בראשית כח ,יג: וַיַחֲלם וְהִּנֵּה סֻלָּם מֻצָּב אַרְ צָּה וְרֹּאשוֹ מַגִּיעַ הַשָּמָּיְמָּה וְהִּנֵּה מַלְאֲכֵּי אֱלקִּ ים עֹּלִּים וְיֹּרְ דִּ ים בוֹ
The Baal haTurim points out that the Gematria of עלים ויורדים (428) equals the phrase בבל ומדי ויון ורומי.
Throughout Talmud and Medrash Israel’s exiles and persecutions are discussed as four main periods of subjugation to foreign oppressors, known collectively as ארבע מלכיות Four Kingdoms. Each of the Four Kingdoms are called by the name of the empire dominant in the world at that particular time.
HaShem showed Yaacov that each of the oppressors would ascent and then fall from dominance.
Bilhah
בראשית ל:ג , וַתֹּאמֶר הִּנֵּה אֲמָּתִּי בִּלְהָּה
The Baal haTurim points out that the Rachel did not refer to Bilhah as her slave שפחה (as Sarah did when she offered Hagar to Avraham). This is because Bilhah was in fact, a daughter of Lavan (her father) from a concubine.
Lavan says “the daughters are my daughters” indicating all of Yaacov’s wives were daughters of Lavan.
