What does Jacobs name in the bible mean ?

Question

I read somewhere that it means cheat or scheme. But then I went to a website that said it means something about him pulling Esau's leg at birth. does anyone have any other meanings ?

Answer 1

Nope. He came out of the womb holding on to Esau's heel.

Genesis 25:26 The second one was born holding on tightly to the heel of Esau, so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

H3290
יעקב
ya‛ăqôb
yah-ak-obe'
From H6117; heel catcher (that is, supplanter); Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch: - Jacob.

supplanter:
–verb (used with object)
1. to take the place of (another), as through force, scheming, strategy, or the like. To overthrow.
2. to replace (one thing) by something else.

It is why God changed his name to Israel.

Genesis 32:28 The man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob. You have struggled with God and with men, and you have won; so your name will be Israel."

H3478
ישׂראל
yiśrâ'êl
yis-raw-ale'
From H8280 and H410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity: - Israel.

I hope this helps.
Peace.

Answer 2

You're on the right track.
Jacob means deceiver or cheater and he was given this name because of what happened at his birth. During the event, the baby Jacob stuck out his foot first but because the 2 infants were quite entwined, the rest of him couldn't come out. So the midwife who was assisting the birth tied a ribbon around his foot to identify him later, and then he drew back inside Rebekah. When the firstborn was finally delivered, it was the one without the ribbon, Esau. So they humourously named Jacob because he had tried to cheat Esau out of his birthright. Ironically, many years later, Esau voluntarily sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of lentil stew.

Answer 3

I've heard it means "grabber". In Nelson's Bible Facts, it means "supplanter or following after". The name usually corresponds to how he came into this world clutching Esau's heel.

Answer 4

supplanter

It means to supersede another, especially by force or treachery - as when he obtained his brother's birthright and blessing from Issac.

He was a twin, with Esau, and was born with his hand holding on to his brothers heel.

Answer 5

I think it means grabber of the heel or something along those lines.

Answer 6

No, the name Jacob means desever.

Answer 7

is a good name means there will be enought food to eat for the rest of ur life