Fleeing his brother Esau's wrath and the consequences of having stolen Esau's blessing, Jacob travelled north toward his uncle Laban in Haran. At a deserted place between Beersheba and Haran, he lay down with a stone as a pillow and slept.
He dreamed of a ladder set upon the earth and the top of it reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it. The LORD stood above it and renewed to him the covenant of Abraham. Jacob awoke in awe: 'Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not!' He took the stone, set it up as a pillar, anointed it with oil, and called the place Bethel — 'House of God.' Christ Himself cites this passage in John 1:51: 'You shall see the heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.'