(10) Jacob left Beer-sheba, and set out for Haran. (11) He came upon a certain place and stopped there for the night, for the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of that place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. (12) He had a dream; a stairway was set on the ground and its top reached to the sky, and angels of God were going up and down on it. . . (16) Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Eternal is present in this place, and I did not know it!”
How suggestive, too, is the expression "ascending and descending on it"! The ascent is mentioned before the descent, inasmuch as the "ascending". . . the application of the knowledge acquired in the ascent for the training and instruction of humankind.
Discussion:
1) When has someone in your life "descended the ladder" to teach you the knowledge they have learned in order to help you up? When have you been that person?
2) What step can you take or have you taken to "ascend the ladder" or to help others do so?