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Structure of the Jacob Narrative (Gen 25:19–35:29)
The Jacob narrative has a chiastic structure (see Hartley, Genesis, 9; Wenham, Genesis 16–50, 169; for one of the earlier detailed studies of this structure, see Fishbane, “Composition and Structure in the Jacob Cycle,” 15–38), with the events of Jacob’s life being presented in mirror-image scenes reflecting similar themes and actions (Wenham, Genesis 16–50, 169–70). The scenes are variously organized in either six or seven pairs of mirrored events. The outline here should be viewed as an illustration of the basic structure, with the understanding that different commentaries and articles offer many variations on the basic structure.
• A Beginning: Jacob and Esau (Gen 25:19–34)
• B Conflict: Isaac and the neighboring people (Gen 26:1–35)
• C Deception: Jacob steals Esau’s blessing (Gen 27:1–28:9)
• D Flight and supernatural encounter: Jacob’s vision at Bethel (Gen 28:10–22)
• E Arrival: Jacob joins Laban’s household (Gen 29:1–30)
• F Growth: Jacob starts his own family (Gen 29:31–30:24)
• F’ Growth: Jacob gains his own wealth (Gen 30:25–43)
• E’ Departure: Jacob leaves Laban’s household (Gen 31:1–55)
• D’ Flight and supernatural encounter: Jacob wrestles a “man” (Gen 32:1–32)
• C’ Reconciliation: Jacob reunites with Esau (Gen 33:1–17)
• B’ Conflict: Jacob and the neighboring people (Gen 34:1–31)
• A’ End: Birth of Benjamin, death of Rachel, and death of Isaac (Gen 35:1–29)
Wenham divides the scenes into two groups of six that pivot around the story of the birth of Jacob’s sons in Gen 29:31–30:24; he reads the story of Joseph’s birth as the “turning point of the story” (Wenham, Genesis 16–50, 170). Hartley presents a pattern similar to what is outlined with matching pairs of six scenes; however, he sets the list of Jacob’s sons in Gen 35:22b–26 and the account of Isaac’s death and burial in Gen 35:27–29 outside the chiastic pattern (Hartley, Genesis, 9–10).
Bibliography
Anderson, John E. “Jacob and the Divine Trickster: A Theology of Deception and YHWH’s Fidelity to the Ancestral Promise in the Jacob Cycle.” Ph.D. diss., Waco, Tex.: Baylor University, 2010.
Cowley, A., ed. Aramaic Papyri of the Fifth Century B.C. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1923.
Curtis, E. M. “Structure, Style and Context as a Key to Interpreting Jacob’s Encounter at Peniel.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (1987): 129–37.
Fishbane, M. “Composition and Structure in the Jacob Cycle.” Journal of Jewish Studies 26 (1975): 15–38.
Hamilton, Victor P. The Book of Genesis, Chapters 1–17. The New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1990.
———. The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18–50. The New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1995.
Hartley, J. Genesis. Vol. 1 of Understanding the Bible Commentary Series. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker, 2012.
Heiser, Michael S. “Elohim as ‘Gods’ in the Old Testament.” Faithlife Study Bible. Edited by John D. Barry. Bellingham, Wash.: Lexham Press, 2012.
———. “Old Testament Godhead Language.” Faithlife Study Bible. Edited by John D. Barry. Bellingham, Wash.: Lexham Press, 2012.
Koehler, Ludwig, Walter Baumgartner, M. E. J. Richardson, and Johann Jakob Stamm, eds. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Electronic ed. Leiden: Brill, 1999.
Mangum, Douglas, Miles Custis, and Wendy Widder. Genesis 12–50. Lexham Bible Guides. Bellingham, Wash.: Lexham Press, 2013.
Mathews, Kenneth A. Genesis 11:27–50:26: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture. Vol. 1B of The New American Commentary. Edited by E. Ray Clendenen. Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2005.
McKay, H. A. “Jacob Makes It across the Jabbok.” Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 38 (1987): 3–13.
McKenzie, S. “ ‘You Have Prevailed’: The Function of Jacob’s Encounter at Peniel in the Jacob Cycle.” Restoration Quarterly 23 (1980): 225–32.
Moran, William L. The Amarna Letters. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992.
Pardee, Dennis. “Ugaritic Letters.” Pages 87–116 in The Context of Scripture, Volume III: Archival Documents from the Biblical World. Edited by William W. Hallo. Leiden: Brill, 2002.
Sarna, Nahum M. Genesis. The JPS Torah Commentary. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1989.
Speiser, E. A. Genesis: Introduction, Translation, and Notes. Anchor Bible 1. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1964.
Waltke, Bruce K. Genesis: A Commentary. With Cathi J. Fredricks. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2001.
Walton, John H. “Genesis.” Pages 2–139 in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Edited by John H. Walton. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, Old Testament 1. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2009.
Wenham, Gordon J. Genesis 16–50. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas, Tex.: Word, 1994.
Westermann, Claus. Genesis 12–36. Contintental Commentary Series. Minneapolis, Minn.: Augsburg Fortress, 1985.
Douglas Mangum
Jacob, Son of Matthan (Ἰακώβ, Iakōb). Father of Joseph, the husband of Mary (mother of Jesus) according to the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel (Matt 1:15–16; compare Luke 3:23). For further information, see this article: Jesus, Genealogy of.

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