Genesis 28:17-22

17 And he said dreading, How fearedful, or worshipful, is this place! Here is none other thing, no but the house of God, and the gate of heaven. (And he said with fear, or with reverence, How fearful, or how worshipful, is this place! This is nothing else, but the House of God, or Bethel, yea, the gateway to heaven/yea, heaven's gate!)
18 Therefore Jacob rose early, and took the stone which he had put under his head, and raised (it) up into a title, or (a) sign, and poured out oil (from) above. (And so Jacob rose up early, and took the stone which he had put under his head, and set it up as a sacred pillar, and poured oil on top of it.)
19 And he called the name of that city Bethel, which was called Luz before. (And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the city that was there before was called Luz.)
20 Also Jacob avowed a vow, and said, If God is with me, and keepeth me in the way in which I go (And Jacob vowed a vow, and said, If God is with me, and keepeth me safe on the way on which I go), and giveth to me loaves to eat, and clothes to be clothed with,
21 and I turn again in prosperity to the house of my father, the Lord shall be into God to me. (and I return safety to my father's house, then the Lord shall be my God.)
22 And this stone, which I raised into a title, shall be called the house of God; and I shall offer tithes to thee of all things which thou shalt give to me. (And this stone, which I raised up as a sacred pillar, shall be called the House of God; and I shall offer a tithe, or a tenth, to thee, of all the things which thou shalt give me.)

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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.