Genesis 28

Esau's Response Genesis 28:5–9

⁵Verse 5. Isaac sent Jacob away. He went to Paddan Aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, Rebekah’s brother, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother. ⁶Verse 6. Now 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,” ⁷Verse 7. and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Paddan Aram. ⁸Verse 8. Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan didn’t please Isaac, his father. ⁹Verse 9. Esau went to Ishmael, and took, besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife.

Jacob's Dream at Bethel Genesis 28:10–15

¹⁰Verse 10. Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. ¹¹Verse 11. He 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. ¹²Verse 12. He dreamed. Behold, a stairway set upon the earth, and its top reached to heaven. Behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it. ¹³Verse 13. Behold, Yahweh stood above it, and said, “I am Yahweh, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. The land whereon you lie, to you will I give it, and to your offspring.

¹⁴Verse 14. Your 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 will all the families of the earth be blessed. ¹⁵Verse 15. Behold, 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.”

Jacob's Realization Genesis 28:16–19

¹⁶Verse 16. Jacob awakened out of his sleep, and he said, “Surely Yahweh is in this place, and I didn’t know it.” ¹⁷Verse 17. He was afraid, and said, “How dreadful is this place! This is none other than God’s house, and this is the gate of heaven.” ¹⁸Verse 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 its top. ¹⁹Verse 19. He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.

Jacob's Vow of Commitment Genesis 28:20–22

²⁰Verse 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, ²¹Verse 21. so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, and Yahweh will be my God, ²²Verse 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 a tenth to you.”