Image Details

Museé National Message Biblique

Acrobatic angels glide about a ladder leading to heaven as Jacob dreams below. God has chosen this occasion to mark Jacob with His special favour and promise: “The ground on which you are lying I will give to you and your offspring. Your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth. … All the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you and your descendants” (Genesis 28:13–14).

Seen here is the left half of a two-paneled painting by Marc Chagall. The right half is dominated by a four-winged angel holding a lighted menorah and includes depictions of the cruicified Jesus and Abraham’s attempted sacrifice of Isaac.