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)

Jacob Wrestles With God

²² That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons^(A) and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.^{(B) 23} After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.^{(C) 24} So Jacob was left alone,^(D) and a man^(E) wrestled with him till daybreak. ²⁵ When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip^(F) so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. ²⁶ Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”^(G)

²⁷ The man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,”^(H) he answered.

²⁸ Then the man said, “Your name^(I) will no longer be Jacob, but Israel,^[a](J) because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”^(K)