Revised Literal Translation
Genesis 28:12
12And 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.
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 King James Version (NKJV)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.
Context of Genesis 28:12
10And Jacob went out from Beer–sheba, and went toward Haran. 11And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. 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. 13And, behold, Yhwh stood above it, and said, I am Yhwh God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 14And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
Read all of Genesis 28Genesis 28:12 word by word
וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֗ם וְהִנֵּ֤ה סֻלָּם֙ מֻצָּ֣ב אַ֔רְצָה וְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ מַגִּ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וְהִנֵּה֙ מַלְאֲכֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֔ים עֹלִ֥ים וְיֹרְדִ֖ים בּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
- 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 Yhwh came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
- Genesis 20:3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.
- Genesis 37:5And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
- Genesis 40:1And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt.
- Numbers 12:6And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I Yhwh will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
- Job 4:12Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.
- Job 33:15In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
- Daniel 2:1And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
- Daniel 4:1Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
- Daniel 7:1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.
- Matthew 1:20But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
- Matthew 2:12And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
- Hebrews 1:1God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
- Genesis 32:1And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
- 2 Chronicles 16:9For the eyes of Yhwh run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
- Isaiah 41:10Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
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
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
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