Jacob's dreams and ours

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The dream of a ladder linking earth to heaven is surely among the most familiar images of biblical literature. From "We are Climbing Jacob's Ladder" to "Stairway to Heaven," the idea has been deeply embedded in our collective consciousness.

Scholars have long recognized that dream theophanies are a characteristic of the Elohistic (or "E") source of the Pentateuch. Vivid descriptions of visions are scattered throughout the prophetic books as well. In antiquity, dreams and visions were considered to have revelatory significance--they were a means by which gods communicated with humans. Sometimes straightforward and imperative, often full of symbols and portents, dreams provided encrypted information, gave warning, determined fates, revealed God's will.