Genesis 28:12-19
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
12 Then he had a dream: a stairway[a] rested on the ground, with its top reaching to the heavens; and God’s angels were going up and down on it.(A) 13 And there was the Lord standing beside him and saying: I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you are lying I will give to you and your descendants.(B) 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and through them you will spread to the west and the east, to the north and the south. In you and your descendants all the families of the earth will find blessing.(C) 15 I am with you and will protect you wherever you go, and bring you back to this land. I will never leave you until I have done what I promised you.(D)
16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, “Truly, the Lord is in this place and I did not know it!” 17 He was afraid and said: “How awesome this place is! This is nothing else but the house of God, the gateway to heaven!” 18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head, set it up as a sacred pillar,[b] and poured oil on top of it.(E) 19 He named that place Bethel,[c] whereas the former name of the town had been Luz.(F)
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- 28:12 Stairway: in Hebrew, sullam, traditionally but inaccurately translated as “ladder.” The corresponding verb, salal, means “to heap up” something, such as dirt for a highway or a ramp. The imagery in Jacob’s dream may be derived from the Babylonian ziggurat or temple tower, “with its top in the sky” (11:4), and with brick steps leading up to a small temple at the top.
- 28:18 Sacred pillar: in Hebrew, masseba, a stone which might vary in shape and size, set upright and usually intended for some religious purpose. The custom of erecting such sacred pillars in Palestine went back to its pre-Israelite period; but since their polytheistic associations were often retained, later Israelite religion forbade their erection (Lv 26:1; Dt 16:22) and ordered the destruction of those that were associated with other religions (Ex 34:13; Dt 12:3).
- 28:19 Bethel: i.e., “house of God”; the reference is to the house of God in v. 17.
Genesis 28:12-19
New International Version
12 He had a dream(A) 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.(B) 13 There above it[a] stood the Lord,(C) and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.(D) I will give you and your descendants the land(E) on which you are lying.(F) 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you(G) will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.(H) All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.[b](I) 15 I am with you(J) and will watch over you(K) wherever you go,(L) and I will bring you back to this land.(M) I will not leave you(N) until I have done what I have promised you.(O)”(P)
16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep,(Q) he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place!(R) This is none other than the house of God;(S) this is the gate of heaven.”
18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head(T) and set it up as a pillar(U) and poured oil on top of it.(V) 19 He called that place Bethel,[c](W) though the city used to be called Luz.(X)
Footnotes
- Genesis 28:13 Or There beside him
- Genesis 28:14 Or will use your name and the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)
- Genesis 28:19 Bethel means house of God.
Genesis 35:15
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
15 Jacob named the place where God spoke to him Bethel.
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Genesis 35:15
New International Version
Footnotes
- Genesis 35:15 Bethel means house of God.
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