亲爱的小文：
你注意到警察局里消防车上的云梯（ladder）了吗？那种梯子升起来很高，可高出一百英尺。美国underworldslang把ladder叫做Jacob，你知道是谁吗？
JacobwasthesonofIsaac,andthefatherofthe12sonswhofoundedtheTwelveTribesofIsrael,accordingtotheOldTestament.HeboughthisolderbrotherEsausbirthrightwithabowlofsavorystew（“messofpottage”）.Later,JacobenforcedhisclaimbypretendingtohisblindandagedfatherthathehimselfwasEsau.Thus,heobtainedfromIsaacthewordsofblessingIsaachadmeantforEsau.EsauwassoangrythatJacobfledforhislife.
OnthewaytohisuncleLaban,JacobsleptataplacecalledBethel,wherehedreamedofawonderfulladderbetweenheavenandearth.Inthedream,Godpromisedtoprotectandblesshimwhilehewasawayfromhome.Muchencouraged,JacobwentontoLabanshome.TherehefellonlovewithLabansdaughter,Rachel.ButLabanforcedJacobtomarryhidolderdaughter.Leah,beforehecouldhaveRachelforhiswife.Afterworking20yearsforLaban,Jacobleftforhome.
Ontheway,JacobprayedallnightuntilGodreassuredhimthatEsauwouldsparehislife.Esaumethimwithforgiveness,andtheypartedgoodfriends.JacobspenthislastyearsinEgypt,wherehissonJosephbroughthimtolive.
EsauwasthesonofIsaacandRebecca,andtwinbrotherofJacobintheBible.HeisamaincharacterinmanystoriesfoundinGenesis25-33.ThebestknownareJacobscheatinghimoutofhisbirthrightfora“messofpottage”（Gen.25：27-34）,andthelossofhisblessingthroughtheplottingofhismotherandbrother（Gen.27）.EsauwasreconciledtoJacobafterthelattersreturntoPalestine20yearslater.
BiblicalhistoryregardsEsauasthefounderoftheEdomitenation.
Jacob就是现在以色列（Israel）人的老老老老老老老老老老……老祖宗。
Messofpottage就是“因小失大”、“得不偿失”、“划不来”的意思。
AJacobsladderisaladdermadeofropeorcable,usuallywithwoodenrungs.Itisdroppedoverthesideofashiptoenablepeopletoascendfromordescendtosmallboatsalongside.HarborpilotsusuallycomeaboardviaaJacobsladder.
TheJacobsladdergetsitsnamefromanincidentintheBookofGenesis（28：12）.ThepatriarchJacobfallsasleepandtheavision：“Andhedreamed,andbeholdaladdersetupontheearth,andhetopofitreachedtoheaven；andbeholdtheangelsofGodascendinganddescendingonit.”
Jacobsladderhasbeenusedinatleasttwootherquiteearthlymeanings.A
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