Genesis 28:15-22

15 "Behold, 1I am with you and 2will keep you wherever * you go, and 3will bring you back to this land; for 4I will not leave you until * I have done what I have promised you."
16 Then Jacob 5awoke from his sleep and said, "6Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it."
17 He was afraid and said, "7How awesome is this place! This is none other than * the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."
18 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took 8the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top.
19 He called the name of that place 9Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been 10Luz.
20 Then Jacob 11made a vow, saying, "12If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me 13food to eat and garments to wear,
21 and 14I return to my father's house in safety, 15then the LORD will be my God.
22 "This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, 16will be God's house, and 17of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You."

Genesis 28:15-22 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 17

  • 1. Genesis 26:3, 24; Genesis 31:3
  • 2. Numbers 6:24; Ps 121:5, 7, 8
  • 3. Genesis 48:21; Deuteronomy 30:3
  • 4. Numbers 23:19; Deuteronomy 7:9; Deuteronomy 31:6, 8
  • 5. 1 Kings 3:15; Jeremiah 31:26
  • 6. Exodus 3:4-6; Joshua 5:13-15; Psalms 139:7-12
  • 7. Psalms 68:35
  • 8. Genesis 28:11; Genesis 35:14
  • 9. Judges 1:23
  • 10. Genesis 35:6; Genesis 48:3
  • 11. Genesis 31:13; Judges 11:30; 2 Samuel 15:8
  • 12. Genesis 28:15
  • 13. 1 Timothy 6:8
  • 14. Judges 11:31
  • 15. Deuteronomy 26:17
  • 16. Genesis 35:7
  • 17. Leviticus 27:30; Deuteronomy 14:22

Footnotes 7

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.