Single lesson

Jacob's Dream at Bethel

Genesis 28:10–22

Jacob stopped for the night on his journey and had a dream that changed how he understood that place. In this lesson, children trace the order of the account, hear God’s words to Jacob, and notice Jacob’s response.

6–10 years30 minutes

Before you teach

This passage begins with Jacob travelling from Beersheba toward Haran. At night he lies down with a stone under his head. In a dream he sees a stairway reaching to heaven, hears Yahweh speak, then wakes, names the place Bethel, and makes a vow.

Learning aim

Students will be able to retell the sequence of Genesis 28:10–22 and name two things God said to Jacob and two ways Jacob responded.

Welcome: Where does the story begin?

4 min

Show children how the passage starts with movement. Jacob leaves Beersheba and travels towards Haran. Then the journey pauses because the sun has set. He stays the night in a certain place, takes one of the stones, and lies down to sleep. Ask children to listen for what happens next and to remember the order carefully.

Genesis 28:10, Genesis 28:11

Read and explain: Jacob’s dream and God’s words

8 min

Read verses 12–15 slowly. Jacob sees a stairway reaching to heaven, with angels of God going up and down. Then Yahweh speaks. Point out the promises in the passage: land for Jacob and his offspring, offspring spreading widely, blessing for families of the earth, and God saying, ‘I am with you’.

Genesis 28:12, Genesis 28:13, Genesis 28:14, Genesis 28:15

Discuss: Jacob wakes and understands the place differently

6 min

Help the group notice Jacob’s reaction after he wakes. He says Yahweh is in this place and he did not know it. He is afraid and calls the place awesome, God’s house, and the gate of heaven. Discuss that these are Jacob’s own words after hearing God speak in the dream.

Genesis 28:16, Genesis 28:17

Make and respond: Story sequence stones

8 min

Children make simple cards or paper ‘stones’ for these events: travelling, sleeping, dreaming, God speaking, waking, setting up the stone, naming Bethel, and making a vow. Arrange them in order and match each one to the verses. Then ask which actions show Jacob’s response after the dream.

Genesis 28:10, Genesis 28:11, Genesis 28:12, Genesis 28:13, Genesis 28:14, Genesis 28:15, Genesis 28:16, Genesis 28:17, Genesis 28:18, Genesis 28:19, Genesis 28:20, Genesis 28:21, Genesis 28:22

Closing: Bethel and Jacob’s vow

4 min

Finish by reading the last verses again. Jacob sets up the stone as a pillar, pours oil on it, names the place Bethel, and makes a vow about God being with him, bringing him back in peace, the stone being God’s house, and giving a tenth. Invite each child to say one part of the story in the right order.

Genesis 28:18, Genesis 28:19, Genesis 28:20, Genesis 28:21, Genesis 28:22

Questions to explore

What are the main steps in the story from Jacob’s journey to his vow?

Use the verses in order: travelling, stopping for the night, dreaming, hearing Yahweh speak, waking, setting up the stone, naming Bethel, and making a vow.

Genesis 28:10, Genesis 28:11, Genesis 28:12, Genesis 28:13, Genesis 28:14, Genesis 28:15, Genesis 28:16, Genesis 28:17, Genesis 28:18, Genesis 28:19, Genesis 28:20, Genesis 28:21, Genesis 28:22

Which words in the passage show what God promised Jacob?

Look for the direct words Yahweh says about land, offspring, blessing, being with Jacob, keeping him, bringing him back, and not leaving him.

Genesis 28:13, Genesis 28:14, Genesis 28:15

How did Jacob respond after he woke up?

Notice both his words and his actions: he speaks about Yahweh being in that place, is afraid, sets up the stone, names the place Bethel, and makes a vow.

Genesis 28:16, Genesis 28:17, Genesis 28:18, Genesis 28:19, Genesis 28:20, Genesis 28:21, Genesis 28:22

Make, think or respond

Bethel Story Sequence Stones

What you’ll need

8 small pieces of paper or card
pencils or textas
sticky tack or tape
optional small stones

Try it together

Write or draw one story event on each paper: journey, night stop, stone pillow, dream, God speaks, wake up, pillar and name, vow.
Read Genesis 28:10–22 again and help children place the cards in order.
Let children retell the account by pointing to each card and saying what happened next.
If using stones, place one paper on or beside each stone to remind children of Jacob’s stone and pillar.

This activity helps children follow the sequence of Genesis 28:10–22 and connect Jacob’s actions with the words he heard from God.

Adapt for your group

For younger children, prepare the event cards in advance with simple drawings and reduce the sequence to six steps.
For older children, ask them to sort actions by Jacob and words by Yahweh, using the exact verses.

An optional closing prayer

You may pray: ‘God, thank you for what you said to Jacob in this passage. Help us listen carefully to your word and respond with trust and respect. Amen.’

Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic

Genesis 28

¹⁰ Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.

¹¹ He came to a certain place, and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. He took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep.

¹² He dreamed and saw a stairway set upon the earth, and its top reached to heaven. Behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

¹³ Behold, Yahweh stood above it, and said, “I am Yahweh, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. I will give the land you lie on to you and to your offspring.

¹⁴ Your offspring will be as the dust of the earth, and you will spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. In you and in your offspring, all the families of the earth will be blessed.

¹⁵ Behold, I am with you, and will keep you, wherever you go, and will bring you again into this land. For I will not leave you until I have done that which I have spoken of to you.”

¹⁶ Jacob awakened out of his sleep, and he said, “Surely Yahweh is in this place, and I didn’t know it.”

¹⁷ He was afraid, and said, “How awesome this place is! This is none other than God’s house, and this is the gate of heaven.”

¹⁸ Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil on its top.

¹⁹ He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.

²⁰ Jacob vowed a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothing to put on,

²¹ so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, and Yahweh will be my God,

²² then this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, will be God’s house. Of all that you will give me I will surely give a tenth to you.”

World English Bible Classic. Public domain.