Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל
Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes
Who is Israel in the Bible?
Israel, also known as Jacob, was the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham who became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. God renamed him "Israel," meaning "he struggles with God," after he wrestled with the divine at Peniel on his journey home from Paddan-aram (Genesis 32:28). Through his twelve sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin, the nation of Israel was established as God's chosen people. His life demonstrates God's covenant faithfulness, as he received the same promises given to Abraham and Isaac despite his flaws and deceptions (Genesis 35:10). Israel's descendants became the foundation of Jewish identity and God's ongoing redemptive plan for humanity throughout biblical history.
Biography
Israel, also known as Jacob, was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the grandson of Abraham. He was born after his twin brother Esau (Gen. 25:24-26).
Jacob bought Esau's birthright for a bowl of stew when Esau was famished (Gen. 25:29-34). He then deceived his father Isaac into giving him the firstborn blessing (Gen. 27). To escape Esau's anger, Jacob fled to his uncle Laban in Paddan-aram (Gen. 28:1-5).
On the way, Jacob had a dream of a stairway to heaven at Bethel, where God confirmed the covenant promises to him (Gen. 28:10-22). Jacob worked for Laban for 14 years, marrying his daughters Leah and Rachel (Gen. 29).
Wanting to return home, Jacob left Paddan-aram with his family and flocks. On the way, he wrestled with God at Peniel and was renamed Israel, meaning "he struggles with God" (Gen. 32:22-32). Israel (or 'Jacob') reconciled with Esau and settled in Canaan (Gen. 33).
Jacob had twelve sons who became the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher (Gen. 35:23-26).
Jacob showed favoritism to Joseph, provoking his brothers to sell Joseph into slavery in Egypt (Gen. 37). Later, during a famine, Jacob's sons went to Egypt for food and were reconciled with Joseph, who had risen to power there (Gen. 42-46).
Jacob moved his whole family to Egypt, where he lived for 17 years (Gen. 47:28). Before his death, Jacob blessed Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. 48) and gave prophetic blessings to his own twelve sons (Gen. 49). He died at age 147 and was buried in Canaan (Gen. 49:33; 50:1-14).
God often identified Himself as the "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" and reaffirmed His covenant promises to Jacob's descendants (e.g. Exo. 3:6,15). The nation of Israel took its name from Jacob and the Jewish people are his descendants. The name Jeshurun is used as a poetic name for Israel (Deut. 32:15; 33:5,26; Isa. 44:2).
Family
Parents
Siblings
Partners
- RachelEarly PatriarchSister of LeahWife of Jacob; mother of Joseph and BenjaminView full profile →
- LeahEarly PatriarchSister of RachelWife of Jacob; mother of six sons and DinahView full profile →
- ZilpahFemaleLeah's maidservant; mother of Gad and AsherView full profile →
- BilhahFemaleRachel's maidservant and mother of Dan and NaphtaliView full profile →
Offspring
- ReubenTribe of ReubenSon of IsraelFirstborn son of Jacob and LeahView full profile →
- SimeonTribe of SimeonSon of IsraelSon of Jacob and Leah, one of the twelve tribes.View full profile →
- LeviTribe of LeviSon of IsraelSon of Jacob; progenitor of the LevitesView full profile →
- JudahTribe of JudahSon of IsraelIsraelite tribe, kingdom, and provinceView full profile →
- DanTribe of DanSon of IsraelFifth son of Jacob, founder of Israelite tribeView full profile →
- NaphtaliTribe of NaphtaliSon of IsraelSon of Jacob, founder of the tribe of Naphtali.View full profile →
- GadTribe of GadSon of IsraelIsraelite tribe; descended from Gad, son of Jacob.View full profile →
- AsherTribe of AsherSon of IsraelSon of Jacob and Zilpah, founder of the tribe of AsherView full profile →
- IssacharTribe of IssacharSon of IsraelSon of Jacob and Leah, forefather of tribeView full profile →
- ZebulunTribe of ZebulunSon of IsraelIsraelite tribe, son of Jacob and LeahView full profile →
- DinahEarly PatriarchJacob's daughterDaughter of Jacob and LeahView full profile →
- JosephEarly PatriarchJacob's sonSon of Jacob, ruler in EgyptView full profile →
- BenjaminTribe of BenjaminSon of IsraelYoungest son of Jacob and RachelView full profile →
In Scripture
38 biblical books; 22 with study contentGenesis5 verses
- Genesis 32:28
"Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”"
Study Genesis → - Genesis 32:32
"Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was struck near that tendon."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 34:7
"When Jacob’s sons heard what had happened, they returned from the field. They were filled with grief and fury, because Shechem had committed an outrage in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter—a thing that should not be done."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 35:10
"And God said to him, “Though your name is Jacob, you will no longer be called Jacob. Instead, your name will be Israel.” So God named him Israel."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 35:21
"Israel again set out and pitched his tent beyond the Tower of Eder."
Study Genesis →
Exodus5 verses
- Exodus 1:1
"These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:"
Study Exodus → - Exodus 1:7
"but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them."
Study Exodus → - Exodus 1:9
"“Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us."
Study Exodus → - Exodus 1:12
"But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites."
Study Exodus → - Exodus 1:13
"They worked the Israelites ruthlessly"
Study Exodus →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | יִשְׂרָאֵל | ʾôr yiśrāʾēl | illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.) |
| (same form as previous) | Hebrew | יִשְׂרָאֵל | ʾôr yiśrāʾēl | illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.) |
| (same form as previous) | Hebrew | יִשְׂרָאֵל | ʾôr yiśrāʾēl | illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.) |
| (same form as previous) | Hebrew | יִשְׂרָאֵל | ʾôr yiśrāʾēl | illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.) |
| Aramaic | Hebrew | יִשְׂרָאֵל | yišĕrāʾēl | Israel. |
| Named | Hebrew | יַעֲקֹב | pesha yaʿaqov | a revolt (national, moral or religious) |
| (same form as previous) | Hebrew | יַעֲקֹב | pesha yaʿaqov | a revolt (national, moral or religious) |
| Named | Hebrew | יְשֻׁרוּן | yĕšûrûn | Jeshurun , a symbolic name for Israel |
| Group | Hebrew | יִשְׂרְאֵלִי | — | — |
| Group | Hebrew | יִשְׂרְאֵלִית | — | — |
| Greek | Greek | Ἰσραήλ | Israḗl | Israel (i.e. Jisrael), the adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants (literally or figuratively) |
| (same form as previous) | Greek | Ἰσραήλ | Israḗl | Israel (i.e. Jisrael), the adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants (literally or figuratively) |
| Named | Greek | Ἰακώβ | Iakṓb | Jacob (i.e. Ja`akob), the progenitor of the Israelites |
| Group | Greek | Ἰσραηλίτης | Israēlítēs | an "Israelite", i.e. descendant of Israel (literally or figuratively) |
| (same form as previous) | Greek | Ἰσραηλίτης | Israēlítēs | an "Israelite", i.e. descendant of Israel (literally or figuratively) |