13. God Speaks and Promises to Jacob

Jacob set out for Haran, the land of his mother's people. He found a piece of stone flat enough to use as a pillow when he stayed at a place, so he lay down to sleep for the night. Jacob began to dream of stairs that reached up into heaven. He could see angels walking up and down the stairs. A voice called out to him, and he saw God standing next to him.

"I am the God of Abraham and Isaac," God said. "I made a promise to them that I will now make to you. You will return to this land one day, and you will have many children who will live over all the earth."

God promised Jacob that he would always be with him and care for him. Jacob woke up feeling full of God's love. To thank God, Jacob built an altar using the stone where he'd laid his head. Then he prayed to God and promised that if God would truly look after him and bring him home, Jacob would serve God always. Jacob called the place Bethel because it means "house of God."

Jacob continued his journey until he came to the well at the entrance to Haran, his mother's homeland. He asked the people there if they knew Laban, who was Jacob's uncle.

"That is his daughter Rachel," they said, pointing to a girl coming towards them.

Jacob helped her to water her flock of sheep. She took him home to meet her father. Laban invited Jacob to stay at his house and help him tend his sheep. He offered to pay Jacob fair wages for his work. After Jacob got to know Rachel, he knew what he wanted.

"I will work for you for seven years," he told Laban, "If you will let me marry your daughter, Rachel."

Laban agreed to the marriage, and Jacob worked hard for seven years.

The wedding feast took place as planned. Thai night Laban took the bride to Jacob's tent. It was so dark that Jacob could not see his bride. In the light of the dawn, Jacob discovered that he had actually married Rachel's sister, Leah. Laban had tricked Jacob into marrying her because she was the oldest.

"You can marry Rachel, also," Laban told Jacob. "But you will have to stay and work for me another seven years."

Jacob felt he had no choice. He loved Rachel very much. He cared for both sisters along with their servant girls, and soon they began to bear him children.

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