Genesis 28:17

Genesis 28:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
• New International Version (NIV)He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”

Context of Genesis 28:17

15Behold, I am with you and will keep [careful watch over you and guard] you wherever you may go, and I will bring you back to this [promised] land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and he said, “Without any doubt the Lord is in this place, and I did not realize it.” So he was afraid and said, “How fearful and awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gateway to heaven.” 18So Jacob got up early in the morning, and took the stone he had put under his head and he set it up as a pillar [that is, a monument to the vision in his dream], and he poured [olive] oil on the top of it [to consecrate it]. 19He named that place Bethel (the house of God); the previous name of that city was Luz (Almond Tree).

Genesis 28:17 word by word

וַיִּירָא֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר מַה־נּוֹרָ֖א הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה אֵ֣ין זֶ֗ה כִּ֚י אִם־בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְזֶ֖ה שַׁ֥עַר הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he was afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fear: revereH3372
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• this placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• none other but the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
• of heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064

Cross-references for Genesis 28:17

• Exodus 3:6Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
• Judges 13:22So Manoah said to his wife, “We will certainly die, because we have seen God.”
• Matthew 17:6When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were terrified.
• Luke 2:9And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord flashed and shone around them, and they were terribly frightened.
• Luke 8:35And people came out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind (mentally healthy); and they were frightened.
• Revelation 1:17When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. And He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last [absolute Deity, the Son of God],
• Genesis 28:22This stone which I have set up as a pillar (monument, memorial) will be God’s house [a sacred place to me], and of everything that You give me I will give the tenth to You [as an offering to signify my gratitude and dependence on You].”
• Genesis 35:1Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you [in a distinct manifestation] when you fled [years ago] from Esau your brother.”
• 2 Chronicles 5:14so that the priests could not remain standing to minister because of the cloud; for the glory and brilliance of the Lord filled the house of God.
• Ecclesiastes 5:1Guard your steps and focus on what you are doing as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the [careless or irreverent] sacrifice of fools; for they are too ignorant to know they are doing evil.
• 1 Timothy 3:15in case I am delayed, so that you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
• Hebrews 10:21and since we have a great and wonderful Priest [Who rules] over the house of God,
• 1 Peter 4:17For it is the time [destined] for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not respect or believe or obey the gospel of God?

Commentaries on Genesis 28:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17How dreadful is this place! - The appearance of the ladder, the angels, and the Divine glory at the top of the ladder, must have left deep, solemn, and even awful impressions on the mind of Jacob; and hence the exclamation in the text, How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God - The Chaldee gives this place a curious turn: "This is not a common place, but a place in which God delights; and opposite to this place is the gate of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-22Verses 1-22 - Jacob‘s Journey to Haran 3. קהל qâhāl “congregation.” 9. מחלת māchălat Machalath, “sickness, or a harp.” 19. לוּז lûz Luz, “almond.” The blessing of his sons was the last passage in the active life of Isaac, after which he retires from the scene. Jacob now becomes the leading figure in the sacred history. His spiritual character has yet come out to view. But even now we can discern the general distinction in the lives of the three…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-19Verses 16-19 God manifested himself and his favour, to Jacob, when he was asleep. The Spirit, like the wind, blows when and where it listeth, and God's grace, like the dew, tarrieth not for the sons of men. Jacob sought to improve the visit God had made him. Wherever we are, in the city or in the desert, in the house or in the field, in the shop or in the street, we may keep up our intercourse with Heaven, if it is not our own fault. But the more we see…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-22The second part of the passage describes Jacob's response to God's revelation. He felt reverence and awe in God's presence. His acts of devotion became models for Israel's worship. When God graciously visits his people and promises to be with them and make them a blessing to the world, his people respond in faith with reverence, worship, offerings, and vows. They preserve their faith in memory for future worshipers.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-191. Isaac called Jacob and blessed him--He entered fully into Rebekah's feelings, and the burden of his parting counsel to his son was to avoid a marriage alliance with any but the Mesopotamian branch of the family. At the same time he gave him a solemn blessing--pronounced before unwittingly, now designedly, and with a cordial spirit. It is more explicitly and fully given, and Jacob was thus acknowledged "the heir of the promise."Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 28:17

• Beth-El
• Church
• Fear of God
• Gates
• Jacob
• Religion

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• House of God
• Awake
• Bless
• Keep
• Reach
• Vow
• Genesis
• Israel, Religion of

Commentaries on Genesis 28

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings