(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 messengers of God were going up and down on it.

(13) And standing beside him was יהוה, who said, “I am יהוה, the God of your father Abraham’s [house] and the God of Isaac’s [house]: the ground on which you are lying I will assign to you and to your offspring. (14) Your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you and your descendants. (15) Remember, I am with you: I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (16) Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely יהוה is present in this place, and I did not know it!” (17) Shaken, he said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven.”

(18) Early in the morning, Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. (19) He named that site Bethel; but previously the name of the city had been Luz. (20) Jacob then made a vow, saying, “If God remains with me, protecting me on this journey that I am making, and giving me bread to eat and clothing to wear, (21) and I return safe to my father’s house— יהוה shall be my God. (22) And this stone, which I have set up as a pillar, shall be God’s abode; and of all that You give me, I will set aside a tithe for You.”

(1) Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the Easterners. (2) There before his eyes was a well in the open. Three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for the flocks were watered from that well. The stone on the mouth of the well was large. (3) When all the flocks were gathered there, the stone would be rolled from the mouth of the well and the sheep watered; then the stone would be put back in its place on the mouth of the well. (4) Jacob said to them, “My friends, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.” (5) He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “Yes, we do.” (6) He continued, “Is he well?” They answered, “Yes, he is; and there is his daughter Rachel, coming with the flock.” (7) He said, “It is still broad daylight, too early to round up the animals; water the flock and take them to pasture.” (8) But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are rounded up; then the stone is rolled off the mouth of the well and we water the sheep.”

(9) While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s flock—for she was its shepherd. (10) And when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, and the flock of his uncle Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of his uncle Laban. (11) Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and broke into tears. (12) Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, that he was Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father. (13) On hearing the news of his sister’s son Jacob, Laban ran to greet him; he embraced him and kissed him, and took him into his house. He told Laban all that had happened, (14) and Laban said to him, “You are truly my bone and flesh.” When he had stayed with him a month’s time, (15) Laban said to Jacob, “Just because you are a kinsman, should you serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” (16) Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older one was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. (17) Leah had weak eyes; Rachel was shapely and beautiful.

(18) Jacob loved Rachel; so he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” (19) Laban said, “Better that I give her to you than that I should give her to an outsider. Stay with me.” (20) So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her. (21) Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time is fulfilled, that I may cohabit with her.” (22) And Laban gathered all the people of the place and made a feast. (23) When evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him; and he cohabited with her.— (24) Laban had given his maidservant Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maid.— (25) When morning came, there was Leah! So he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I was in your service for Rachel! Why did you deceive me?” (26) Laban said, “It is not the practice in our place to marry off the younger before the older. (27) Wait until the bridal week of this one is over and we will give you that one too, provided you serve me another seven years.” (28) Jacob did so; he waited out the bridal week of the one, and then he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife.— (29) Laban had given his maidservant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid.— (30) And Jacob cohabited with Rachel also; indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served him another seven years. (31) Seeing that Leah was unloved, יהוה opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. (32) Leah conceived and bore a son, and named him Reuben; for she declared, “It means: ‘יהוה has seen my affliction’; it also means: ‘Now my husband will love me.’” (33) She conceived again and bore a son, and declared, “This is because יהוה heard that I was unloved and has given me this one also”; so she named him Simeon.

(34) Again she conceived and bore a son and declared, “This time my husband will become attached to me, for I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named Levi. (35) She conceived again and bore a son, and declared, “This time I will praise יהוה.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing. (1) When Rachel saw that she had borne Jacob no children, she became envious of her sister; and Rachel said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die.” (2) Jacob was incensed at Rachel, and said, “Can I take the place of God, who has denied you fruit of the womb?” (3) She said, “Here is my maid Bilhah. Consort with her, that she may bear on my knees and that through her I too may have children.” (4) So she gave him her maid Bilhah as concubine, and Jacob cohabited with her. (5) Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. (6) And Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; indeed, [God] has heeded my plea and given me a son.” Therefore she named him Dan. (7) Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. (8) And Rachel said, “A fateful contest I waged with my sister; yes, and I have prevailed.” So she named him Naphtali. (9) When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing children, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as concubine. (10) And when Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son, (11) Leah said, “What luck!” So she named him Gad. (12) When Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son, (13) Leah declared, “What fortune!” meaning, “Women will deem me fortunate.” So she named him Asher.

(9) When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing children, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as concubine. (10) And when Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son, (11) Leah said, “What luck!” So she named him Gad. (12) When Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son, (13) Leah declared, “What fortune!” meaning, “Women will deem me fortunate.” So she named him Asher.

