Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

¹⁰ Jacob left Beersheba^(A) and set out for Harran.^{(B) 11} When he reached a certain place,^(C) he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head^(D) and lay down to sleep. ¹² He had a dream^(E) in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.^{(F) 13} There above it^[a] stood the Lord,^(G) and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.^(H) I will give you and your descendants the land^(I) on which you are lying.^{(J) 14} Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you^(K) will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.^(L) All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.^{[b](M) 15} I am with you^(N) and will watch over you^(O) wherever you go,^(P) and I will bring you back to this land.^(Q) I will not leave you^(R) until I have done what I have promised you.^(S)”^(T)

¹⁶ When Jacob awoke from his sleep,^(U) he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” ¹⁷ He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place!^(V) This is none other than the house of God;^(W) this is the gate of heaven.”

¹⁸ Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head^(X) and set it up as a pillar^(Y) and poured oil on top of it.^{(Z) 19} He called that place Bethel,^[c](AA) though the city used to be called Luz.^(AB)

²⁰ Then Jacob made a vow,^(AC) saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me^(AD) on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear^{(AE) 21} so that I return safely^(AF) to my father’s household,^(AG) then the Lord^[d] will be my God^{(AH) 22} and^[e] this stone that I have set up as a pillar^(AI) will be God’s house,^(AJ) and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.^(AK)”

Jacob Arrives in Paddan Aram

29 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples.^{(AL) 2} There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well.^(AM) The stone^(AN) over the mouth of the well was large. ³ When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone^(AO) away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep.^(AP) Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.

⁴ Jacob asked the shepherds, “My brothers, where are you from?”^(AQ)

“We’re from Harran,^(AR)” they replied.

⁵ He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?”^(AS)

“Yes, we know him,” they answered.

⁶ Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?”

“Yes, he is,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachel^(AT) with the sheep.^(AU)”

⁷ “Look,” he said, “the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”

⁸ “We can’t,” they replied, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone^(AV) has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water^(AW) the sheep.”

⁹ While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep,^(AX) for she was a shepherd. ¹⁰ When Jacob saw Rachel^(AY) daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone^(AZ) away from the mouth of the well and watered^(BA) his uncle’s sheep.^{(BB) 11} Then Jacob kissed^(BC) Rachel and began to weep aloud.^{(BD) 12} He had told Rachel that he was a relative^(BE) of her father and a son of Rebekah.^(BF) So she ran and told her father.^(BG)

¹³ As soon as Laban^(BH) heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him^(BI) and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. ¹⁴ Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.”^(BJ)

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, ¹⁵ Laban said to him, “Just because you are a relative^(BK) of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages^(BL) should be.”

¹⁶ Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah,^(BM) and the name of the younger was Rachel.^{(BN) 17} Leah had weak^[f] eyes, but Rachel^(BO) had a lovely figure and was beautiful.^{(BP) 18} Jacob was in love with Rachel^(BQ) and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”^(BR)

¹⁹ Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” ²⁰ So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel,^(BS) but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.^(BT)

²¹ Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.^(BU)”

²² So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast.^{(BV) 23} But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah^(BW) and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. ²⁴ And Laban gave his servant Zilpah^(BX) to his daughter as her attendant.^(BY)

²⁵ When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me?^(BZ) I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?^(CA)”

²⁶ Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.^{(CB) 27} Finish this daughter’s bridal week;^(CC) then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.^(CD)”

²⁸ And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.^{(CE) 29} Laban gave his servant Bilhah^(CF) to his daughter Rachel as her attendant.^{(CG) 30} Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah.^(CH) And he worked for Laban another seven years.^(CI)