Jacob’s ladder
Genesis 28:10-22
On his way to Haran, Jacob slept out in the open and dreamed of a stairway that reached to heaven, with angels going up and down on it. God promised to take care of him always. Jacob called that place Bethel, “house of God.” Genesis 28:10-22
The story, in plain words
Jacob left Beer-sheba and set out for Haran. Genesis 28:10
The sun went down, and Jacob stopped at a place to rest. He took a stone, put it under his head, and fell asleep. Genesis 28:11
He dreamed of a stairway resting on the ground, with its top reaching to heaven. God’s angels were going up and down on it. Genesis 28:12
The Lord spoke to him. He told him that he was the God of Abraham and of Isaac. Genesis 28:13 He promised to give the land where he was sleeping…
The rest of the story is part of the subscription.
See the mapWhat the Bible says
Genesis 28:10-22
10But Jacob being departed from Bersabee, went on to Haran. 11And when he was come to a certain place, and would rest in it after sunset, he took of the stones that lay there, and putting under his head, slept in the same place. 12And he saw in his sleep a ladder standing upon the earth, and the top thereof touching heaven: the angels also of God ascending and descending by it; 13And the Lord leaning upon the ladder, saying to him: I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac; the land, wherein thou sleepest, I will give to thee and to thy seed. 14And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth: thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and IN THEE and thy seed all the tribes of the earth SHALL BE BLESSED. 15And I will be thy keeper whithersoever thou goest, and will bring thee back into this land: neither will I leave thee, till I shall have accomplished all that I have said. 16And when Jacob awaked out of sleep, he said: Indeed the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. 17And trembling he said: How terrible is this place! this is no other but the house of God, and the gate of heaven. 18And Jacob, arising in the morning, took the stone, which he had laid under his head, and set it up for a title, pouring oil upon the top of it. 19And he called the name of the city Bethel, which before was called Luza. 20And he made a vow, saying: If God shall be with me, and shall keep me in the way by which I walk, and shall give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21And I shall return prosperously to my father’s house: the Lord shall be my God: 22And this stone, which I have set up for a title, shall be called the house of God: and of all things that thou shalt give to me, I will offer tithes to thee.
Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.
To talk about together
- Jacob said that God was in that place, and he had not known it. Where have you felt that God was close?
- Jacob was running away after deceiving his father, and even so God spoke to him and promised to take care of him. What does that tell you?
- For the child: what would you like to ask God for before you go to sleep?