Jacob's Ladder by Rembrandt
After Jacob received the blessing of the firstborn from his father Isaac, he had to flee from the wrath of his brother Esau to Haran.
On his way, he encountered a special place and decided to sleep there for the night. That night he had a dream of a ladder where angels were ascending and descending between heaven and earth.
The Torah relates the story in Genesis 28:12
He had a dream; a ladder was set on the earth and its top reached heaven, and angels of G-d were ascending and descending on it.
Jacob's Ladder etching by Rembrandt
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Rembrandt van Rijn
Overview
In the Bible
He (Jacob) had a dream; a stairway was set on the ground and its top reached to the sky, and messengers of G-d were going up and down on it.
וַיַּֽחֲלֹ֗ם (יַעֲקֹב) וְהִנֵּ֤ה סֻלָּם֙ מֻצָּ֣ב אַ֔רְצָה וְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ מַגִּ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וְהִנֵּה֙ מַלְאֲכֵ֣י אֱלֹקים עֹלִ֥ים וְיֹֽרְדִ֖ים בּֽוֹ