The Patriarch Jacob

Jacob was Esau’s twin brother and grandson of Abraham, whose statue stands at the other end of this row. Jacob deceived both his brother Esau and his blind father to obtain the rights of first-born son. His brother came to hate him and swore to kill Jacob as soon as their father was dead. Jacob was therefore forced to flee from home and sought refuge with his maternal uncle Laban. On the way, he fell asleep and dreamed of a ladder rising from Earth to heaven, which angels were using to ascend and descend. The dream is depicted on the statue, which shows Jacob holding the ladder in his hands. Jacob served his uncle Laban for seven years before being allowed to marry his cousin Rachel. However, it was her sister Leah who he met at the altar. He worked for another seven years to be able to marry Rachel. By his two wives and female slaves he had 12 sons, who were the founders of Israel’s 12 tribes.

The statue

The plinth depicts Jacob fighting with an angel sent by God to test him. The angel gave Jacob the name Israel “for you have striven with God and with man and have prevailed”.