CONTEXT:This
brief but popular story is so nicely knit together from two sources, J (Yahwist,
Y’hudah, Y’rushalayim) and E (Eohist, Ephraim, Israel the northern Kingdom)
that it presents a useful and compelling illustration of the literary process.
BeytEl, located twelve or so miles north of Y’rushalayim was one of two sites
in the northern kingdom, Israel, where Y’rov’am built a temple following the
breakaway from the united kingdom of Sha’ul, David, and Sh’lomo. The E version
links their temple to the patriarch. And, apart from the characteristic Elohim
for the deity, E’s theophanies rely on dreams or visions (e.g. Avimelech in Gen
15:1; Ya’aqov in Gen 46:2). J, of course, refers to the deity as Yahh (YHVH)
and brings him right into the scene to communicate anthropomorphically (e.g.
the annunciations to Avraham in Gen 18).
In
v. 13, the skillful editor introduces Yahh with “behold” following two uses of
the same word (hineh) in v. 12
describing the dream. It is as if Yahh were part of the stair dream rather than
a figure standing by him and speaking to him. Ya’akov’s reply is the vow in vs.
20-22, which follows the E material, vs. 16-19, about awe and assigning a new
name to the place.
In
two verses I have taken the liberty to emend the divine names in keeping with
the content of the text. (My emendations are in Times font. The original is in 10
point Ariel, parenthesized.) V. 16 where Ya’aqov wakes from his dreaming sleep
and is awestruck by the presence of Elohim. V. 20 where Ya’aqov speaks his vow
to Yahh who had just promised him protection. By reversing these names, the
ancient editor may have been adjusting the two versions into a single story. It
is also possible that a later hand, that of a scribe, may have “corrected” the
text towards consistency.
10Ya’aqov went out from B’erSheva and walked towards
Haran. 11He touched the place. He camped there for the sun had set.
He took one of the rocks of the place and set it at his head. He lay down in
that place.
12And
then he dreamed: Behold, a stair, set on land, its head touching the sky.
Behold, angels of God ascending and descending it.
13Behold,
Yahh standing near him, “I am Yahh, god of your father Avraham and god of
Yitschak. The land on which you lie, I give to you and your seed. 14Your
seed shall be like the dust of the land: you shall burst westward, eastward,
northward, and southward. Through you and your seed will all the families of
the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will guard you wherever you go
and I shall return you to this ground. For I will not leave you till I shall
have done that which I have spoken to you.”
16Ya’aqov
woke from his sleep and said, “Indeed! There is God (Yahh) in this
place, and I, I didn’t know it.” 17He was awestruck and said, “How
awesome is this place. This is none other than the house of God and this is the
gate of the sky.” 18When he rose early in the morning he took the
stone he had set at his head and set it a standing stone. He poured oil on its
head. 19He called the name of the place, BeytEl, though at first the
name of the town had been Luz.
20Ya’aqov
vowed a vow: If Yahh (God) will be with me, and protect me on this road I am
walking, and give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21and I
return in shalom to my father’s house;
then Yahh will be mine as god 22and this rock which I have set as a
standing stone will be a house of god and all that you give me, a tithe I will
tithe for you.
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