Genesis 28:13-19

13 And behold, 1the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD, 2the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it 3to you and to 4your descendants.
14 "Your descendants will also be like 5the dust of the earth, and you will spread out 6to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and 7in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
15 "Behold, 8I am with you and 9will keep you wherever * you go, and 10will bring you back to this land; for 11I will not leave you until * I have done what I have promised you."
16 Then Jacob 12awoke from his sleep and said, "13Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it."
17 He was afraid and said, "14How 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 15the 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 16Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been 17Luz.

Genesis 28:13-19 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 35:1; Amos 7:7
  • 2. Genesis 26:3, 24
  • 3. Genesis 13:15, 17; Genesis 26:3
  • 4. Genesis 12:7; Genesis 15:18
  • 5. Genesis 13:16; Genesis 22:17
  • 6. Genesis 13:14, 15
  • 7. Genesis 12:3; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 22:18; Genesis 26:4
  • 8. Genesis 26:3, 24; Genesis 31:3
  • 9. Numbers 6:24; Ps 121:5, 7, 8
  • 10. Genesis 48:21; Deuteronomy 30:3
  • 11. Numbers 23:19; Deuteronomy 7:9; Deuteronomy 31:6, 8
  • 12. 1 Kings 3:15; Jeremiah 31:26
  • 13. Exodus 3:4-6; Joshua 5:13-15; Psalms 139:7-12
  • 14. Psalms 68:35
  • 15. Genesis 28:11; Genesis 35:14
  • 16. Judges 1:23
  • 17. Genesis 35:6; Genesis 48:3

Footnotes 9

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