''Allon Bachuth'' (אלון בכות), "Oak of Weepings" (Genesis 35:8). According to the Midrash,<ref>[[Genesis Rabba|Bereshit Rabbah]] 81:5.</ref> the plural form of the word "weeping" indicates the double sorrow that Rebecca also died at this time.

[[File:Metz Der Tod Rahels.jpg|thumb|''The death of Rachel after the birth of Benjamin'' (c. 1847) by Gustav Ferdinand Metz]]
Jacob then made a further move while Rachel was pregnant; near [[Bethlehem]], Rachel went into labor and died as she gave birth to her second son, [[Benjamin]] (Jacob's twelfth son). Jacob buried her and erected a monument over her grave. [[Rachel's Tomb]], just outside Bethlehem, remains a popular site for pilgrimages and prayers to this day. Jacob then settled in [[Migdal Eder (biblical location)|Migdal Eder]], where his firstborn, [[Reuben]], slept with Rachel's servant Bilhah; Jacob's response was not given at the time, but he did condemn Reuben for it later, in his deathbed blessing. Jacob was finally reunited with his father Isaac in [[Mamre]] (outside [[Hebron]]).

When Isaac died at the age of 180, Jacob and Esau buried him in the [[Cave of the Patriarchs]], which Abraham had purchased as a family [[Grave (burial)|burial plot]]. At this point in the biblical narrative, two genealogies of Esau's family appear under the headings "the generations of Esau". A conservative interpretation is that, at Isaac's burial, Jacob obtained the records of Esau, who had been married 80 years prior, and incorporated them into his own family records, and that Moses augmented and published them.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Genesis Record: A Scientific and Devotional Commentary on the Book of Beginnings|url=https://archive.org/details/genesisrecordsc00morr|url-access=registration|author=Morris, Henry M.|publisher=[[Baker Book House]]|location=[[Grand Rapids, Michigan]]|year=1976|pages=[https://archive.org/details/genesisrecordsc00morr/page/524 524–25]|isbn=9780801060045 |author-link=Henry M. Morris}}</ref>

===In Hebron===
{{main|Joseph (Genesis)#Plot against Joseph|l1=Plot against Joseph}}
The house of Jacob dwelt in [[Hebron]],<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|37:14|HE}}</ref> in the land of Canaan. His flocks were often fed in the pastures of [[Shechem]]<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|37:12|HE}}</ref><ref>Josephus. ''The Antiquities of the Jews'', Book II, 2.4.18</ref> as well as [[Dothan (ancient city)|Dothan]].<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|37:16,17|HE}}</ref> Of all the children in his household, he loved Rachel's firstborn son, Joseph, the most. Thus Joseph's half brothers were jealous of him and they ridiculed him often. Joseph even told his father about all of his half brothers' misdeeds. When Joseph was 17 years old, Jacob made a long coat or [[coat of many colors|tunic of many colors]] for him. Seeing this, the half brothers began to hate Joseph. Then Joseph began to have dreams that implied that his family would bow down to him. When he told his brothers about such dreams, it drove them to conspire against him. When Jacob heard of these dreams, he rebuked his son for proposing the idea that the house of Jacob would even bow down to Joseph. Yet, he contemplated his son's words about these dreams.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|37:1–11|HE}}</ref>

[[File:Giovanni Andrea de Ferrari - 'Joseph's Coat Brought to Jacob', oil on canvas, c. 1640, El Paso Museum of Art.jpg|thumb|left|''Joseph's Coat Brought to Jacob''<br>by [[Giovanni Andrea de Ferrari]], c. 1640]]
Sometime afterward, the sons of Jacob by Leah, Bilhah and Zilpah, were feeding his flocks in Shechem. Jacob wanted to know how things were doing, so he asked Joseph to go down there and return with a report.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|37:12–14|HE}}</ref> This was the last time he would ever see his son in Hebron. Later that day, the report that Jacob ended up receiving came from Joseph's brothers who brought before him a coat laden with blood. Jacob identified the coat as the one he made for Joseph. At that moment he cried "It is my son's tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces." He rent his clothes and put sackcloth around his waist mourning for days. No one from the house of Jacob could comfort him during this time of bereavement.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|37:31–35|HE}}</ref>

The truth was that Joseph's older brothers had turned on him, apprehended him and ultimately sold him into slavery on a caravan headed for Egypt.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|37:36|HE}}</ref>

