Tanakhתנ״ך

Yaakov's Name Spelled With a Vav

These sources identify the five occurrences in Tanach where Yaakov's name appears in its fuller spelling (יַעֲקוֹב) with the letter vav, primarily in Jeremiah and Leviticus, and explore the significance of this Masoretic distinction.

וְזָכַרְתִּ֖י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֣י יַעֲק֑וֹב

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Source 1 · Tanach
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Yirmiyahu / Jeremiah 30:18

Jeremiah 30:18

One of the five occurrences in Nevi'im where Yaakov's name appears spelled with a vav (יַעֲקוֹב), in the context of God's promise to restore the fortunes of Yaakov's tents.

כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה הִנְנִי־שָׁב֙ שְׁבוּת֙ אׇהֳלֵ֣י יַֽעֲק֔וֹב וּמִשְׁכְּנֹתָ֖יו אֲרַחֵ֑ם וְנִבְנְתָ֥ה עִיר֙ עַל־תִּלָּ֔הּ וְאַרְמ֖וֹן עַל־מִשְׁפָּט֥וֹ יֵשֵֽׁב׃

Thus said GOD: I will restore the fortunes of Jacob’s tents And have compassion upon his dwellings. The city shall be rebuilt on its mound, And the fortress in its proper place.

Why it matters — This is one of the textually significant instances where the extra vav appears in Yaakov's name.

Source 2 · Tanach
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Yirmiyahu / Jeremiah 33:26

Jeremiah 33:26

Another instance where Yaakov is spelled יַעֲקוֹב with the extra vav, in God's promise not to reject the descendants of Yaakov and David.

גַּם־זֶ֣רַע יַעֲקוֹב֩ וְדָוִ֨ד עַבְדִּ֜י אֶמְאַ֗ס מִקַּ֤חַת מִזַּרְעוֹ֙ מֹֽשְׁלִ֔ים אֶל־זֶ֥רַע אַבְרָהָ֖ם יִשְׂחָ֣ק וְיַעֲקֹ֑ב כִּי־[אָשִׁ֥יב] (אשוב) אֶת־שְׁבוּתָ֖ם וְרִחַמְתִּֽים׃ {פ}

so I will never reject the offspring of Jacob and My servant David; I will never fail to take from his offspring rulers for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Indeed, I will restore their fortunes and take them back in love.

Why it matters — One of the five biblical occurrences of the full spelling of Yaakov's name with a vav.

Source 3 · Tanach
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Yirmiyahu / Jeremiah 30:10

Jeremiah 30:10

This verse, 'Fear not, My servant Yaakov,' also contains the plene spelling יַעֲקוֹב with the vav, part of the cluster of vav-Yaakov occurrences in Jeremiah.

וְאַתָּ֡ה אַל־תִּירָא֩ עַבְדִּ֨י יַעֲקֹ֤ב נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה֙ וְאַל־תֵּחַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֠י הִנְנִ֤י מוֹשִֽׁיעֲךָ֙ מֵֽרָח֔וֹק וְאֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֖ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ שִׁבְיָ֑ם וְשָׁ֧ב יַעֲקֹ֛ב וְשָׁקַ֥ט וְשַׁאֲנַ֖ן וְאֵ֥ין מַחֲרִֽיד׃

And Jacob shall again have calm And quiet with none to trouble him;

Why it matters — One of the five canonical occurrences of Yaakov written with an extra vav.

Source 4 · Tanach
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Bereishit / Genesis 32:29

Genesis 32:29

The verse where the angel changes Yaakov's name to Yisrael. Notably, Yaakov's name throughout Genesis is typically spelled without the vav, making the five plene spellings elsewhere significant.

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֤א יַעֲקֹב֙ יֵאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ שִׁמְךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־שָׂרִ֧יתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִ֛ים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַתּוּכָֽל׃

Said he, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with beings divine and human, and have prevailed.”

Why it matters — Understanding the standard spelling of Yaakov (without vav) provides context for recognizing the significance of the five exceptional vav spellings.

Source 5 · Tanach
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Yirmiyahu / Jeremiah 46:27

Jeremiah 46:27

Yet another occurrence of Yaakov spelled with vav (יַעֲקוֹב) in a prophecy of consolation: 'Fear not, My servant Yaakov, and be not dismayed, O Israel.'

וְ֠אַתָּ֠ה אַל־תִּירָ֞א עַבְדִּ֤י יַֽעֲקֹב֙ וְאַל־תֵּחַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֠י הִנְנִ֤י מוֹשִֽׁעֲךָ֙ מֵרָח֔וֹק וְאֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֖ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ שִׁבְיָ֑ם וְשָׁ֧ב יַעֲק֛וֹב וְשָׁקַ֥ט וְשַׁאֲנַ֖ן וְאֵ֥ין מַחֲרִֽיד׃

But you, Have no fear, My servant Jacob, Be not dismayed, O Israel! I will deliver you from far away, Your folk from their land of captivity; And Jacob again shall have calm And quiet, with none to trouble him.

Why it matters — One of the five verses where the full plene spelling of Yaakov includes the vav.

Source 6 · Tanach
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Vayikra / Leviticus 26:42

Leviticus 26:42

This verse contains 'יַעֲקוֹב' (Yaakov spelled with a vav) — one of the five places in Tanach where Yaakov's name is spelled with the extra letter vav. The verse reads 'And I will remember My covenant with Yaakov.'

וְזָכַרְתִּ֖י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֣י יַעֲק֑וֹב וְאַף֩ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֨י יִצְחָ֜ק וְאַ֨ף אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֧י אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶזְכֹּ֖ר וְהָאָ֥רֶץ אֶזְכֹּֽר׃

Then will I remember My covenant with Jacob; I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham; and I will remember the land.

Why it matters — This is one of the primary biblical occurrences of Yaakov spelled with a vav, making it central to the textual question.

Source 7 · Rishonim
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Chizkuni on Leviticus 26:42

Chizkuni, Leviticus 26:42

Chizkuni notes the unusual full spelling of Yaakov's name with a vav at this verse, and connects it to the Masoretic tradition that this is one of five unique occurrences.

וזכרתי את בריתי יעקוב לפי שמטתו שלמה לא נאמר בו אף ולפי שכל שנותיו היו בברית הזכירו תחלה.

וזכרתי את בריתי יעקב, “I will remember My covenant with Yaakov;” seeing that none of Yaakov's children were disloyal to his teachings, the Torah did not use the word “אף,” “anger,” in connection with Yaakov, as during all his 147 years he had been loyal to G-d, and that is also why the Torah here mentions the word: “My covenant,” first. [According to Ibn Ezra, not all the years that Avraham lived were lived after G-d had made a covenant with him. Yaakov also experienced prophetic insights at an earlier age than his father and grandfather. Ed.]

Why it matters — Directly comments on one of the five verses with the extra vav in Yaakov's name.