The term "supplant" is often associated with the act of taking the place of another, typically through scheming, strategy, or force. In the biblical context, this concept is most prominently illustrated in the account of Jacob and Esau, where Jacob supplants his brother Esau to receive the blessing of the firstborn from their father, Isaac.

Jacob and Esau

The narrative of Jacob and Esau is found in the Book of Genesis. Jacob, whose name can be interpreted as "he who supplants," is the younger twin son of Isaac and Rebekah. From birth, Jacob's life is marked by his struggle with Esau, as Genesis 25:26 notes, "After this, his brother came out, grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob."

The act of supplanting is vividly demonstrated in two key events. First, Jacob persuades Esau to sell his birthright for a meal. Genesis 25:31-34 recounts this transaction: "Jacob replied, 'First sell me your birthright.' 'Look,' said Esau, 'I am about to die, so what good is a birthright to me?' 'Swear to me first,' Jacob said. So Esau swore to Jacob and sold him the birthright. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and went away. So Esau despised his birthright."

The second and more significant act of supplanting occurs when Jacob, with the help of his mother Rebekah, deceives his father Isaac into giving him the blessing intended for Esau. Genesis 27:35-36 captures Esau's lament: "But Isaac replied, 'Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.' So Esau declared, 'Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me twice now: He took my birthright, and now he has taken my blessing!'"

Theological Implications

The account of Jacob and Esau raises important theological questions about God's sovereignty and human agency. Despite Jacob's deceitful actions, God reaffirms His covenant with Jacob, later renaming him Israel and making him the father of the twelve tribes. This narrative underscores the theme of God's grace and election, as seen in Romans 9:11-13 , which references this story: "Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand, not by works but by Him who calls—she was told, 'The older will serve the younger.' So it is written: 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'"

Moral and Ethical Considerations

The act of supplanting, as demonstrated by Jacob, is often viewed negatively in moral and ethical discussions. It involves deceit and manipulation, which are contrary to the biblical virtues of honesty and integrity. However, the account also illustrates the complexity of human character and the mysterious ways in which God's purposes are fulfilled, even through flawed individuals.

Other Biblical References

While Jacob's account is the most prominent example, the concept of supplanting can be seen in other biblical narratives. For instance, Absalom's attempt to supplant his father David as king (2 Samuel 15) and Adonijah's attempt to take the throne from Solomon (1 Kings 1) are further examples of this theme.

In summary, the concept of supplanting in the Bible is multifaceted, involving themes of deception, divine election, and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan through imperfect human actions.1. (v.) To displace and take the place of; to supersede; as, a rival supplants another in the favor of a mistress or a prince.

2. (n.) To overthrow, undermine, or force away, in order to get a substitute in place of.

6117. aqab -- to follow at the heel, assail insidiously ...
... heel (1), restrain (1), supplanted (1), took (1). take by the heel, stay,
supplant, utterly. A primitive root; properly, to swell out ...
/hebrew/6117.htm - 6k

Species, or Units of Nature.
... He says: "In all cases the new and improved forms of life tend to supplant
the old and unimproved forms. New varieties continually ...
/.../species or units of nature.htm

The Folly of Slander. Part 1.
... thence hath always been a principal engine whereby covetous, ambitious, envious,
ill-natured, and vain persons have striven to supplant their competitors, and ...
/.../barrow/sermons on evil-speaking by isaac barrow/the folly of slander part.htm

How Divine Love Makes Use of all the Passions and Affections of ...
... presage and beginning of what was afterwards to come to pass, he at the birth of
Esau held him by the foot, as it were to seize Esau's right, supplant him and ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter xx how divine love.htm

The Eternal Name
... We ask next, supposing Christ's gospel to become extinct, what religion is to
supplant it? ... Naught. There is nothing, to supplant Christianity. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the eternal name.htm

The Nations of the North-East
... generations in succession the queen-mother was a Mitannian princess, and a king
finally sat upon the Pharaohs' throne who attempted to supplant the religion of ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iv the nations of.htm

Criticisms on "The Origin of Species. "
... with them. If better, it will tend to supplant the parent stock; if worse,
it will tend to be extinguished by the parent stock. If ...
/.../huxley/lay sermons addresses and reviews/xiii criticisms on the origin.htm

Against Foolish Talking and Jesting.
... need exposition, and admit exception: otherwise frequently they would not only clash
with reason and experience, but interfere, thwart, and supplant one another ...
/.../against foolish talking and jesting.htm

The New Testament
... In the 7th century after Christ, the Mohammedan conquerors, who spoke Arabic, began
to supplant {2} Aramaic by Arabic, and this is now the ordinary language of ...
/.../pullan/the books of the new testament/chapter i the new testament.htm

A Jealous God
... and it may be that Shenstone is right in his definition of it as "the apprehension
of superiority," the fear lest another should by any means supplant us; yet ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 9 1863/a jealous god.htm

Grundtvig's Hymns
... imagery. In this he strove to supplant time-honored similes and illustrations
from Biblical lands with native allusions and scenes. ...
/.../aaberg/hymns and hymnwriters of denmark/chapter fifteen grundtvigs hymns.htm

Supplant (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (n.) To overthrow, undermine, or force away, in order to get a substitute
in place of. Multi-Version Concordance Supplant (1 Occurrence). ...
/s/supplant.htm - 7k

Jacob (361 Occurrences)
... To heel" might mean: (a) "to take hold of by the heel" (so probably Hosea 12:3;
compare Genesis 27:36); (b) "to follow with evil intent," "to supplant" or in ...
/j/jacob.htm - 77k

Trip (4 Occurrences)
... or take a false step; to cause to lose the footing, by striking the feet from under;
to cause to fall; to throw off the balance; to supplant; -- often followed ...
/t/trip.htm - 9k

Egypt (596 Occurrences)
... One of the later kings of the dynasty, Amenophis IV., or Khu-n-Aten, endeavoured
to supplant the ancient state religion of Egypt by a new faith derived from ...
/e/egypt.htm - 101k

Abishag (5 Occurrences)
... By reason of this and of her personal charms, she might become a strong helper
to any rival of Solomon who should intrigue to supplant him. ...
/a/abishag.htm - 10k

Acteth (8 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 9:4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbor, and trust ye not in any brother;
for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will go about ...
/a/acteth.htm - 8k

Subtly (3 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 9:4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbor, and trust ye not in any brother;
for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will go about ...
/s/subtly.htm - 7k

Supping (2 Occurrences)

/s/supping.htm - 7k

Supplanter (1 Occurrence)
... Jeremiah 9:4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother:
for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk ...
/s/supplanter.htm - 6k

Slanders (5 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 9:4 Take heed everyone of his neighbor, and don't trust in any brother;
for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will go about with ...
/s/slanders.htm - 7k

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