===Seven-year famine===
{{see also|Joseph (Genesis)#Brothers sent to Egypt|l1=Joseph's brothers sent to Egypt}}
Twenty years later,<ref>Compare {{bibleref2|Genesis|37:2,41:46|NIV}}</ref> throughout the Middle East a severe famine occurred like none other that lasted seven years.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|41:53|HE}}</ref> It crippled nations.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|41:54–57,47:13|HE}}</ref> The word was that the only kingdom prospering was Egypt. In the second year of this great famine,<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|45:9–11|HE}}</ref> when Israel (Jacob) was about 130 years old,<ref>Compare {{bibleverse||Genesis|47:9|HE}}</ref> he told his 10 sons of Leah, Bilhah and Zilpah, to go to Egypt and buy grain. Israel's youngest son Benjamin, born from Rachel, stayed behind by his father's order to keep him safe.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|42:1–5|HE}}</ref>

Nine of the sons returned to their father Israel from Egypt, stockpiled with grain on their donkeys. They relayed to their father all that had happened in Egypt. They spoke of being accused as spies and that their brother Simeon had been taken prisoner. When Reuben, the eldest, mentioned that they needed to bring Benjamin to Egypt to prove their word as honest men, their father became furious with them. He couldn't understand how they were put in a position to tell the Egyptians all about their family. When the sons of Israel opened their sacks, they saw their money that they used to pay for the grain. It was still in their possession, and so they all became afraid. Israel then became angry with the loss of Joseph, Simeon, and now possibly Benjamin.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|42:26–38|HE}}</ref>

It turned out that Joseph, who identified his brothers in Egypt, was able to secretly return the money that they used to pay for the grain, back to them.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|42:25|HE}}</ref> When the house of Israel consumed all the grain that they brought from Egypt, Israel told his sons to go back and buy more. This time, Judah spoke to his father in order to persuade him about having Benjamin accompany them, so as to prevent Egyptian retribution. In hopes of retrieving Simeon and ensuring Benjamin's return, Israel told them to bring the best fruits of their land, including: [[Melissa (plant)|balm]], [[honey]], spices, [[myrrh]], [[pistachio]] nuts and [[almonds]]. Israel also mentioned that the money that was returned to their money sacks was probably a mistake or an oversight on their part. So, he told them to bring that money back and use double that amount to pay for the new grain. Lastly, he let Benjamin go with them and said "may God Almighty give you mercy... If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!"<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|43:1–14|HE}}</ref>

===In Egypt===
{{see also|Joseph (son of Jacob)#Family reunited|l1=Joseph's family reunited}}
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| image1   = Procession of the Aamu, Tomb of Khnumhotep II (composite).jpg
| image2   = Drawing of the procession of the Aamu group tomb of Khnumhotep II at Beni Hassan.jpg
| footer=A group of West Asiatic foreigners, possibly [[Canaan]]ites, visiting the Egyptian official [[Khnumhotep II]] c. 1900 BC. Tomb of [[12th dynasty|12th-dynasty]] official [[Khnumhotep II]], at [[Beni Hasan]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mieroop |first1=Marc Van De |title=A History of Ancient Egypt |date=2010 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-4051-6070-4 |page=131 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JADDYAZ9GIIC&pg=PA131 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Bard |first1=Kathryn A. |title=An Introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt |date=2015 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-118-89611-2 |page=188 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lFscBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA188 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kamrin |first1=Janice |title=The Aamu of Shu in the Tomb of Khnumhotep II at Beni Hassan |journal=Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections |date=2009 |volume= 1 |issue=3 |s2cid=199601200 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Curry |first1=Andrew |title=The Rulers of Foreign Lands - Archaeology Magazine |website=www.archaeology.org |date=2018 |url=https://www.archaeology.org/issues/309-1809/features/6855-egypt-hyksos-foreign-dynasty}}</ref>
}}
[[File:Tissot Joseph and His Brethren Welcomed by Pharaoh.jpg|thumb|House of Israel welcomed by [[Pharaoh]], watercolor by [[James Tissot]] (c. 1900)]]
[[File:Joseph with his father Jacob and brothers in Egypt.JPG|thumb|Joseph with his father Jacob and brothers in Egypt (''[[Zubdat-al Tawarikh]]'')]]
When the sons of Israel (Jacob) returned to Hebron from their second trip, they came back with 20 additional donkeys carrying all kinds of goods and supplies as well as Egyptian transport wagons. When their father came out to meet them, his sons told him that Joseph was still alive, that he was the governor over all of Egypt and that he wanted the house of Israel to move to Egypt. Israel's heart "stood still" and just couldn't believe what he was hearing. Looking upon the wagons he declared "Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|45:16–28|HE}}</ref>

Israel and his entire house of 70,<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|46:27|HE}}</ref> gathered up with all their livestock and began their journey to Egypt. En route, Israel stopped at [[Beersheba]] for the night to make a sacrificial offering to his God, Yahweh. Apparently he had some reservations about leaving the land of his forefathers, but God reassured him not to fear that he would rise again. God also assured that he would be with him, he would prosper, and he would also see his son Joseph who would lay him to rest. Continuing their journey to Egypt, when they approached in proximity, Israel sent his son Judah ahead to find out where the caravans were to stop. They were directed to disembark at [[Land of Goshen|Goshen]]. It was here, after 22 years, that Jacob saw his son Joseph once again. They embraced each other and wept together for quite a while. Israel then said, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive."<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|46:1–30|HE}}</ref>

