Daily Bread

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)”