The name Jacob is used over 300 times in the book of Genesis, while the name Israel is used less than 100 times. So why does the Bible sometimes refer to the same person alternately as Jacob or Israel?
Jacob was born as the son of Isaac and Rebekah and given the name Jacob, which means “one who grasps the heel” or “supplanter” (Genesis 25:26). He was given this name because he was grasping his twin brother Esau’s heel when he was born. Jacob’s name suits his character – he was a trickster who schemed and manipulated to obtain things, such as the birthright and blessing from his brother (Genesis 25:29-34, 27:1-29).
Later in Jacob’s life, after wrestling with God, his name was changed to Israel, which means “God contends” or “one who struggles with God” (Genesis 32:22-32). This new name reflected Jacob’s transformation after his encounter with God. No longer would Jacob rely on his own scheming, but he would rely on God who shaped his character.
In the remainder of Genesis, Jacob is referred to by both names – 13 times as Jacob and 11 times as Israel. He is called Jacob when emphasis is placed on his past character and life as the tricky supplanter. He is called Israel when focus is shifted to his new identity as one who struggled with God and places his hope in God rather than his own cunning. So both names refer to the same person, but highlight different aspects of his character and life experiences.
Here are some key examples in Genesis where the name changes are significant:
- When referring to Jacob’s earlier life in Canaan, he is often called Jacob (Genesis 33:18-20, 37:1-36). The emphasis is on Jacob the supplanter, not Israel who relies on God.
- When Jacob moves his family to Egypt to be with Joseph, he is referenced as Israel (Genesis 46:1-7). This represents a major transition in his life towards greater dependence on God.
- In the blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh, Jacob is called Israel to emphasize the blessing coming from God through him (Genesis 48:1-22).
- When Jacob blesses his own sons and prophecies over them prior to his death, he is referenced as Israel (Genesis 49:1-33). This heightens the idea that these words are divine prophecy.
Jacob’s name change was an external reflection of an internal transformation. Though he struggled with relying on his own cunning earlier in life, after wrestling with God Jacob had a change of heart and learned to rely on God. The use of both names side-by-side in Genesis highlights that while a person’s character may change through life events, their past remains part of their identity and story. Though Jacob was transformed into Israel through his encounter with God, he remained Jacob in the sense that his past was not erased. The dual names preserve the continuity of Jacob’s identity even while reflecting that a profound change took place in his life when he encountered God face-to-face and received a new name.
Jacob’s Birth and Early Life in Canaan as a “Supplanter”
Jacob was born as the second son of Isaac and Rebekah after his twin brother Esau. Even at birth, Jacob was grasping Esau’s heel as if attempting to overtake him as the firstborn son (Genesis 25:26). His name Jacob (Ya’aqov in Hebrew) literally means “one who grasps the heel” or figuratively “he supplants, circumvents, or supplants”.
Jacob’s name proved to be an apt description of his character. He twice tricked Esau out of things that should have gone to the firstborn son. The first instance was when Esau came in hungry from the field, and Jacob coerced him into trading away his birthright for some bread and lentil stew (Genesis 25:29-34). The birthright belonged to the firstborn and included a double share of the inheritance along with leadership of the family after Isaac’s death. But the impulsive Esau recklessly traded this valuable right to Jacob for the satisfaction of some temporary hunger pangs.
The second deception happened later when Isaac was old and wanted to bless Esau as the firstborn before his death. While Esau was away hunting at Isaac’s request, Jacob and Rebekah schemed together to trick Isaac into blessing Jacob instead. Rebekah disguised Jacob in Esau’s clothes and covered his arms in goatskins to mimic Esau’s hairy arms. Jacob went along with the ploy and lied to his father, pretending to be Esau so that Isaac would bless him (Genesis 27:1-29). Isaac blessed Jacob, believing him to be his older brother, promising blessings of prosperity and dominion.
These early episodes established Jacob’s identity as a deceiver and “supplanter” who schemed his way into taking what belonged to his older brother Esau. His name Jacob, meaning “one who grasps the heel” or “supplanter”, matched his character as a trickster.
Jacob’s Transformation after Wrestling with God
Many years later, after Jacob had been away from his homeland and living with his uncle Laban, God directed Jacob to return to Canaan (Genesis 31:3). Jacob was afraid that his brother Esau still intended to kill him for stealing both his birthright and blessing (Genesis 27:41). The night before Jacob’s upcoming encounter with Esau, a mysterious man wrestled with Jacob until daybreak (Genesis 32:22-32). The man touched Jacob’s hip and caused him to limp afterwards.
Jacob demanded a blessing from the man before releasing him. At this point, the man revealed himself as God and changed Jacob’s name to Israel (Yisra’el in Hebrew), meaning “God contends” or “one who struggles with God”. Jacob named the place Peniel (“face of God”), saying “I have seen God face to face”.
This wrestling match marked a pivotal transformation in Jacob’s life. Jacob was no longer the same manipulative trickster as before. His reliance on his own scheming was being replaced by reliance on God instead. The name change reflected that shift in his character and identity. He was no longer only Jacob the “supplanter”; now he was Israel the one who contends with God.
Jacob and Israel Used Side-by-Side Afterward
For the remainder of Genesis, Jacob is referred to by both names – 13 times as Jacob and 11 times as Israel. Sometimes Israel is used in passages emphasizing Jacob’s new God-reliant identity, while Jacob is used in passages related to his past schemes and deception.
Here are some examples where the distinction is noteworthy:
- Genesis 33:18-20 – After meeting Esau, it says “Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem…and from the sons of Hamor…Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent”. Referring to him as Jacob connects his purchase of land to past cunning.
- Genesis 37:1-36 – The story of Joseph’s dreams and his brothers selling him into slavery consistently refers to their father as Jacob, linking back to dysfunctional family dynamics from when he relied on deception rather than God.
- Genesis 46:1-7 – When Jacob travels to Egypt with his family to live with Joseph, God speaks to him in visions, saying “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation”. The passage repeatedly uses the name Israel, emphasizing God’s promises being fulfilled through him in this transition to a foreign land.
- Genesis 48:1-22 – When Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh, he is called Israel to connect the blessing to God’s promise: “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the Angel who has delivered me from all harm – may he bless these boys.”
- Genesis 49:1-33 – Prior to his death, Jacob gathers his sons to pronounce prophetic blessings over them. He is consistently called Israel throughout this passage to highlight these words as divine revelation.
These examples demonstrate how the names Jacob and Israel are used intentionally and strategically after Genesis 32 to highlight different aspects of Jacob’s identity and nature.
Preserving Continuity While Signifying Change
The duality of the names Jacob and Israel allowed the biblical authors to preserve continuity in Jacob’s identity even while reflecting that a profound change had occurred. Though transformed after encountering God, Jacob’s past remained part of his story. Using both names side-by-side throughout the remainder of Genesis provided the best means to convey a complex, nuanced perspective on Jacob’s life and character development.
Jacob was still Jacob – the same person whose past was marked by deception still existed after his name change. Yet he was also now Israel, one whose life was shaped by relying on God’s power rather than his own schemes. The narrative continuity between Jacob and Israel is maintained, while also making clear that a life-altering transformation occurred through his wrestling match with God.
Jacob serves as an illustration that while people may experience radical change in character through pivotal faith encounters, their history remains a part of their identity. Though transformed into Israel, Jacob’s past as a “supplanter” was not erased or forgotten. His new name reflected new identity and purpose, but did not replace or erase the continuity with his previous life. In the same way, when people grow spiritually through their walk with God, their past remains part of their story and identity.
