Genesis 28: Jacob's dream at Bethel
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Isaac blesses Jacob and sends him to Paddan Aram to find a wife among his mother's family. On the way Jacob sleeps with a stone under his head and dreams of a stairway reaching to heaven, and Yahweh promises him the land, many descendants, and his protection. Jacob names the place Bethel and makes a vow.
Who is speaking?
Isaac speaks first, sending Jacob away with a blessing. God speaks in 3 of the 22 verses: Yahweh's words to Jacob in the dream (verses 13-15). Jacob speaks when he wakes up, and then makes a vow. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and commanded him, “You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
In plain English: Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and gave him this command: "Do not marry a woman from the daughters of Canaan.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
2Arise, go to Paddan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father. Take a wife from there from the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.
In plain English: Get up and go to Paddan Aram, to the house of Bethuel, your mother's father. Take a wife from there, from the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
3May God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, that you may be a company of peoples,
In plain English: May God Almighty bless you, make you fruitful, and increase your numbers, so that you become a community of peoples,
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
4and give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your offspring with you, that you may inherit the land where you travel, which God gave to Abraham.”
In plain English: and may he give the blessing of Abraham to you and your offspring with you, so that you will own the land where you now live as a foreigner, the land God gave to Abraham."
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
5Isaac sent Jacob away. He went to Paddan Aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.
In plain English: So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian (Aramean). Laban was the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
6Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan Aram, to take him a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a command, saying, “You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;”
In plain English: Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan Aram to find a wife there, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, "Do not marry a woman from the daughters of Canaan,"
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
7and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Paddan Aram.
In plain English: and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and gone to Paddan Aram.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
8Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan didn’t please Isaac, his father.
In plain English: Esau saw that his father Isaac did not like the daughters of Canaan.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
9So Esau went to Ishmael, and took, in addition to the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife.
In plain English: So Esau went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the daughter of Abraham's son Ishmael and the sister of Nebaioth, in addition to the wives he already had.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
10Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.
In plain English: Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
11He came to a certain place, and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. He took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep.
In plain English: He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. He took one of the stones of that place, put it under his head, and lay down there to sleep.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
12He dreamed and saw a stairway set upon the earth, and its top reached to heaven. Behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
In plain English: He had a dream. He saw a stairway set up on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were going up and coming down on it.
The Hebrew word: "Stairway" is sullam, a word that appears only here in the Bible. Its dictionary meaning is "a staircase".
How it is translated: Older Bibles like the King James say "ladder", which is why this is often called Jacob's ladder.
Good to know: In Jesus uses the same words: "the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man".
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
13Behold, Yahweh stood above it, and said, “I am Yahweh, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. I will give the land you lie on to you and to your offspring.God speaks
In plain English: And there was Yahweh, standing above it (or: beside him). He said, "I am Yahweh, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give the land you are lying on to you and to your offspring.
The Hebrew word: "Above it" is alav, which can mean "above it" (the stairway) or "beside him" (Jacob).
What changes: Read as "beside him", Yahweh stands next to Jacob as he sleeps, not at the top of the stairway.
Good to know: These are the first words God speaks to Jacob.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
14Your offspring will be as the dust of the earth, and you will spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. In you and in your offspring, all the families of the earth will be blessed.God speaks
In plain English: Your offspring will be as many as the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and the east, to the north and the south. All the families of the earth will be blessed (or: will bless themselves) through you and your offspring.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
15Behold, I am with you, and will keep you, wherever you go, and will bring you again into this land. For I will not leave you until I have done that which I have spoken of to you.”God speaks
In plain English: Look, I am with you, and I will keep you safe wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
16Jacob awakened out of his sleep, and he said, “Surely Yahweh is in this place, and I didn’t know it.”
In plain English: Jacob woke up from his sleep and said, "Yahweh is surely in this place, and I did not know it."
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
17He was afraid, and said, “How awesome this place is! This is none other than God’s house, and this is the gate of heaven.”
In plain English: He was afraid and said, "How awesome this place is! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
18Jacob 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 its top.
In plain English: Early in the morning Jacob got up, took the stone he had put under his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
19He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
In plain English: He named that place Bethel, but the city was called Luz at first.
Good to know: "Bethel" is Beth-El, which means "house of God" (beth is house, El is God). Jacob called the place "God's house" in .
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
20Jacob 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,
In plain English: Jacob made a vow: "If God will be with me and keep me safe on this journey I am making, and give me bread to eat and clothes to wear,
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
21so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, and Yahweh will be my God,
In plain English: so that I come back to my father's house in peace, and Yahweh will be my God (or: then Yahweh will be my God),
The Hebrew words: "And Yahweh will be my God" can be one of the things Jacob asks for, as this Bible reads it, or the start of his promise: "then Yahweh will be my God".
What changes: Read the first way, Jacob's promise is the stone and the tenth in . Read the second way, Jacob also promises that Yahweh will be his God.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
22then 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 a tenth to you.”
In plain English: then this stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God's house. And of everything you give me, I will surely give you a tenth."
Good to know: "I will surely give a tenth" repeats the verb in Hebrew (word for word: tithing, I will tithe it), to make the promise strong. The only other tenth given in Genesis is Abram's, in .
Church tradition: Many churches teach giving a tenth (a tithe). Here the tenth is part of a vow Jacob makes himself, and Genesis 28 gives no command about it.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.