New King James Version
Genesis 28:18
18Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it.
Genesis 28:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.
- New International Version (NIV)Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it.
- English Standard Version (ESV)So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The next morning Jacob got up very early. He took the stone he had rested his head against, and he set it upright as a memorial pillar. Then he poured olive oil over it.
Context of Genesis 28:18
16Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17And 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!” Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. 19And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously. 20Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on,
Read all of Genesis 28Genesis 28:18 word by word
וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם יַעֲקֹ֜ב בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־הָאֶ֙בֶן֙ אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֔יו וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֹתָ֖הּ מַצֵּבָ֑ה וַיִּצֹ֥ק שֶׁ֖מֶן עַל־רֹאשָֽׁהּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- rose up earlyשָׁכַםshâkam · to riseH7925
- in the morningבֹּ֫קֶרbôqer · morningH1242
- and tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- the stoneאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
- that he had putשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
- his pillowsמְרַאֲשָׁוֹתmera'ăshâh · headH4763
- and set it upשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
- a pillarמַצֵּבָהmatstsêbâh · pillarH4676
- and pouredיָצַקyâtsaq · to pour: pourH3332
- oilשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
- upon the top of itרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: topH7218
Cross-references for Genesis 28:18
- Genesis 22:3So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
- Psalms 119:60I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments.
- Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
- Genesis 31:13I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.’ ”
- Genesis 35:14So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it.
- Joshua 24:26Then Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 7:12Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”
- 2 Samuel 18:18Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is in the King’s Valley. For he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” He called the pillar after his own name. And to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.
- Isaiah 19:19In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border.
- Leviticus 8:10Also Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them.
- Numbers 7:1Now it came to pass, when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, that he anointed it and consecrated it and all its furnishings, and the altar and all its utensils; so he anointed them and consecrated them.
Commentaries on Genesis 28:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18And Jacob - took the stone - and set it up for a pillar - He placed the stone in an erect posture, that it might stand as a monument of the extraordinary vision which he had in this place; and he poured oil upon it, thereby consecrating it to God, so that it might be considered an altar on which libations might be poured, and sacrifices offered unto God. See Genesis 35:14. The Brahmins anoint their stone images with oil before bathing; and some anoint…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. 18Anointing with oil became a way of setting something apart for divine use in Israel’s worship (Exodus 29:1–7; 40:9; Leviticus 2:1; 1 Samuel 10:1).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-1918-19. Jacob set up a stone, etc.--The mere setting up of the stone might have been as a future memorial to mark the spot; and this practice is still common in the East, in memory of a religious vow or engagement. But the pouring oil upon it was a consecration. Accordingly he gave it a new name, Beth-el, "the house of God" (Ho 12:4); and it will not appear a thing forced or unnatural to call a stone a house, when one considers the common practice in warm…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 28:18
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries