Genesis 28:20

20 And Iacob vowed a vowe saynge: Yf God will be with me and wyll kepe me in this iourney which I goo and will geue me bread to eate and cloothes to put on

Genesis 28:20 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 28:20

And Jacob vowed a vow
Which is the first vow we read of in Scripture: saying, if God will be with me;
the word if is not a sign of doubting, but is either an adverb of time, and may be rendered, "when God shall be with me" F20; or as a supposition, expressive of an inference or conclusion drawn, "seeing God will be with me" F21; which he had the utmost reason to believe he would, since he had not only promised it, but had so lately granted him his presence in a very singular and remarkable manner, referring to the promise of God, ( Genesis 28:15 ) : and will keep me in this way that I go;
as he had said he would, and as hitherto he had, and for the future he had reason to believe he still would: and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on;
which is included in that clause, "I will not leave thee" ( Genesis 28:15 ) , even not without food and raiment; which is all men can desire or use, and therefore with them should be content.


FOOTNOTES:

F20 (Ma) "quum", Junius & Tremellius; so Ainsworth.
F21 Quandoquidem, Tigurine version.

Genesis 28:20 In-Context

18 And Iacob stode vp early in the mornynge and toke the stone that he had layde vnder his heade and pitched it vp an ende and poured oyle on the topp of it.
19 And he called the name of the place Bethell for in dede the name of the citie was called Lus before tyme.
20 And Iacob vowed a vowe saynge: Yf God will be with me and wyll kepe me in this iourney which I goo and will geue me bread to eate and cloothes to put on
21 so that I come agayne vnto my fathers house in saftie: then shall the LORde be my God
22 and this stone which I haue sett vp an ende shalbe godes house And of all that thou shalt geue me will I geue the tenth vnto the.
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