The Meaning of “Jacob”

The biblical narrative provides two folk etymologies for Jacob’s name, connecting it to the Hebrew noun for “heel” (עָקֵב, aqev) in Gen 25:26 and to the Hebrew verb meaning “deceive” (עָקַב, aqav) in Gen 27:36. Although these meanings are seen as appropriate in Jacob’s dealings with Esau and Laban, they are probably the result of wordplay—puns based on the two separate homographic Semitic roots “heel” (עקב, 'qb) and “protect” (עקב, 'qb). The latter root is well attested in Semitic personal names outside the Bible (Hamilton, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18–50, 178–79). The name Jacob (יַעֲקֹב, ya'aqov) is likely an abbreviated (or “hypocoristic”) form of “Jacob-El” (יַעֲקֹב־אֵל, ya'aqov-el), meaning “May El protect [him],” “El will protect [him],” or “El has protected [him]” (Sarna, Genesis, 180; Hamilton, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18–50, 179). The root “protect” (עקב, 'qb) appears frequently in Semitic theophoric names (that is, names including a deity’s name as one of the elements and usually forming a sentence like יִשְׁמָעֵאל, yishma'el, “God will hear”). Many personal names combining the term “protect” (עקב, 'qb) with a theophoric element are attested at the Jewish colony of Elephantine, including (Cowley, Aramaic Papyri, 12.9, 11; 22.20; 26.23, 28; 54:10):

• “House of El has protected” (ביתאל־עקב, byt'l'qb);

• “Nebo has protected” (נבועקב, nbw'qb); and

• “Nebo protects” (עקבנבו, 'qbnbw).

The biblical name Akkub (עַקּוּב, aqquv), meaning either “protector” or “protected one,” reflects the same root (see Ezra 2:42, 45; Neh 8:7). In light of the difficult circumstances of Jacob’s birth, the possible reading of Jacob-El as “God protected [him]” seems most appropriate (Hamilton, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18–50, 179). The folk etymologies of Gen 25:26; 27:36, are reinterpretations of Jacob’s name based on his demonstrated character as a trickster.