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

15What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” 16Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!” But he was also afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to heaven!” 18The 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. 19He named that place Bethel (which means “house of God”), although it was previously called Luz.

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 3:6I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.
• Judges 13:22and he said to his wife, “We will certainly die, for we have seen God!”
• Matthew 17:6The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground.
• Luke 2:9Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified,
• Luke 8:35People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.
• Revelation 1:17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last.
• Genesis 28:22And this memorial pillar I have set up will become a place for worshiping God, and I will present to God a tenth of everything he gives me.”
• Genesis 35:1Then God said to Jacob, “Get ready and move to Bethel and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother, Esau.”
• 2 Chronicles 5:14The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple of God.
• Ecclesiastes 5:1As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God.
• 1 Timothy 3:15so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.
• Hebrews 10:21And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house,
• 1 Peter 4:17For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News?

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