Genesis 28

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:10

And Jacob went out from Beersheba,— in obedience to his father's commandment to seek a wife ( Genesis 28:2 ), but also in compliance with his mother's counsel to evade the wrath of Esau ( Genesis 27:43 ; cf. Hosea 12:12 . On Beersheba vide Genesis 21:31 ; Genesis 26:33 — and went towards Haran —probably along the route traversed by Abraham's servant (cf. Genesis 14:10 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:10-22

Jacob at Bethel, or heaven opened. I. THE LONELY SLEEPER . 1. His desolate condition . Exiled from home, fleeing from the murderous resentment of a brother, o'er-canopied by the star-lit firmament, remote from human habitation, and encompassed by a heathen population, on the bleak summit of the Bethel plateau, upwards of sixty miles from Beersheba, the wandering son of Isaac makes his evening couch with a stone slab for his pillow, an emblem of many another footsore and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 28:10-22

Jacob's dream. Where revelations had been vouchsafed it was supposed that they would be repeated. The stony pillow on which the weary head rested may be changed by the visitation of Divine grace into the meeting-place of heaven and earth. The morning beams breaking in upon the shadowy refuge of the night are transfigured into a dream of covenant blessing. The ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reached to heaven. Angels of God on the way of mediation, ascending, descending, carrying... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

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

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