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The Bible has been the most influential text in all of Western culture. It's difficult to understand medieval or early modern or much of modern literature without knowing it...

Prof. Barbara Newman, Northwestern University
from 2006 Bible Literary project

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It's not that it's impossible to read some writers without a Biblical background, but that you would miss a whole dimension to their work.

Prof. Steven Goldsmith, University of California at Berkeley
from 2006 Bible Literary Project

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I can only say that if a student doesn't know any Bible literature, he or she will simply not understand whole elements of Shakespeare, Sidney, Spenser, Milton, Pope, Wordsworth

Prof. Robert Kiely, Harvard University
from 2006 Bible Literary Project

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...there is truth in the remark. "without Tyndale[Bible translator], no Shakespeare"...

Prof. David Daniell, University College London
from The Bible in English

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You can't really study Western literature intelligently or coherently without starting with the Bible.

Prof. Gerald L. Bruns, University of Notre Dame
from 2006 Bible Literary Project

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...a familiar understanding of Christian doctrine in historical perspective thus contributes to a fuller appreciation of Shakespeare's art, but Shakespeare's art

Prof. Roland M. Frye
from Shakespeare and the Christian Doctrine

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In English tradition and also for an American tradition begun by Puritan writers, a knowledge of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament is even more crucial than classical references.

Prof. Ulrich Knoefplmacher, Princeton University
from 2006 Bible Literary Project

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There is no book more important for our culture than the Bible, and it is fundametal to the study of English literature and language.

Prof. David Jasper and Prof. Stephen Prickett
from the Bible and literature

Jacob

Picture description: Jacob Wrestling with the Angel by Alexander Louis Leloir
Picture copyright: public domain

Bible Verse

Genesis 25:19

Meaning

The name came from the Hebrew name יַעֲקֹב (Ya’aqov), meaning “supplanter” and “holder of the heel”. Jacob was the son of Isaac and Rebecca. When he was born, he came out of Rebecca’s womb with his hand grasping his twin brother Esau’s heel and so he was given the name. As recounted in the Old Testament, Jacob gave Esau some lentil stew in exchange for his birthright. He then disguised himself as Esau to deceive Isaac for his blessings, so his name also carried the meaning of “supplanter”. After wrestling with an angel, God changed his name to Israel because he had struggled with God and with men and had overcome. Later on his twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel.

Gender

Male

Example

Keywords

angel    Esau    holder    Isaac    Israel    Jacob    lentil    wrestle   

Related Information

NIV official site
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