The time had come for Joseph's family to personally meet the [[List of Pharaohs|Pharaoh]] of Egypt. After Joseph prepared his family for the meeting, the brothers came before the Pharaoh first, formally requesting to pasture in Egyptian lands. The Pharaoh honored their stay and even made the notion that if there were any competent men in their house, then they may elect a chief herdsman to oversee Egyptian livestock. Finally, Joseph's father was brought out to meet the Pharaoh. Because the Pharaoh had such a high regard for Joseph, practically making him his equal,<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|44:18|HE}}</ref> it was an honor to meet his father. Thus, Israel was able to bless the Pharaoh. The two chatted for a bit, the Pharaoh even inquiring of Israel's age which happened to be 130 years old at that time. After the meeting, the families were directed to pasture in the land of Ramses where they lived in the province of Goshen. The house of Israel acquired many possessions and multiplied exceedingly during the course of 17 years, even through the worst of the seven-year famine.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|46:31–47:28|HE}}</ref>

=== Final days ===
{{Main|Blessing of Jacob}}
[[File:Jacob with Ephraim and Manasseh.JPG|thumb|left|Jacob blessing [[Ephraim]] and [[Manasseh (tribal patriarch)|Manasseh]]]]
[[File:Jacob's funeral procession.JPG|thumb|left|Jacob's funeral procession]]
Israel (Jacob) was 147 years old when he called to his favorite son Joseph and pleaded that he not be buried in Egypt. Rather, he requested to be carried to the land of Canaan to be buried with his forefathers. Joseph swore to do as his father asked of him. Not too long afterward, Israel had fallen ill, losing much of his vision. When Joseph came to visit his father, he brought with him his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Israel declared that they would be heirs to the inheritance of the house of Israel, as if they were his own children, just as Reuben and Simeon were. Then Israel laid his right hand on the younger Ephraim's head and his left hand on the eldest Manasseh's head and blessed Joseph. However, Joseph was displeased that his father's right hand was not on the head of his firstborn, so he switched his father's hands. But Israel refused saying, "but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he." A declaration he made, just as Israel himself was to his firstborn brother Esau. Then Israel called all of his sons in and prophesied their blessings or curses to all twelve of them in order of their ages.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|47:29–49:32|HE}}</ref>

Afterward, Israel died and the family, including the Egyptians, mourned him 70 days. Israel was embalmed for 40 days and a great ceremonial journey to Canaan was prepared by Joseph. He led the servants of Pharaoh, and the elders of the houses Israel and Egypt beyond the [[Jordan River]] to [[Atad]] where they observed seven days of mourning. Their lamentation was so great that it caught the attention of surrounding Canaanites who remarked "This is a deep mourning of the Egyptians." This spot was then named [[Abel Mizraim]]. Then they buried him in the cave of [[Machpelah]], the property of Abraham when he bought it from the Hittite [[Ephron (biblical figure)|Ephron]].<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|49:33–50:14|HE}}</ref>

===Children of Jacob===
{{See also|Israelites}}
Jacob, through his two wives and his two concubines had 12 biological sons; [[Reuben (son of Jacob)|Reuben]],<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|29:32|HE}}</ref> [[Simeon (son of Jacob)|Simeon]],<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|29:33|HE}}</ref> [[Levi]],<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|29:34|HE}}</ref> [[Judah (son of Jacob)|Judah]],<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|29:35|HE}}</ref> [[Dan (son of Jacob)|Dan]],<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|30:5|HE}}</ref> [[Naphtali]],<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|30:7|HE}}</ref>
[[Gad (son of Jacob)|Gad]],<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|30:10|HE}}</ref> [[Asher]],<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|30:12|HE}}</ref> [[Issachar]],<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|30:17|HE}}</ref> [[Zebulun]],<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|30:19|HE}}</ref> [[Joseph (Genesis)|Joseph]]<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|30:23|HE}}</ref> and [[Benjamin]].<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|35:18|HE}}</ref> The scene of Jacob mourning Joseph makes mention of him having a number of daughters,<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|37:35|HE}}</ref> but no details are provided. Only one daughter, [[Dinah]], is known by name.<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|30:21|HE}}</ref> In addition, Jacob also adopted the two sons of Joseph, [[Manasseh (tribal patriarch)|Manasseh]] and [[Ephraim]].<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|48:5|HE}}</ref>

The offspring of Jacob's sons became the [[tribes of Israel]] following [[the Exodus]], when the Israelites conquered and settled in the [[Land of Israel]].