Jacob. Jacob, later given the name Israel, is regarded as a Patriarch of the Israelites and so, he is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Jacob first appears in the Book of Genesis, the son of Isaac and Rebecca, the grandson of Abraham, Sarah and Bethuel, the nephew of Ishmael. He was the second-born of Isaac's children, the elder being his fraternal twin brother Esau. However, by deceiving Isaac when he was old and blind, Jacob was able to usurp the blessing that belonged to Esau as the firstborn son, and become the leader of their family. Following a severe drought in his homeland Canaan, Jacob and his descendants, with the help of his son Joseph, who had since become a confidante of Pharaoh, moved to Egypt, where he died, aged 147 years, and was buried in the Cave of Machpela. Jacob is said to have had twelve sons by four women, his wives, Leah and Rachel, and his concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah, who were, in order of their birth, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin, all of whom became the heads of their own family groups, later known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel, and it is also known that he had a daughter, Dinah. It is possible he had more children than the thirteen named in the Bible, as the passages Gen. 37:35 and Gen. 46:7 both mention the existence of his sons and daughters, which could support the existence of additional children, who were unnamed in religious texts. Jacob displayed favoritism among his wives and children, preferring Rachel and her sons, Joseph and Benjamin, causing tension within the family, culminating in the sale of Joseph by his brothers into slavery. The historical origin of the name is uncertain. Yaʿqob-'el is notably recorded as a placename in a list by Thutmose III. The same name is recorded earlier still, in c. 1800 BC, in cuneiform inscriptions. The suggestion that the personal name may be shortened from this compound name, which would translate to may El protect, originates with Bright. The Septuagint renders the name, whence Latin Jacobus, English Jacob. The biblical account of the life of Jacob is found in the Book of Genesis, chapters 25-50. Jacob and his twin brother, Esau, were born to Isaac and Rebecca after 20 years of marriage, when Isaac was 60 years of age. Rebekah was uncomfortable during her pregnancy and went to inquire of God why she was suffering. She received the prophecy that twins were fighting in her womb and would continue to fight all their lives, even after they became two separate nations. The prophecy also said that the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger; When the time came for Rebecca to give birth, the firstborn, Esau, came out covered with red hair, as if he were wearing a hairy garment, and his heel was grasped by the hand of Jacob, the secondborn. According to Genesis 25:25, Isaac and Rebecca named the first son Hebrew, Esau. The second son they named יעקב, Jacob. The boys displayed very different natures as they matured.. and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a simple man, dwelling in tents. Moreover, the attitudes of their parents toward them also differed: And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebecca loved Jacob. Main article: Jacob and Esau Genesis 25:29-34 tells the account of Esau selling his birthright to Jacob. This passage tells that Esau, returning famished from the fields, begged Jacob to give him some of the stew that Jacob had just made. Jacob offered to give Esau a bowl of stew in exchange for his birthright, to which Esau agreed. As Isaac aged, he became blind and was uncertain when he would die, so he decided to bestow Esau's birthright upon him. He requested that Esau go out to the fields with his weapons to kill some venison. Isaac then requested that Esau make savory meat for him out of the venison, according to the way he enjoyed it the most, so that he could eat it and bless Esau. Rebecca overheard this conversation.