28
Jacob sees the ladder to heaven on his journey.

And Isaac called unto Jacob his son, and blessed him; and commanded him, and said unto him, Take not a wife of the daughters of Canaan;

But arise, go into Mesopotamia to Bethuel thy mother’s father’s house, and take thee a wife there of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother.

But the Almighty God bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of nations;

And give thee the blessing of Abraham, unto thee, and to thy seed with thee, to possess the land which thou art a stranger in, which God gave unto Abraham.

So Isaac made Jacob to go to Mesopotamia to Laban the son of Bethuel in Syria, the brother of Rebekah his mother and Esau’s mother.

And when Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Mesopotamia, to take him a wife there, and that he had blessed him, he commanded him, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan,

And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and went into Mesopotamia, 8. Saw also that Isaac his father was not pleased to see the daughters of Canaan: 9. And he went unto Ishmael, and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael the son of Abraham, the sister of Nebajoth, to wife over the wives which he had before.

But Jacob departed from Beer-saba, and journeyed to Haran.

And he came to a place where he lodged for the night, because the sun was down. And he took a stone of the place, and laid it for his head, and lay down in that place to sleep.

And he dreamed, and, behold, a ladder stood upon the earth, and the top thereof touched heaven: and, behold, the angels of God ascended and descended thereon.

And the LORD stood on the top, and said: I am the LORD thy father Abraham’s God, and Isaac’s God. And the land where thou liest I will give unto thee and to thy seed.

And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt be spread abroad toward the even, and toward the morning, and toward the north, and toward the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all kindreds of the earth be blessed.

And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee whithersoever thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land. For I will not leave thee, till I have done all that I have spoken unto thee.

And Jacob awoke from his sleep, and said, Surely the LORD is in this place, and I knew it not.

And was afraid, and said, How holy is this place! Here is nothing but God’s house, and here is the gate of heaven.

And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone which he had laid for his head, and set it up for a mark, and poured oil upon it.

And the name of the place was Bethel: for the name of the city before was Lus.

And Jacob made a vow, saying, So God will be with me, and keep me in the way that I go, and give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

And bring me home to my Father in peace: so shall the LORD be my God, 22. And this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be a house of God: and all that thou shalt give me I will tithe unto thee.
(Genesis)
Chapter 29
Jacob acquires two wives through his fourteen years of service.

Then Jacob lifted up his feet, and went into the east country, 2. And he looked, and, behold, there was a well in the field; and, behold, three flocks of sheep lay by it; for of the well they used to water the flocks: and there was a great stone before the hole of the well.

And they gathered all the flocks there, and rolled the stone from the well’s hole, and watered
the sheep, and put the stone again before the hole in his place.

And Jacob said unto them: Dear brothers, where are you from? They answered: We are of Haran.

And he said unto them: Do ye also know Laban the son of Nahor? They answered: We know him well.

And he said, Is he also well? And they answered: He is well: and, behold, his daughter Rachel cometh with the sheep.

And he said, It is yet high day, and it is not yet time to drive in the cattle: water the sheep, and go and feed them.

And they answered: We cannot till all the flocks be gathered together, and we roll the stone from the well’s hole, and so water the sheep.

While he yet talked with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept the sheep.

And when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the flock of Laban his mother’s brother, he came and rolled the stone from the well’s hole, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.

And kissed Rachel, and wept aloud.

And told her that he was her father’s brother, and the son of Rebecca. And she ran and told her father.

And when Laban heard of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him into his house. And he told Laban all these things.

And Laban said unto him, Come, thou art my bone and my flesh. And now that he had been with him for a moon..,

And Laban said unto Jacob, Though thou be my brother, shouldest thou serve me for nought?
Tell me, what shall be thy reward?

And Laban had two daughters: the name of the eldest was Leah, and the name of the youngest Rachel.
17; But Leah had a wicked face; Rachel was fair and beautiful.

And Jacob loved Rachel, and said: I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy youngest daughter.

And Laban said, It is better that I give them unto thee, than to another: tarry with me.

So Jacob served for Rachel seven years; and it seemed unto him as if they were single days, so loved he her.

And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me now my wife: for the time is here for me to come in.

Then Laban invited all the people of the place, and made a marriage feast.

And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her in unto him; and he lay with her.

And Laban gave Zilpah his maid to his daughter Leah to be his handmaid.

And in the morning, behold, it was Leah. And he said unto Laban, Why hast thou done this unto me? Have I not served thee for Rachel? Wherefore then hast thou deceived me?

And Laban said, It is not the custom in our country to give out the youngest before the oldest.

Endure the week with this, and I will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me another seven years.

So Jacob did, and endured the week. Then Laban gave him Rachel his daughter to wife.

And he gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his maid to be his handmaid.

And he lay with Rachel, and loved Rachel better than Leah, and served with him the rest of the seven years.

And when the LORD saw that Leah was worthless, he made her fruitful, and Rachel barren.

And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and called his name Reuben, saying, The LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now shall my husband love me.

And she conceived again, and bare a son, and said, The LORD hath heard that I am worthless, and hath given me this also. And he called his name Simeon.

And again she conceived, and bare a son, and said, Now shall my husband return unto me; for I have borne him three sons. Therefore she called his name Levi.

And the fourth time she conceived, and bare a son, and said, Now will I give thanks unto the LORD. Therefore she called his name Judah. And she ceased from bearing children.
(Genesis)
Chapter 30
Jacob’s children and wealth

And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob nothing, she envied her sister, and said unto Jacob, Make me children. If not, then I die.

And Jacob was very wroth with Rachel, and said, Surely I am not God, which will not give thee the fruit of thy womb.

And she said, Behold, Bilhah my maid; lie with her, that she may bear upon my bosom, and that I may be edified by her.

And she gave him Bilhah her maid to wife: and Jacob lay with her.

So Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.

And Rachel said, God hath judged my cause, and hath heard my voice, and hath given me a son. Therefore she called his name Dan.

And again Bilhah Rachel’s handmaid conceived, and bare Jacob the second son.

And Rachel said, God hath dealt with me and with my sister, and I will deal with her. And she called his name Naphtali.

And when Leah saw that she had left childbearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her to Jacob to wife.

So Zilpah Leah’s handmaid bare Jacob a son.

And Leah said, Raptly. And called his name Gad.

And after these things Zilpah Leah’s handmaid bare Jacob his other son.

And Leah said, Blessed be I; for the daughters shall call me blessed. And she called his name Asser.

And Reuben went out in the time of wheat harvest, and found dudahim in the field, and brought them home unto his mother Leah. And Rachel said unto Leah, Give me a portion of thy son’s dudahim.

And she said, Hast thou not had enough that