Genesis 28:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.

NIV: He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.

NASB: Then he named that place Bethel; but previously the name of the city had been Luz.

CSB: and named the place Bethel, though previously the city was named Luz.

NLT: He named that place Bethel (which means 'house of God'), although it was previously called Luz.

KJV: And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.

NKJV: And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously.

While travelling from his homeland in Canaan to Mesopotamia (Genesis 28:1–2), Jacob spends the night sleeping with his head resting on a rock (Genesis 28:10–11). As he sleeps, God appears in a vision of a heavenly staircase, or ladder, filled with angels. In this vision, God passes along to Jacob all of the promises given to Abraham, along with reassurances that God will be with Jacob wherever he goes (Genesis 28:12–18).

Jacob is so convinced of the holiness of the place where the Lord visited him that he decides to rename it. Previously called Luz, the place will now be known as Bethel. The word Bethel means "house of God." Jacob also sets up the rock on which he slept as a marker, anointing it with oil in some kind of ceremony. This spot will continue to be meaningful well into Israel's future, as a place where God meets His people.

Genesis 28:10–22 describes the Lord's appearance in a dream, given to Jacob while on the road to Haran in Mesopotamia, the region where Rebekah's brother Laban lives. Forced by nightfall to sleep on the ground with a rock for a pillow, Jacob dreams of a ladder, connecting earth to heaven, and full of angels going in both directions. Atop the ladder, the Lord stands and gives to Jacob the very promises He gave to Abraham. He also promises to be with Jacob on his journey from and back to the land of promise. Jacob wakes up and worships the Lord, vowing to make the Lord his God.

Isaac sends Jacob away from his household to find a wife in Mesopotamia, in Paddan-aram, where Rebekah's brother lives. First, though, he gives to Jacob the full blessing of the promises of Abraham. Esau marries one of the daughters of Ishmael to try to please Isaac. The Lord appears to Jacob in a dream, giving to him the promises of Abraham personally, along with the assurance that He will be with Jacob to Mesopotamia and back again. Jacob vows that if the Lord does this, he will make the Lord his God and will worship Him and tithe to Him.

The previous chapter concluded with Rebekah urging Jacob to run for his life to her brother's household in Mesopotamia to escape the wrath of Esau. Now Isaac, too, sends Jacob to Laban, except to find a non-Canaanite wife. Hearing this, Esau marries one of the daughters of Ishmael. On the road to Mesopotamia, the Lord appears to Jacob in a dream. God personally delivers the covenant promises of Abraham and assurances to be with Jacob. In awe and fear, Jacob renames the place Bethel, ''house of God,'' and vows to worship the Lord as his God. In the next chapter, Jacob will get a taste of his own deceptive medicine, as he seeks a wife.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 11/21/2024 7:43:56 PM