1Isaac called for Jacob, he talked kindly to him, “You choose a wife not from here, not from Canaan.

2Go from here a long way to another country, to what's-the-place, to Mesopotamia. Go to the camp of what's-his-name, of Bethuel, your mother's father. Get for yourself a wife from right there, from your uncle Laban's family.

3God will do good to you, he will give you many children, you (pl) will become very many.

4God earlier made a promise to your grandfather Abraham, he told him, 'This country will be for your family for ever.' In accordance with that word he will give you this country. Now you are staying here like a stranger. Later God will give you this country forever.”

5After talking like that Isaac sent Jacob far away. After that Jacob was going towards Mesopotamia, he was searching for his uncle Laban, in what's-that-place, in the country Aram. That Laban was the son of Bethuel. He was the older brother of Rebekah, the mother of Esau and Jacob. [28:6-9 has been omitted.]

GOD APPEARED TO JACOB IN A DREAM (28:10-22)

10Jacob left that country Beersheba, he was going towards that town Haran.

11After the sun went down he made his camp partway. He was sleeping with his head on a stone.

12There in sleep he dreamed. He saw a what's-its-name, a thing for climbing. One end was on the ground, the other was in the sky. Some of God's angels were climbing, some were coming down.

13There in the dream he saw God also, he was standing near the top of the thing for climbing. He said to Jacob, “I am God. I am the one who was looking after Abraham and Isaac, your grandfather and father. Those two also belong to me. This country where you are now sleeping I will give you, for you and your children.

14You will get many grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them, very many indeed. They will spread out in all directions, west and east, north and south. As a result of your mob I will do good to all people in all countries.

15I will be with you wherever you go. Later I will cause you to return to this country. I will not leave you, I will be with you. I will do for you what I said to you.” In that way God spoke to Jacob.

16After that Jacob woke up from sleep. He was afraid. “Wow! God is here, I did not know, I was just sleeping. This camp makes me afraid. Wow! Truly this is God's camp, the gate that leads to his camp in the sky is right here!”

18At daybreak Jacob got up from sleep. Then he got that stone, the one his head had been lying on, he stood that up, he poured oil on that stone. He did that to remind him God talked to him there.

19He named that camp Bethel. That name says, 'God's House'. (Close to that camp there was a town, earlier they named it Luz.)

20After that he said to God, “You told me you will be with me, you will care for me, you will give me belongings and food,

21you will look after me, I will return to my father's camp. If you do like that for me, in exchange I will obey you whatever you tell me.

22I will talk to you at this rock I stood up. If you give me 10 possessions, I will give you one in return.” Like that he talked to God.