Walk With Jacob
יעקב אבינו
Follow the patriarch whose wrestling with God earned him the name Israel. Jacob's journey takes him from Beer Sheva to Bethel, into exile in Haran, and back through dramatic encounters at the Jabbok River and Shechem. At each stop, Jacob is transformed — from the deceiver who stole a blessing to the patriarch who fathered a nation.
Hundreds of km across Israel (not counting Haran exile)
The Journey
Jacob leaves Beer Sheva, fleeing from his brother Esau after taking the blessing meant for the firstborn.
וַיֵּצֵ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב מִבְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ חָרָֽנָה׃
Jacob left Beer-sheba, and set out for Haran.
Jacob dreams of a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending. God renews the covenant promise. Jacob names the place Bethel — 'House of God.'
וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֗ם וְהִנֵּ֤ה סֻלָּם֙ מֻצָּ֣ב אַ֔רְצָה וְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ מַגִּ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וְהִנֵּה֙ מַלְאֲכֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֔ים עֹלִ֥ים וְיֹרְדִ֖ים בּֽוֹ׃
He had a dream; a stairwaybstairway Or “ramp”; in contrast to others “ladder.” Heb. sullam. was set on the ground and its top reached to the sky, and angelscangels Heb. “messengers.” of God were going up and down on it.
After twenty years in Haran, Jacob returns to Canaan and buys land near Shechem, where he erects an altar called 'God, the God of Israel.'
וַיָּבֹא֩ יַעֲקֹ֨ב שָׁלֵ֜ם עִ֣יר שְׁכֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן בְּבֹא֖וֹ מִפַּדַּ֣ן אֲרָ֑ם וַיִּ֖חַן אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י הָעִֽיר׃
Jacob arrived safe in the city of Shechem that is in the land of Canaan—having come thus from Paddan-aram—and he encamped before the city.
God tells Jacob to return to Bethel, where He appeared to him while fleeing. Jacob builds an altar, and God confirms: 'Your name shall be Israel.'
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֔ב ק֛וּם עֲלֵ֥ה בֵֽית־אֵ֖ל וְשֶׁב־שָׁ֑ם וַעֲשֵׂה־שָׁ֣ם מִזְבֵּ֔חַ לָאֵל֙ הַנִּרְאֶ֣ה אֵלֶ֔יךָ בְּבׇ֨רְחֲךָ֔ מִפְּנֵ֖י עֵשָׂ֥ו אָחִֽיךָ׃
God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and remain there; and build an altar there to the God who appeared toaappeared to See note at 12.7. you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”
Rachel, Jacob's beloved wife, dies giving birth to Benjamin on the road to Ephrath (Bethlehem). Jacob sets up a pillar over her grave.
וַתָּ֖מׇת רָחֵ֑ל וַתִּקָּבֵר֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אֶפְרָ֔תָה הִ֖וא בֵּ֥ית לָֽחֶם׃
Thus Rachel died. She was buried on the road to Ephrath—now Bethlehem.
Jacob comes home to his father Isaac at Mamre, near Hebron. Isaac dies at age 180, and Esau and Jacob bury him together.
וַיָּבֹ֤א יַעֲקֹב֙ אֶל־יִצְחָ֣ק אָבִ֔יו מַמְרֵ֖א קִרְיַ֣ת הָֽאַרְבַּ֑ע הִ֣וא חֶבְר֔וֹן אֲשֶׁר־גָּֽר־שָׁ֥ם אַבְרָהָ֖ם וְיִצְחָֽק׃
And Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, at Kiriath-arba—now Hebron—where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned.
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