Genesis 28:10-18 NKJV

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:11

And he lighted upon a certain place ,—literally, he struck upon the place; i . e . either the place best suited for him to rest in (Inglis), or the place appointed for him by God (Ainsworth, Bush), or more probably the well-known place afterwards mentioned (Keil, Wordsworth, 'Speaker's Commentary'). Situated in the mountains of Ephraim, about three hours north of Jerusalem, it was not reached after one, but after several days' journey (cf. Genesis 22:4 )— and tarried there all night,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:12

And he dreamed . This dream, which has been pronounced "beautifully ingenious," "clever" and "philosophical," the work of a later Hebrew poet and not of Jacob (De Wette), was not wonderful considering the state of mind and body in which he must have been—fatigued by travel, saddened by thoughts of home, doubtless meditating on his mother, and more than likely pondering the great benediction of his aged and, to all appearance, dying father. Yet while these circumstances may account for the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:12

A stairway to heaven. "And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. Jacob in fear of his life leaves home. The last kiss of his mother is taken. During the day Jacob goes forward cheerfully. Night comes on at length. The path is no longer distinct. The wind moans sadly. A sense of loneliness creeps over him. Fear of Esau haunts him. He sees the figure of his brother behind this shrub and that rock. Had Esau outrun to murder him in that... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:13

And, behold ,—"the dream-vision is so glorious that the narrator represents it by a threefold הִגֵּה (Lange)— the Lord stood above it, —the change in the Divine name is not to be explained by assigning Genesis 28:13-16 to the Jehovistic editor (Tuch, Bleek) or to a subsequent redactor (Davidson), since without it the Elohistic document would be abrupt, if not incomplete (Kalisch), but by recalling the fact that it is not the general pro vide nce of the Deity over his creature man,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:14

And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, —promised to Abraham, Genesis 13:16 ; to Isaac, under a different emblem, Genesis 26:4 — and thou shalt spread abroad (literally, break forth) to the west, and to the east, to the north, and to the south :—(cf. Genesis 13:14 ; Deuteronomy 12:20 ). In its ultimate significance this points to the world-wide universality of the kingdom of Christ (Murphy)— and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed ( ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:15

And, behold, I am with thee ,—spoken to Isaac (cf. Genesis 26:24 ); again to Jacob ( Genesis 31:3 ); afterwards to Christ's disciples ( Matthew 28:20 )— and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest ,—literally, in all thou goest— in all thy goings (cf. Genesis 48:16 ; Psalms 121:5 , Psalms 121:7 , Psalms 121:8 )— and will bring thee again into this land ;—equivalent to an intimation that his present journey to Padan-aram was not without the Divine sanction,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:15

God's providential care. "Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest." Among things believed; but not sufficiently realized, is the truth of God's constant overruling care. We can trace cause and effect a little way, then lose the chain, and feel as if it went no further, as if events had no special cause. This a common evil in the life of Christians. Its root, walking by sight more than by faith. Jacob—what made him try craft? Did not trust God fully.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:16

And Jacob awaked out of his sleep (during which he had seen and talked with Jehovah), and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not . Jacob does not here learn the doctrine of the Divine omnipresence for the first time (Knobel), but now discovers that the covenant God of Abraham revealed himself at other than consecrated places (Rosenmüller, Keil, Lange, Murphy); or perhaps simply gives expression to his astonishment at finding that whereas he fancied himself alone, he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:17

And he was afraid ,—so were Moses ( Exodus 20:18 , Exodus 20:19 ), Job ( Genesis 42:5 , Genesis 42:6 ), Isaiah ( Genesis 6:5 ), Peter ( Luke 5:8 ), John ( Revelation 1:17 , Revelation 1:18 ), at similar discoveries of the Divine presence— and said, How dreadful is this place !— i . e . how to be feared! how awe-inspiring! φοβερὸς ( LXX .), terribilis (Vulgate)— this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. Not literally, but... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:18

And Jacob rose up early in the morning (cf. Genesis 19:27 ; Genesis 22:3 ), and took the stone that he had put for his pillows ( vide supra ), and set it up for a pillar —literally, set it up , a pillar (or something set upright, hence a statue or monument); not as an object of worship, a sort of fetish, but as a memorial of the vision (Calvin, Keil, Murphy; cf. Genesis 31:45 ; Genesis 35:14 ; Joshua 4:9 , Joshua 4:20 ; Joshua 14:1-15 :26; 1 Samuel 7:12 )— and... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:11

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:12

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:12

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:13

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:14

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:15

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:15

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:16

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:17

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:18

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