On route to his uncle’s home in Haran, Jacob encamps in the open air near the city of Luz. That night he has a vision of angels ascending and descending a ladder from heaven. God appears to him and promises protection to Jacob, and the land to his descendants. In the morning Jacob erects a stele on the site, renames the place Beth El, and vows that if he returns home unharmed he will dedicate a tenth of his possessions to God.

On the outskirts of Haran, Jacob encounters his cousin Rachel, a shepherdess, at the local well. He is so taken with her that he single-handedly removes the stone covering the well and waters her flock. Jacob is welcomed cordially into his uncle Laban’s household, and he agrees to work for seven years as a shepherd in order to gain his cousin Rachel’s hand in marriage. Laban deceives him and he is wedded to Leah, Rachel’s older sister. Jacob must now work an additional seven years to marry Rachel.

During the years in Haran, Leah and Rachel - and their handmaidens, Bilhah and Zilpah – bear Jacob eleven sons and one daughter. (Benjamin, the 12th son, will be born near Bethlehem.)

Jacob works an additional six years for Laban in exchange for all the streaked and spotted animals born into the flock. Without any detriment to Laban’s pure black and white animals, Jacob’s flock becomes exceedingly numerous, arousing envy and hostility in Laban and his sons. Jacob decides that it is time to return home with his family and flock. He departs while Laban is away; Laban overtakes him and they have a brief confrontation before concluding a covenant of peace with each other. The journey home is resumed.