Israel (Original name: Jacob)

Israel was the grandson of Abraham and the son of Isaac, whose original name was Jacob. He had a twin brother, Esau. His father, Isaac, favored Esau, while his mother favored Jacob.

Jacob’s life was full of legends: he traded a bowl of red lentil stew for his brother Esau’s birthright; with his mother’s help, he deceived his elderly father to get the blessing intended for Esau, which caused his brother to seek to kill him. While on the run, he dreamed of a ladder to heaven and heard God reaffirm the covenant He made with his grandfather Abraham. Jacob fled to his uncle Laban’s house, fell in love with his younger daughter Rachel, and worked for his uncle for seven years to marry her. However, he was tricked by his uncle into marrying his older daughter, Leah, first. He then worked another seven years to marry his beloved Rachel. Jacob served Laban for a total of 20 years. Because of his uncle’s oppression, Jacob later took his family and returned to Canaan. On the way, he wrestled with an angel at the Jabbok River and prevailed, at which point his name was changed to “Israel,” meaning “he who wrestles with God and men and wins.”

Israel had twelve children, and his sons became the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel. His descendants were called the “Israelites.” When Israel was 130 years old, he led his family of 70 to Egypt to escape a severe famine in Canaan. His son Joseph was by then the prime minister of Egypt. Israel died in Egypt at the age of 147. Joseph led his family in a grand procession back to Hebron (anciently known as Mamre) in Canaan and buried his father Israel in the tomb of Abraham and Isaac.