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Jacob

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The Hebrew patriarch who wrestled with a divine being and was renamed Israel; father of the twelve tribes and central figure in covenant theology.

Detailed Definition
Deceiver turned father of twelve tribes, Jacob’s life spanned exile, reconciliation, and divine encounter. In poetry, Jacob symbolizes transformation, the struggle for blessing, and the complex interplay of human cunning and divine election in shaping a nation.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Jacob’s ladder (Genesis 28) prefigures Christ as mediator; In William Blake’s "The Four Zoas," Jacob represents the struggler who becomes Israel; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "The Seraphim," Jacob’s wrestling symbolizes the soul’s encounter with God; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Jacob’s deception and transformation model grace; In John Keble’s "Lyra Innocentium," Jacob represents the pilgrim of faith; In Christina Rossetti’s "Goblin Market," Jacob’s stones prefigure sacred markers.
Additional Notes
Jacob: Son of Isaac, father of the twelve tribes; renamed Israel after wrestling with God (Genesis 32). In poetry, Jacob embodies transformation, trickery turned to blessing, and the struggle with divine and human. His ladder (Genesis 28), well encounters, and limp offer rich symbols—ideal for poems on identity, reconciliation (with Esau), or the cost of blessing.
Also Known As
Jacob father of Israel Israel Jacob the Supplanter
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