Genesis 28

Genesis 28 continues the story of Jacob, one of the patriarchs of Israel. After deceiving his father Isaac and his brother Esau, Jacob is sent away to his uncle Laban's house in Haran to find a wife. On his journey, God appears to him in a dream, reaffirming the covenant He made with Abraham and Isaac. This chapter highlights Jacob’s transition from a life shaped by deceit to one of encountering God’s promises and mercy.

Genesis 28:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him: "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.
2 Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father; and take yourself a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother.
3 "May God Almighty bless you, And make you fruitful and multiply you, That you may be an assembly of peoples;

Isaac, aware of the importance of continuing the covenant lineage, charges Jacob not to marry a Canaanite woman. This reflects the desire to keep the family line distinct from the surrounding pagan influences. Isaac sends Jacob to his relatives in Padan Aram to find a wife, much like Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac. He also pronounces a blessing on Jacob, asking God to make him fruitful and multiply his descendants, reaffirming God’s promise of making them a great nation. This shows Isaac’s faith in God's covenantal plan, despite the recent family strife.

Genesis 28:4 (NKJV)
4 And give you the blessing of Abraham, To you and your descendants with you, That you may inherit the land In which you are a stranger, Which God gave to Abraham."

Isaac continues the blessing by specifically invoking the blessing of Abraham, transferring the covenant promise that God made with Abraham to Jacob. This promise includes land, descendants, and the future inheritance of Canaan. Even though Jacob has deceived his way into receiving the blessing, Isaac, in faith, still acknowledges Jacob as the rightful heir of the covenant. This verse emphasizes the continuation of God's covenant through the chosen lineage, despite human shortcomings.

Genesis 28:5 (NKJV)
5 So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Padan Aram, to Laban the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

Jacob begins his journey to Padan Aram, following his father's instructions to seek a wife from among his mother's relatives. This verse gives a reminder of the familial connection to Laban, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the covenantal lineage within Abraham's extended family. It also shows the separation between Jacob and Esau, symbolizing the different paths the two brothers will take.

Genesis 28:6-9 (NKJV)
6 Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,"
7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan Aram.
8 Also Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac.
9 So Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had.

Esau, realizing that his Canaanite wives displeased his parents, attempts to gain favor by marrying someone from within the broader family. He takes a wife from Ishmael's descendants, hoping this act will rectify his earlier choices. However, this action, though seemingly done to appease his parents, still reflects Esau's lack of true understanding of the covenant promises. Marrying into Ishmael’s line, while closer in kinship than the Canaanites, is still not the chosen line through which God's promises would continue.

Genesis 28:10-12 (NKJV)
10 Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran.
11 So 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.
12 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.

Jacob, now on his journey to Haran, stops for the night. As he sleeps, he has a dream of a ladder connecting heaven and earth, with angels ascending and descending. This vision is symbolic of God’s connection with humanity. The ladder represents the mediation between heaven and earth, and the angels signify God’s active involvement in earthly affairs. This dream is a key moment in Jacob’s life, revealing God’s presence with him and foreshadowing the fulfillment of the covenant promises through his line.

Genesis 28:13-14 (NKJV)
13 And 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.
14 Also 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.

In Jacob's dream, God introduces Himself as the God of Abraham and Isaac, reaffirming the covenant He made with them. The promise includes the land upon which Jacob sleeps, symbolizing God’s provision and ownership over the land. The promise of descendants "as the dust of the earth" reflects the vastness of the future nation that will come through Jacob. Additionally, the global blessing that will come through Jacob’s seed points forward to the coming Messiah, through whom all nations will be blessed.

Genesis 28:15 (NKJV)
15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."

God assures Jacob of His divine presence and protection throughout his journey. Despite Jacob’s past deception, God promises to remain with him, guiding and preserving him. This promise of protection is not just for Jacob's immediate journey but also for the fulfillment of the long-term covenant promises. God also guarantees that Jacob will return to the land, emphasizing the unchanging nature of His covenant, regardless of human failure.

Genesis 28:16-17 (NKJV)
16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”
17 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!”

Jacob’s realization that God was present in that place fills him with awe and fear. He did not expect to encounter God in such an ordinary setting, but this encounter transforms his perception of the location. He calls it the "house of God" and "the gate of heaven," recognizing it as a place where heaven and earth meet. This marks a turning point in Jacob’s spiritual journey, as he begins to understand God’s active presence in his life.

Genesis 28:18-19 (NKJV)
18 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.
19 And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously.

Jacob responds to the dream by setting up a memorial pillar with the stone he had used for a pillow. He anoints it with oil, symbolizing consecration and dedication. He renames the place Bethel, meaning "house of God," as a lasting reminder of his divine encounter. This act of worship shows Jacob’s growing recognition of the significance of God’s presence and promises, and it establishes the site as sacred for future generations.

Genesis 28:20-21 (NKJV)
20 Then 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,
21 so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God.

Jacob makes a conditional vow to God, asking for His protection, provision, and safe return to his father’s house. Jacob acknowledges that if God fulfills His promises, then he will commit himself fully to God as his God. Though his faith is still growing, this vow shows that Jacob is beginning to trust in God’s promises. He is still learning to surrender to God, but this moment is a step toward a deeper relationship with the Lord.

Genesis 28:22 (NKJV)
22 And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You."

Jacob concludes his vow by dedicating the stone pillar as a symbol of God's house and pledges to give a tenth of all that he receives back to God. Although Jacob’s faith is still developing, his vow reflects a desire to honor God with his possessions and acknowledge Him as the source of all provision.