Genesis 28:17-22

17 And he was afraid and said, "How fearsome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."

18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar and poured oil upon the top of it.

19 And he called the name of that place Bethel [that is, The house of God]; but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.

20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on,

21 so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then shall the LORD be my God.

22 And this stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God's house; and of all that Thou shalt give me I will surely give a tenth unto Thee."

Genesis 28:17-22 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.