Biblical Parallels Index – Bereshit 35
Overview
This index is meant to help the reader explore Biblical parallels, be they two accounts of the same event, stories with similar motifs and themes, or units of text which are linguistically similar and perhaps alluding one to the other. The page includes links to tools that aid in comparison, primary sources that touch upon the parallels, and summaries of and links to articles which analyze them in depth.Yaakov's Double Name Change
The text speaks of Yaakov's change of name twice, once when his name is changed by the "man" (perhaps, angel) in Bereshit 32:29 and once when it is changed by Hashem directly in Bereshit 35:10.
Tools
- Tanakh Lab – Compare the two episodes in the Tanakh Lab, here.
Articles
- See Vayishlach: From Yaakov to Yisrael by R. Menachem Leibtag for an exploration of how these two narratives describing Yaakov’s name change interact with each other and why it was necessary for Yaakov to receive a name change twice. R. Leibtag suggests that the name Yisrael represents Yaakov’s newly-developed ability to act directly when confrontation is called for, and that the dual narrative of the name change serves to confirm Yaakov’s right to the blessings he initially received through deceiving his father.