Genesis 28:19

19 And he called the name of that place Bethel; however, the name of the city [was] formerly Luz.

Genesis 28:19 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 28:19

And he called the name of that place Bethel
The house of God, which he took this place to be: but the name of that city [was called] Luz at the first;
which signifies an almond or hazel nut, ( Genesis 30:37 ) ; perhaps from the number of this sort of trees that grew there, under which Jacob might lay himself down, which was probably in the field of Luz; and being at night, he might not know there was a city so near, until the morning. Though Josephus ^F18 says he did it purposely, out of hatred to the Canaanites, and chose rather to lie under the open air. This was about twelve miles from Jerusalem, as Jerom ^F19 says.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 Antiqu. l. 1. c. 19. sect. 1.
F19 De loc. Heb. fol. 89. C.

Genesis 28:19 In-Context

17 Then he was afraid and said, "How awesome [is] this place! {This is nothing else than the house of God}, and this is the gate of heaven!"

18 And Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up [as] a stone pillar, and poured oil on top of it.

19 And he called the name of that place Bethel; however, the name of the city [was] formerly Luz.

20 And Jacob made a vow saying, "If God will be with me and protect me on this way that I am going, and gives me food to eat and clothing to wear,

21 and [if] I return in peace to the house of my father, then Yahweh will become my God.