Jacob's Dream at Bethel

Jacob left Beersheba and travelled towards Haran. When the sun went down, he stopped at a certain place for the night. He took one of the stones there, put it under his head, and lay down to sleep.

As Jacob slept, he dreamed of a stairway set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven. The angels of God were going up and down on it. Yahweh stood above it and revealed himself as the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac.

God promised Jacob that the land where he was lying would be given to him and to his offspring. His offspring would spread to the west, east, north, and south. Through Jacob and his offspring, all the families of the earth would be blessed.

God also said he would be with Jacob, keep him wherever he went, and bring him back to this land. When Jacob woke, he said that Yahweh was in that place, though he had not known it. Filled with awe, he called it God's house and the gate of heaven.

Early the next morning, Jacob took the stone he had used under his head and set it up as a pillar. He poured oil on top of it. Then he named that place Bethel, though the city had first been called Luz.

Jacob then made a vow. He said that if God would be with him, keep him on his way, give him bread and clothing, and bring him back in peace to his father's house, then Yahweh would be his God. He said the pillar would be God's house, and he would give God a tenth of all he received.