God’s Word Translation
Genesis 33:20
20He set up an altar there and named it God Is the God of Israel.
Genesis 33:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he erected there an altar, and called it El–elohe–Israel.
- New International Version (NIV)There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel.
- English Standard Version (ESV)There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel.
Context of Genesis 33:20
18So having come from Paddan Aram, Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem in Canaan. He camped within sight of the city. 19Then he bought the piece of land on which he had put up his tents. He bought it from the sons of Hamor, father of Shechem, for 100 pieces of silver. He set up an altar there and named it God Is the God of Israel.
Read all of Genesis 33Genesis 33:20 word by word
וַיַּצֶּב־שָׁ֖ם מִזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּ֨קְרָא־ל֔וֹ אֵ֖ל אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 33:20
- Genesis 8:20Noah built an altar to the Lord. On it he made a burnt offering of each type of clean animal and clean bird.
- Genesis 12:7Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I’m going to give this land to your descendants.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
- Genesis 13:18So Abram moved his tents and went to live by the oak trees belonging to Mamre at Hebron. There he built an altar for the Lord.
- Genesis 21:33Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba and worshiped the Lord, the Everlasting God, there.
- Genesis 32:28The man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob but Israel [He Struggles With God], because you have struggled with God and with men—and you have won.”
- Genesis 35:7He built an altar there and called that place El Bethel [God of the House of God]. That’s where God had revealed himself to Jacob when he was fleeing from his brother.
Commentaries on Genesis 33:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20And he erected there an altar - It appears that Jacob had a very correct notion of the providence and mercy of God; hence he says, Genesis 33:5; : The children which God hath Graciously given thy servant; and in Genesis 33:11; he attributes all his substance to the bounty of his Maker: Take, I pray thee, my blessing - because God hath dealt Graciously with me, and because I have enough. Hence he viewed God as the God of all grace, and to him he erects an…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-20Verses 1-20 - Jacob and Esau Meet 17. סכת sûkkôth Sukkoth, “booths,” consisting of poles forming a roof covered with branches, leaves, or grass. 19. חמור chămôr Chamor, “ass, red, heap.” קשׂיטה qeśı̂yṭâh Qesitah, weighed or measured. ̓̀ Amnos Septuagint and Onkelos Jacob has a friendly interview with Esau, and re-+enters Kenaan. Genesis 33:1-3 Jacob, upon seeing Esau approach with his four hundred men, advances with circumspection and lowly…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-20Verses 17-20 Jacob did not content himself with words of thanks for God's favour to him, but gave real thanks. Also he kept up religion, and the worship of God in his family. Where we have a tent, God must have an altar. Jacob dedicated this altar to the honour of El-elohe-Israel, God, the God of Israel; to the honour of God, the only living and true God; and to the honour of the God of Israel, as a God in covenant with him. Israel's God is Israel's…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20El-Elohe-Israel: The name of the altar means "God, the God of Israel." It commemorated Jacob's relationship with God. Jacob publicly declared that God was his God and had guided him back to the land he would inherit.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. and he erected ... an altar--A beautiful proof of his personal piety, a most suitable conclusion to his journey, and a lasting memorial of a distinguished favor in the name "God, the God of Israel." Wherever we pitch a tent, God shall have an altar.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 33:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 33
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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