Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

28:10 Meanwhile Jacob left Beer Sheba and set out for Haran. 28:11 He reached a certain place17 where he decided to camp because the sun had gone down.18 He took one of the stones19 and placed it near his head.20 Then he fell asleep21 in that place 28:12 and had a dream.22 He saw23 a stairway24 erected on the earth with its top reaching to the heavens. The angels of God were going up and coming down it 28:13 and the Lord stood at its top. He said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father Isaac.25 I will give you and your descendants the ground26 you are lying on. 28:14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth,27 and you will spread out28 to the west, east, north, and south. All the families of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another29 using your name and that of your descendants.30 28:15 I am with you!31 I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you!”

28:16 Then Jacob woke up32 and thought,33 “Surely the Lord is in this place, but I did not realize it!” 28:17 He was afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! This is nothing else than the house of God! This is the gate of heaven!”

28:18 Early34 in the morning Jacob35 took the stone he had placed near his head36 and set it up as a sacred stone.37 Then he poured oil on top of it. 28:19 He called that place Bethel,38 although the former name of the town was Luz. 28:20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God is with me and protects me on this journey I am taking and gives me food39 to eat and clothing to wear, 28:21 and I return safely to my father’s home,40 then the Lord will become my God. 28:22 Then this stone41 that I have set up as a sacred stone will be the house of God, and I will surely42 give you back a tenth of everything you give me.”43