Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The very act that gave Jacob his name—grabbing Esau's heel—was a divine foreshadowing of his determined, and sometimes cunning, pursuit of his destiny. This wasn't just a physical grasp; it was a symbolic gesture indicating his future role in "supplanting" or outmaneuvering his brother for the blessings that God had promised.
Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse describes the dramatic birth of twin brothers, Esau and Jacob, immediately following the description of Abraham's death and Isaac's lineage. Rebekah had received a prophecy from God that two nations would struggle within her, and the older would serve the younger, setting the stage for the significance of their birth order and names. This immediate aftermath of Abraham's passing highlights the continuation of God's promises and the unfolding of His plan through Isaac's family.
Jacob's name wasn't just a label; it was a prophecy woven into his very first moments. What does his name truly signify?
Jacob's name, derived from the Hebrew word for 'heel' (akab), carries a powerful double meaning. Initially, it reflects the physical act of him grasping Esau's heel as they were born.
But the significance runs deeper. The commentaries highlight that 'to heel' or 'to supplant' became a key aspect of the name's meaning. This wasn't just about a physical struggle; it foreshadowed a lifelong pattern of outmaneuvering and striving.
While Esau later used the name to signify deceit, and Jacob's actions certainly sometimes reflected this negative connotation, the name itself is a divine pointer to a destiny of overcoming and seizing what was promised, even if through struggle and cunning.
Was Jacob's birth a mere accident, or was there a divine orchestration at play even before they drew their first breath?
The struggle between Jacob and Esau began in utero. The text describes them 'struggling together within her' (Genesis 25:22), a conflict God Himself explains to Rebekah: 'Two nations are in your womb... and the elder shall serve the younger.'
This isn't just a biological event; it's a divine declaration. God's hand is evident in this prenatal contest, establishing a foundational truth about the future relationship between their descendants. Jacob's physical act of holding Esau's heel is a tangible sign of this ongoing, divinely ordained struggle for the promised lineage.
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Even though Jacob's actions were often flawed, his position as the one through whom God's covenant would continue was established before his birth. This highlights God's sovereign choice, working through human events to fulfill His purposes.
Understand the original words
yatsa · Hebrew Verb
Refers to the act of being born or coming forth from the womb; in biblical genealogy, it marks the beginning of an individual's life and role in the covenantal narrative.
aqeb · Hebrew Noun
Literally 'that which comes out behind,' used here metaphorically to denote one who supplants, grasps, or follows closely. The name carries the nuance of trickery or overcoming by taking the place of another.
Ya'aqob · Hebrew Proper Noun
A name derived from 'aqeb' (heel), signifying 'he grasps the heel' or 'supplanter.' It represents the patriarch of the twelve tribes of Israel and denotes one who struggles with man and God.
Esaw · Hebrew Proper Noun
Meaning 'hairy' or 'rough,' it refers to the firstborn son of Isaac. In biblical history, he is the progenitor of the Edomites and represents the brother who forfeits the birthright.
c. 1898 BC
Abraham's Death and Burial
Abraham dies at 175 years old. His sons Isaac and Ishmael bury him, signifying a continued, albeit complex, relationship.
c. 1878 BC
Isaac Marries Rebekah
Isaac, 40 years old, marries Rebekah after twenty years of waiting for a child, highlighting the theme of barrenness and divine promise.
c. 1858 BC
Rebekah's Difficult Pregnancy
Rebekah experiences intense struggles within her womb, prompting her to seek God's counsel.
c. 1858 BC
God Declares Nations Will Struggle
God informs Rebekah that she carries twins, destined to become leaders of two separate nations that will be in conflict, with the younger prevailing over the elder.
c. 1858 BC— this verse
Birth of Jacob and Esau
Rebekah gives birth to twins. The second-born, Jacob, emerges grasping his twin brother Esau's heel, leading to his name.
This passage directly alludes to Jacob's birth story, stating 'By his strength he contended with God' and referencing his wrestling and holding onto the heel, underscoring the significance of Jacob's struggle and name from his very beginning.
Romans 9:10-13This New Testament passage uses the story of Jacob and Esau's birth to illustrate God's sovereign choice, highlighting that 'the elder will serve the younger' as a foundational principle of God's election, predating their actions.
Genesis 27:36Here, Esau himself reflects on Jacob's name and actions, stating 'Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times,' directly linking the birth event to Jacob's character and future dealings.
Matthew 1:2This verse in Jesus' genealogy explicitly lists 'Jacob the father of Joseph, and Joseph the father of Jesus,' showing how the line of the Messiah, prophesied to come through Jacob, traces its lineage back to this very moment of his birth.
clarkeGenesis 25:26: "And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them."
His name was called Jacob - יעקב Yaccob, from עקב akab, to defraud, deceive, to supplant, i.e., to overthrow a person by tripping up his heels. Hence this name was given to Jacob, because it was found he had laid hold on his brother's heel, which was emblematical of his supplanting Esau, and defrauding him of his bir…
ellicottGenesis 25:26: "And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them."
(26) His hand took hold on Esau’s heel. —Usually there is a considerable interval—an hour or more—between the birth of twins; but here Jacob appeared without delay, following immediately upon his brother. This is expressed by the metaphorical phrase that his hand had hold on Esau’s heel—that is, there was absolutely no…
The very act that gave Jacob his name—grabbing Esau's heel—was a divine foreshadowing of his determined, and sometimes cunning, pursuit of his destiny. This wasn't just a physical grasp; it was a symbolic gesture indicating his future role in "supplanting" or outmaneuvering his brother for the blessings that God had promised.
This verse describes the dramatic birth of twin brothers, Esau and Jacob, immediately following the description of Abraham's death and Isaac's lineage. Rebekah had received a prophecy from God that two nations would struggle within her, and the older would serve the younger, setting the stage for the significance of their birth order and names. This immediate aftermath of Abraham's passing highlights the continuation of God's promises and the unfolding of His plan through Isaac's family.
This verse describes the dramatic birth of twin brothers, Esau and Jacob, immediately following the description of Abraham's death and Isaac's lineage. Rebekah had received a prophecy from God that two nations would struggle within her, and the older would serve the younger, setting the stage for the significance of their birth order and names. This immediate aftermath of Abraham's passing highlights the continuation of God's promises and the unfolding of His plan through Isaac's family.
"Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them." — The very act that gave Jacob his name—grabbing Esau's heel—was a divine foreshadowing of his determined, and sometimes cunning, pursuit of his destiny. This wasn't just a physical grasp; it was a sym…
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Last reviewed October 2026