Fleeing from Esau, Jacob sleeps with a stone for his pillow. He dreams of a ladder set up on the earth whose top reaches to heaven, with the angels of God ascending and descending on it. The LORD stands above it and promises, “I am with you and will keep you.” Jacob wakes and says, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” He calls the place Bethel — the house of God.
Jacob comes to his uncle Laban and loves Rachel. He serves seven years for her, and they seem only a few days to him. But Laban deceives him and gives him Leah instead, so Jacob serves seven more years for Rachel — fourteen years in all. The deceiver is deceived, yet God blesses Jacob with children and flocks.
On his way home, afraid of Esau, Jacob is left alone, and a Man wrestles with him until the breaking of day. Jacob says, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” God says, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Jacob calls the place Peniel, for “I have seen God face to face.” He walks away limping, but blessed.
Then Esau runs to meet him, embraces him, falls on his neck and kisses him, and they weep. The brothers who were divided are reconciled. Jacob's twelve sons will become the twelve tribes of Israel.