Genesis 28:12-14

12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
13 There above it[a] stood the LORD, and he said: “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.
14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.[b]

Genesis 28:12-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 28

In this chapter an account is given of the charge Isaac gave to Jacob not to marry a Canaanitess, but to go to Padanaram, and take a wife from his mother's family, and of his blessing him before he sent him away, Ge 28:1-5; of the notice that Esau took of this blessing and charge, which led him to take a wife of the family of Ishmael, Ge 28:6-9; of the dream of the ladder, which Jacob had in his way to Haran, Ge 28:10-12; of the blessing which God conferred upon him there, Ge 28:13-15; of the awfulness of the place upon his awaking, and of his erecting a pillar in it, and giving a name to it, Ge 28:16-19; and of the vow he made to God, should he be supplied with the necessaries of life, and be kept in safety by him, Ge 28:20-22.

Cross References 9

  • 1. S Genesis 20:3; Genesis 37:19
  • 2. John 1:51
  • 3. S Genesis 12:7; Genesis 35:7,9; Genesis 48:3
  • 4. S Genesis 24:12; Genesis 48:16; Genesis 49:25; Genesis 50:17; Genesis 26:24
  • 5. S Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:15; Genesis 35:12
  • 6. Genesis 46:4; Genesis 48:21
  • 7. Genesis 26:4
  • 8. S Genesis 12:2; S Genesis 13:14; S Genesis 26:24
  • 9. S Genesis 12:3; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 22:18; Acts 3:25; Galatians 3:8

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Or "There beside him"
  • [b]. Or "will use your name and the name of your offspring in blessings" (see 48:20)
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