Genesis 28:12

Genesis 28:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
• New International Version (NIV)He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!
• New Living Translation (NLT)As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway.

Context of Genesis 28:12

10Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. 14Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

Genesis 28:12 word by word

וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֗ם וְהִנֵּ֤ה סֻלָּם֙ מֻצָּ֣ב אַ֔רְצָה וְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ מַגִּ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וְהִנֵּה֙ מַלְאֲכֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֔ים עֹלִ֥ים וְיֹרְדִ֖ים בּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he dreamedחָלַםchâlam · to dreamH2492
• and behold a ladderסֻלָּםsûllâm · ladderH5551
• set upנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
• on the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• and the top of itרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: topH7218
• reachedנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
• to heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• and behold the angelsמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• ascendingעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• and descendingיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381

Cross-references for Genesis 28:12

• Genesis 15:1After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
• Genesis 20:3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”
• Genesis 37:5Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.
• Genesis 40:1It came to pass after these things that the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt.
• Numbers 12:6Then He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream.
• Job 4:12“Now a word was secretly brought to me, And my ear received a whisper of it.
• Job 33:15In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds,
• Daniel 2:1Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him.
• Daniel 4:1Nebuchadnezzar the king, To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.
• Daniel 7:1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.
• Matthew 1:20But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
• Matthew 2:12Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
• Hebrews 1:1God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
• Genesis 32:1So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
• 2 Chronicles 16:9For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”
• Isaiah 41:10Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Commentaries on Genesis 28:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12He dreamed, and behold a ladder - A multitude of fanciful things have been spoken of Jacob's vision of the ladder, and its signification. It might have several designs, as God chooses to accomplish the greatest number of ends by the fewest and simplest means possible. 1. It is very likely that its primary design was to point out the providence of God, by which he watches over and regulates all terrestrial things; for nothing is left to merely natural…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. 10-15Verses 10-15 Jacob's conduct hitherto, as recorded, was not that of one who simply feared and trusted in God. But now in trouble, obliged to flee, he looked only to God to make him to dwell in safety, and he could lie down and sleep in the open air with his head upon a stone. Any true believer would be willing to take up with Jacob's pillow, provided he might have Jacob's vision. God's time to visit his people with his comforts, is, when they are most…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-13ladder: This word occurs nowhere else in Scripture. The image may have reminded people at that time of a stairway or ramp on the front of a ziggurat (a large temple tower in ancient Mesopotamia). Such a structure was thought to connect heaven and earth (see study note on 11:4). In this passage, God begins direct communication between heaven and earth to guide and protect Jacob, who carries his covenant (28:13–15; see Psalm 91:11–15). Jesus later said that…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. he dreamed ... and behold a ladder--Some writers are of opinion that it was not a literal ladder that is meant, as it is impossible to conceive any imagery stranger and more unnatural than that of a ladder, whose base was on earth, while its top reached heaven, without having any thing on which to rest its upper extremity. They suppose that the little heap of stones, on which his head reclined for a pillow, being the miniature model of the object that…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 28:12

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Beth-El
• Dream
• Jacob
• Ladder
• Religion
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• God
• Angel
• Awake
• Bless
• Dream
• Keep
• Ladder
• Reach
• Vow
• Ascend

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