Genesis 28:11-17

Contemporary English Version

¹¹ At sunset he stopped for the night and went to sleep, resting his head on a large rock. ^12 (A) In a dream he saw a ladder that reached from earth to heaven, and God's angels were going up and down on it.

^13 (B) The Lord was standing beside the ladder^[a] and said:

I am the Lord God who was worshiped by Abraham and Isaac. I will give to you and your family the land on which you are now sleeping. ^14 (C) Your descendants will spread over the earth in all directions and will become as numerous as the specks of dust. Your family will be a blessing to all people.^{[b] 15} Wherever you go, I will watch over you, then later I will bring you back to this land. I won't leave you—I will do all I have promised.

¹⁶ Jacob woke up suddenly and thought, “The Lord is in this place, and I didn't even know it.” ¹⁷ Then Jacob became frightened and said, “What a frightening place! It must be the house of God and the gateway to heaven.”