(13)Then Jacob had to flee to the land of Aram;
There Israel served for a wife,For a wife he had to guard [sheep].(14)But when GODBrought Israel up from Egypt,It was through a prophet;Through a prophet they were guarded. (15)Ephraim gave bitter offense,
And his Lord cast his crimes upon himAnd requited him for his mockery.(1)When Ephraim spoke piety,He was exalted in Israel;But he incurred guilt through Baal,And so he died.(2)And now they go on sinning;They have made them molten images,Idols, by their skill, from their silver,Wholly the work of artisans.Yet for these they appoint people to sacrifice;They are wont to kiss calves!(3)Assuredly,They shall be like morning clouds,Like dew so early gone;Like chaff whirled away from the threshing floor.And like smoke from a lattice.(4)Only I the ETERNAL One have been your God
Ever since the land of Egypt;You have never known a [true] God but Me,You have never had a helper other than Me.(5)I looked after you in the desert,In a thirsty land.(6)When they grazed, they were sated;When they were sated, they grew haughty;And so they forgot Me.(7)So I am become like a lion to them,Like a leopard I lurk on the way;(8)Like a bear robbed of her young I attack themAnd rip open the casing of their hearts;I will devour them there like a lion,The beasts of the field shall mangle them.(9)You are undone, O Israel!
You had no help but Me.(10)Where now is your king?Let him save you!Where are the chieftains in all your townsFrom whom you demanded:“Give me a king and officers”?(11)I give you kings in My ire,And take them away in My wrath.(12)Ephraim’s guilt is bound up,His sin is stored away.(13)Pangs of childbirth assail him,And the babe is not wise—For this is no time to surviveAt the birthstool of babes.(14)From Sheol itself I will save them,
Redeem them from very Death.Where, O Death, are your plagues?Your pestilence where, O Sheol?Revenge shall be far from My thoughts.(15)For though he flourish among reeds,A blast, a wind of GOD,
Shall come blowing up from the wilderness;His fountain shall be parched,His spring dried up.That [wind] shall plunder treasures,Every lovely object.(1)Samaria must bear her guilt,For she has defied her God.They shall fall by the sword,Their infants shall be dashed to death,And their women with child ripped open.(2)Return, O Israel, to the ETERNAL your God,
For you have fallen because of your sin.(3)Take words with youAnd return to GOD.
Say:“Forgive all guiltAnd accept what is good;Instead of bulls we will pay[The offering of] our lips.(4)Assyria shall not save us,No more will we ride on steeds;Nor ever again will we callOur handiwork our god,Since in You alone orphans find pity!”(5)I will heal their affliction,Generously will I take them back in love;For My anger has turned away from them.(6)I will be to Israel like dew;He shall blossom like the lily,He shall strike root like a Lebanon tree.(7)His boughs shall spread out far,His beauty shall be like the olive tree’s,His fragrance like that of Lebanon.(8)They who sit in his shade shall be revived:They shall bring to life new grain,They shall blossom like the vine;His scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.(9)Ephraim [shall say]:“What more have I to do with idols?When I respond and look to [God],I become like a verdant cypress.”Your fruit is provided by Me.(10)The wise will consider these words,The prudent will take note of them.For the paths of GOD are smooth;
The righteous can walk on them,While sinners stumble on them.

(7)For My people persistsIn its defection from Me;When it is summoned upward,It does not rise at all.(8)How can I give you up, O Ephraim?How surrender you, O Israel?How can I make you like Admah,Render you like Zeboiim?I have had a change of heart,All My tenderness is stirred.(9)I will not act on My wrath,Will not turn to destroy Ephraim.For I am God—not human—The Holy One in your midst:I will not come in fury.(10) GOD will roar like a lion—
Whom they shall march behind;With that roar, God’s children shall comeFluttering out of the west.(11)They shall flutter from Egypt like sparrows,From the land of Assyria like doves;And I will settle them in their homes—declares GOD. (1)Ephraim surrounds Me with deceit,The House of Israel with guile.(But Judah stands firm with GodAnd is faithful to the Holy One.)(2)Ephraim tends the windAnd pursues the gale;He is forever addingIllusion to calamity.Now they make a covenant with Assyria,Now oil is carried to Egypt.(3) GOD once indicted Judah,
And punished Jacob for his conduct,Requited him for his deeds.(4)In the womb he tried to supplant his brother;Grown to manhood, he strove with a divine being,(5)He strove with an angel and prevailed—The other had to weep and implore him.At Bethel [Jacob] would meet him,There to commune with him.(6)Yet the ETERNAL, the God of Hosts,
Must be invoked as “ GOD.” (7)You must return to your God!Practice goodness and justice,And constantly trust in your God.(8)A trader who uses false balances,Who loves to overreach,(9)Ephraim thinks,“Ah, I have become rich;I have gotten power!All my gains do not amountTo an offense that is real guilt.”(10)I the ETERNAL have been your God
Ever since the land of Egypt.I will let you dwell in your tents again
As in the days of old,(11)When I spoke to the prophets;For I granted many visions,And spoke parables through the prophets.(12)As for Gilead, it is worthless;And to no purpose have they
Been sacrificing oxen in Gilgal:The altars of these are alsoLike stone heaps upon a plowed field.

(3) GOD once indicted Judah,
And punished Jacob for his conduct,Requited him for his deeds.(4)In the womb he tried to supplant his brother;Grown to manhood, he strove with a divine being,(5)He strove with an angel and prevailed—The other had to weep and implore him.At Bethel [Jacob] would meet him,There to commune with him.(6)Yet the ETERNAL, the God of Hosts,
Must be invoked as “ GOD.” (7)You must return to your God!Practice goodness and justice,And constantly trust in your God.(8)A trader who uses false balances,Who loves to overreach,(9)Ephraim thinks,“Ah, I have become rich;I have gotten power!All my gains do not amountTo an offense that is real guilt.”(10)I the ETERNAL have been your God
Ever since the land of Egypt.I will let you dwell in your tents again
As in the days of old,(11)When I spoke to the prophets;For I granted many visions,And spoke parables through the prophets.(12)As for Gilead, it is worthless;And to no purpose have they
Been sacrificing oxen in Gilgal:The altars of these are alsoLike stone heaps upon a plowed field.(13)Then Jacob had to flee to the land of Aram;
There Israel served for a wife,For a wife he had to guard [sheep].(14)But when GODBrought Israel up from Egypt,It was through a prophet;Through a prophet they were guarded.