Who was Israel in the Bible?

What does the Bible say about Israel?

Israel, also known as Jacob, was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the grandson of Abraham. He was born after his twin brother Esau (Gen. 25:24-26). Jacob bought Esau's birthright for a bowl of stew when Esau was famished (Gen. 25:29-34). He then deceived his father Isaac into giving him the firstborn blessing (Gen. 27). To escape Esau's anger, Jacob fled to his uncle Laban in Paddan-aram (Gen. 28:1-5). On the way, Jacob had a dream of a stairway to heaven at Bethel, where God confirmed the covenant promises to him (Gen. 28:10-22). Jacob worked for Laban for 14 years, marrying his daughters Leah and Rachel (Gen. 29). Wanting to return home, Jacob left Paddan-aram with his family and flocks. On the way, he wrestled with God at Peniel and was renamed Israel, meaning "he struggles with God" (Gen. 32:22-32). Israel (or 'Jacob') reconciled with Esau and settled in Canaan (Gen. 33). Jacob had twelve sons who became the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher (Gen. 35:23-26). Jacob showed favoritism to Joseph, provoking his brothers to sell Joseph into slavery in Egypt (Gen. 37). Later, during a famine, Jacob's sons went to Egypt for food and were reconciled with Joseph, who had risen to power there (Gen. 42-46). Jacob moved his whole family to Egypt, where he lived for 17 years (Gen. 47:28). Before his death, Jacob blessed Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. 48) and gave prophetic blessings to his own twelve sons (Gen. 49). He died at age 147 and was buried in Canaan (Gen. 49:33; 50:1-14). God often identified Himself as the "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" and reaffirmed His covenant promises to Jacob's descendants (e.g. Exo. 3:6,15). The nation of Israel took its name from Jacob and the Jewish people are his descendants. The name Jeshurun is used as a poetic name for Israel (Deut. 32:15; 33:5,26; Isa. 44:2).

Where does Israel appear in the Bible?

Israel is referenced in 36 verses. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

• Genesis 32:28
• Genesis 34:7
• Genesis 35:10
• Genesis 35:21
• Genesis 35:22
• Genesis 37:3
• Genesis 37:13
• Genesis 42:5
• Genesis 43:6
• Genesis 43:8
• Genesis 43:11
• Genesis 45:21
• Genesis 45:28
• Genesis 46:1
• Genesis 46:2
• Genesis 46:5
• Genesis 46:8
• Genesis 46:29
• Genesis 46:30
• Genesis 47:29
• Genesis 47:31
• Genesis 48:2
• Genesis 48:8
• Genesis 48:10

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Israel.