The Old Testament readings about Jacob, his wives and sons in our lectionary from Genesis begin on Saturday of the 13th week and continue through the 14th week. Saturday’s reading explains how Jacob, with the help of his mother Rebekah, stole Isaac’s blessing from Esau. (above)

Through the 14th week the stories of Jacob include his dream of God showing him a stairway to heaven at Bethel, his struggle in the dark wrestling with a mysterious stranger, and his son Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt after being betrayed by his brothers. We learn of Jacob’s entry into Egypt with his sons and finally, on this coming Saturday, his death and burial. 

We only read a few sections from the longer biblical account. They tend to be somewhat edifying. But looking at the whole biblical account of Jacob and his wives and his sons you wonder. Should we admire and imitate them? So many of these stories are complicated and unedifying–like real life.

A recent commentary on Genesis by Robert Alter approaches the story from the Jewish tradition. I like his approach to Jacob and his wives and his sons.

His name, Jacob, “can be construed as meaning ‘he who acts crookedly.’” Alter writes. “He’s willing to lie and cheat to get what he wants. He’s a suspicious bargainer, even with God. He’s a sharp dealer with others, like his father-in -law Labon. He’s leery of people. Wrestling with the mysterious stranger on his journey mirrors the way he wrestles with life. He doesn’t measure up to someone like Abraham. Yet “God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” 

Can the Jewish scriptures help us face our own complicated and usedifying times? I think they can. God engages humanity, sinful as it is, and mercifully guides it towards the Promised Land. “In you and your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing. Know that I am with you; I will protect you wherever you go, and bring you back to this land. I will never leave you until I have done what I promised you.”

Those short, significant stories from the Jewish scriptures are what we need to hear. A merciful God is with us. Otherwise, life becomes a grim story, meaning nothing.