Old Testament Lesson

Gen. 28:10-22 (NRSV)

10 Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. 11He came to a certain place and stayed
there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it
under his head and lay down in that place. 12And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up
on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and
descending on it. 13And the LORD stood beside him and said, 'I am the LORD, the God of
Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to
your offspring; 14and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread
abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the
earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. 15Know that I am with you and will keep
you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have
done what I have promised you.'

16 Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, 'Surely the LORD is in this place-and I did not
know it!' 17And he was afraid, and said, 'How awesome is this place! This is none other than
the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.' 18So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he
took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the
top of it. 19He called that place Bethel; but the name of the city was Luz at the first. 20Then
Jacob made a vow, saying, 'If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and
will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21so that I come again to my father's house in
peace, then the LORD shall be my God, 22and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall
be God's house; and of all that you give me I will surely give one tenth to you.'

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.