Genesis 28:20

20 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 clothing 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 Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil on the top of it.
19 He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
20 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 clothing to put on,
21 so that I come again to my father's house in peace, and Yahweh will be my God,
22 then this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, will be God's house. Of all that you will give me I will surely give the tenth to you."
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