Jacob’s Journey

Beer-Sheva: Jacob leaves Canaan.

Beth-El: Jacob dreams of a ladder to heaven and sets up a standing stone, or matzevah.

Haran: Jacob meets Laban’s daughter Rachel at a well. 20 years later, Jacob leaves Haran with Rachel, who steals Laban’s household idols.

Gal-Ed: Jacob erects a matzevah and stone mound to mark his non-hostility pact with Laban. Unaware of Rachel’s theft of her father’s idols, Jacob vows death to whoever stole Laban’s household gods.

Shechem: While burying idols outside Beth-El, Jacob must have realized Rachel stole Laban’s idols.

Beth-El: God appears again to Jacob, blesses him and changes Jacob’s name to Israel. Jacob erects another matzevah.

Ephrath (Bethlehem): Rachel dies; Jacob marks her grave with a matzevah.

Goshen: Jacob adopts Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh and blesses them.

Hebron: Joseph buries Jacob at the Cave of Machpelah.