Jacob met the Lord on a road that Abraham had traveled 125 years earlier. The story in 27:42–33:17 follows a pattern (called a "chiasm") focusing on Jacob’s exile:
A: Jacob runs away from Esau (27:42–28:9)
B: Angels of God meet Jacob at Bethel (28:10–22)
C: Jacob lives in exile in Paddan-aram (29:1–31:55)
B’: Angels of God meet Jacob at Mahanaim (32:1–2)
A’: Jacob reconciles with Esau (32:3–33:17).