Jacob’s Ladder* — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

When Jacob left home after deceiving his father, Isaac, into giving him the blessing that Isaac had intended for Esau (Gn 27:6-40), he was not only desirous of finding a wife from among the daughters of his mother’s brother, but he was also literally fleeing for his life, because Esau had determined to kill him (v 41). When he stopped to rest for the night in the open countryside, the Lord appeared to him in a dream and blessed him (28:10-22). In the vision Jacob saw a ladder reaching from the earth to heaven with angels ascending and descending upon it. At the top of the ladder stood the Lord himself, who confirmed to Jacob the promise previously given to Abraham (12:2-3, 7 OET GEN 12:2–3 · OET GEN 12:7), and repeated to Isaac (26:3-5). In the context it seems clear that the ladder with the ascending and descending angels depicts God reaching out to Jacob and making a way for Jacob to have a relationship with him. The communion that was to exist between God and Jacob is symbolized in the ladder and the movement of the angels. This communication between heaven and earth appears to be the same point that is made in John 1:50 when Jesus says to Nathanael and his other disciples, “You will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down upon the Son of Man” (NLT). Jacob was so overwhelmed by God’s grace in revealing himself to him in this way that he named the place at which this took place Bethel—the House of God.

Show passage in OET: GEN 27:41

OET-RV GEN 27:41

41 From that time onwards, Esav (Esau) hated Ya’akov (Jacob) because of the blessing that their father had blessed him with, and Esav said to himself, “My father’s funeral can’t be that far away—after that I’ll kill my brother Ya’akov.”

OET-LV GEN 27:41

41 And_ ˊĒsāv _he _was _hostile _towards DOM Yaˊₐqoⱱ/(Jacob) on the_blessing which he_had _blessed _him his/its_father and_ ˊĒsāv _he/it _said in_heart _of_his the _days _of the _mourning _of my _father _of_my they _will _draw _near and_I _will _kill DOM Yaˊₐqoⱱ my_brother/kindred.

Show passage in OET: GEN 12:2–3; GEN 12:7

OET-RV GEN 12:2

2 I’ll bless you and make you into a great nation. I’ll make you famous and you’ll be a blessing to others.

OET-RV GEN 12:3

3 I’ll bless everyone who blesses you, but I’ll curse anyone who curses you. All the families on the earth will be blessed because of you.

OET-RV GEN 12:7

7 Then Yahweh came to Avram and told him, “I’ll give this land to your descendants.” So Avram built an altar there and made a burnt offering to Yahweh, who had appeared to him.

OET-LV GEN 12:2

2 And_I _will _make_you(ms) to_(a)_nation great and_I _will _bless_you(ms) and_I _will _make _big/great your(ms)_name and_be a _blessing.

OET-LV GEN 12:3

3 And_I _will _bless (those _who)bless_you(ms) and_despises_you(ms) I _will _curse and_they _will _be _blessed in_you(ms) all _of the _clans _of the_soil.

OET-LV GEN 12:7

7 And_ YHWH _he _appeared to ʼAⱱrām and_he/it _said to_offspring _of_your I _will _give DOM the_earth/land (the)_this and_he/it _built there an _altar to/for_YHWH who_had_appeared to_him/it.

Show passage in OET: GEN 26:3–5

OET-RV GEN 26:3

3 Stay as a guest in this region, and I’ll be with you and bless you, because I’ll give all this land to you and to your descendants, and I’ll confirm the oath that I made to your father Avraham.

OET-RV GEN 26:4

4 I’ll multiply your descendants to be as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I’ll give all this region to them. And all the nations on the earth will be blessed through your descendants,

OET-RV GEN 26:5

5 because Avraham obeyed me by keeping my requirements, my commands, my decrees, and my laws.”

OET-LV GEN 26:3

3 Sojourn on _the_earth (the)_this and_I _will _be with_you and_I_will _bless _you if/because to/for_yourself(m) and_to_offspring _of_your I _will _give DOM all _of the_lands (the)_these and_I _will _establish DOM the_oath which I _swore to_ʼAⱱrāhām father _of_your.

OET-LV GEN 26:4

4 And_I _will _multiply DOM your(ms)_seed/fruit like_the _stars _of the_heavens and_I _will _give to_offspring _of_your DOM all _of the_lands (the)_these and_they _will _bless _themselves by_offspring _of_your all _of the _nations _of the_earth/land.

OET-LV GEN 26:5

5 Consequence that ʼAⱱrāhām he _listened to_voice _of_my and_he _kept duty _of_my commands _of_my regulations _of_my and_laws _of_my.

Show passage in OET: JHN 1:50

OET-RV JHN 1:50

50 Yeshua responded, “So you believe this because I said that I had seen you under the fig tree. You’ll get to see much greater things than that!”

OET-LV JHN 1:50

50 Yaʸsous answered and said to _him:
Because I _said to _you that I _saw you beneath the fig _tree, you _are _believing?
You _will _be _seeing greater than these things.

Jump to OET GEN 27:41 section.

Jump to OET GEN 12:2–3 section. · OET GEN 12:7 section.

Jump to OET GEN 26:3–5 section.

Jump to OET JHN 1:50 section.