Jacob of the Bible
Some points about Jacob from the Bible that may be relevant to Lost.
Jacob was the son of Isaac. He was not supposed to be Isaac's heir, however. At his mother's bidding, he tricked Isaac into giving him the blessing that was meant for Esau by making himself seem hairy (Isaac was blind). The idea of stealing the blessing seems to play in Lost, where there is great competition between Ben, Widmore, and Locke for the position of favorite of the island.
Jacob had four wives and had 12 sons and one daughter. He is known for spawning the 12 tribes of Israel. Parental issues seem important in Lost, and the two people Jacob apparently is hanging out with in his cabin are both notable parents, and are son and daughter themselves. The biblical …