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Jacob's Legend, and the Legend and Myth of Japan

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  • ヤコブ伝と日本神話

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Abstract

Isaac's wife Rebecca gave birth to twins after twenty years since their marriage. First, the older brother Esau appeared, then the younger brother Jacob appeared grasping his brother's heel. Emperor Keiko of Japan had twin sons. The younger brother tore off his brother's hands and feet. The young brother deprived his older brother of the right of inheritance because of their food. Between the Jacob's legend of Genesis and the legend of Yamatotakeru, younger brother of twin sons of Emperor Keiko, there are many resemblances. It is doubtful whether Yamatotakeru was a real person or not. God delivered an oracle to Jacob, Abraham's grandson, while Amaterasu, ancestor of the Imperial Family of Japan delivered one to her grandson ; both the oracles were originally the same, assuring their sovereignty will continue forever. Jacob represents another hero of Japanese myth, Ninigi, Amaterasu's grandson. Jacob departed from his birthplace and visited his mother's brother. Jacob got married to his uncle's two daughters: the older was ugly, the younger pretty. Ninigi descended from heaven to earth and there he found two sisters, the older ugly, and the younger pretty. those daughters were representations of death and life.

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