Genesis 28:13 kjv

And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;

Genesis 28:13 nkjv

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.

Genesis 28:13 niv

There above it stood the LORD, and he said: "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.

Genesis 28:13 esv

And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring.

Genesis 28:13 nlt

At the top of the stairway stood the LORD, and he said, "I am the LORD, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants.

Genesis 28 verses

Genesis 28 13 Meaning

Genesis 28:13 records God's direct declaration to Jacob during his significant dream at Bethel. This pivotal moment reveals the Lord's personal appearance and verbal assurance to Jacob, identifying Himself as the covenant God of Abraham and Isaac. Crucially, He reiterates the foundational promises of the Abrahamic covenant: the specific land upon which Jacob was lying would be given to him, and this promise would extend to his numerous descendants. It signifies God's faithfulness and the continuity of His redemptive plan through the lineage of Abraham, Isaac, and now Jacob, despite Jacob's recent deceit and vulnerable circumstances.

Genesis 28 13 Context

Genesis 28:13 is central to Jacob's transformative journey. Following his deception of Isaac and Esau to obtain the birthright and blessing, Jacob is fleeing from Esau's wrath (Gen 27). He is on his way to Haran, to Laban, a desolate journey in an unfamiliar land, likely filled with fear and uncertainty. He stops for the night at a place he later calls Bethel (previously Luz). This verse captures the divine intervention during his dream of a ladder stretching from earth to heaven with angels ascending and descending on it (Gen 28:12). It is at his lowest and most vulnerable point, alone in the wilderness, that God initiates a personal revelation. This moment marks a new beginning for Jacob, as God reaffirms the covenant promises directly to him, ensuring continuity from Abraham and Isaac, providing comfort, and setting the stage for Jacob's spiritual development and the future of the nation of Israel. This is a divine demonstration that God's plan is not thwarted by human failures and that His promises are sovereignly given.

Genesis 28 13 Word analysis

• And, behold, (וְהִנֵּה - v’hinneh): "And" connects this to the preceding vision. "Behold" is an emphatic interjection, a deictic particle that demands immediate attention. It signifies something truly remarkable and unexpected, introducing a direct divine encounter after the vision of the ladder.
• the Lord (יְהוָה - YHWH, Yahweh): The personal, covenantal name of God. This is not just any deity or general "God" (אֱלֹהִים - Elohim). This specific identification emphasizes God's personal relationship with the patriarchs and His unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises. It asserts His unique identity over against polytheistic beliefs of the surrounding cultures.
• stood (נִצָּב - nitzav): A Niphal participle, indicating that the Lord was standing or had stationed Himself. It suggests an active, deliberate presence, emphasizing His authority, sovereignty, and direct engagement with Jacob, not just a passive image in a dream. God is firmly positioned, overseeing the scene.
• above it, (עָלָיו - ’alav): "It" refers to the ladder that Jacob saw in his dream. This indicates God's transcendence (He is above creation, high above the ladder), yet also His immanence (He is present and actively involved at the top of the ladder, bridging heaven and earth). This posture signifies ultimate authority and power over all things seen in the dream, and over Jacob's life.
• and said, (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyomer): Introduces direct divine speech. God is not merely observed but communicates verbally and explicitly. This makes the revelation highly personal and authoritative, directly conveying truth and promises.
• I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: God's self-identification.
  • I am (אָנֹכִי - Anokhi): Emphatic personal pronoun. This declaration emphasizes His identity as the living and active God.
  • the Lord (יְהוָה - YHWH): Reinforces the personal covenant name, connecting the divine speaker explicitly to the covenant-making God.
  • God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: This is a crucial formula linking Jacob directly to his patriarchal heritage. It serves multiple purposes:
    • Continuity: Assures Jacob that he is part of a continuing divine plan and covenant lineage.
    • Legitimacy: Despite his deceptive means, God affirms him as the heir to the promises, demonstrating divine election and grace over human merit or lineage.
    • Comfort: Jacob is alone and afraid; this identification brings immense comfort and security by linking him to the God who faithfully provided for his father and grandfather.
    • Monotheistic statement: Reaffirms the exclusive worship of YHWH as the one true God for Jacob, differentiating Him from pagan deities. This identification appears multiple times in Scripture to confirm God's eternal covenant with Israel.
• the land whereon thou liest, (הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה שֹׁכֵב עָלֶיהָ - ha’aretz ’asher ’attah shokhev ’aleha): Specificity of the land.
  • the land whereon thou liest: Pinpoints the promise to Jacob's immediate, tangible surroundings. This site, later known as Bethel ("House of God"), becomes sacred. This detail grounds the vast, sweeping land promise (from Abrahamic covenant) into a deeply personal and immediate reality for Jacob. It assures him that his current vulnerability is happening in a place already designated by God for his future.
• to thee will I give it, (לְךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה - lekha ’etnenna): Personal transfer of the promise.
  • to thee: The promise is personal, directly to Jacob, as the divinely chosen heir, validating his position despite human imperfections.
  • will I give it: Future tense, a declarative promise by the sovereign God, assuring Jacob of future possession, even if it feels distant. God's act of giving signifies a divine grant, not a human achievement.
• and to thy seed; (וּלְזַרְעֶךָ - u'l'zar’ekha): Extension of the promise to descendants.
  • thy seed: Reinforces the demographic aspect of the Abrahamic covenant – the promise of a vast multitude of descendants, which would form a nation (Israel). This part of the promise guarantees the continuity of the covenant through generations, beyond Jacob's immediate life, looking forward to the establishment of the Israelite nation and ultimately, to the ultimate "Seed" of promise, Jesus Christ (Gal 3:16).

Genesis 28 13 Bonus section

The Hebrew phrasing for God's self-identification, "God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob," becomes a standard theological identifier for YHWH throughout Scripture. Jesus Himself refers to this precise phrase in Luke 20:37-38 to argue for the resurrection, noting that God "is not a God of the dead, but of the living," implying the patriarchs were still alive in spirit to God. This connection elevates the significance of this covenant declaration beyond simply an inheritance of land and progeny to an eternal, life-affirming relationship with God Himself. Jacob's ladder dream, including this verbal declaration from God, forms a thematic link between heaven and earth, providing a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, who stated that He is the true ladder or gateway between God and humanity (John 1:51).

Genesis 28 13 Commentary

Genesis 28:13 serves as a pivotal moment for Jacob, turning a desolate escape into a divine encounter that profoundly reshapes his understanding of God and his own destiny. Alone and vulnerable, having deceived his family and now facing an uncertain future, Jacob experiences God's unmerited grace. The Lord does not condemn his past actions but instead, sovereignly intervenes to confirm His covenant. God's self-identification as "the Lord God of Abraham... and the God of Isaac" is a powerful reaffirmation of continuity and faithfulness, assuring Jacob that the divine plan, initiated with his grandfather and continued through his father, is now firmly placed upon him.

The reiteration of the land promise ("the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it") is particularly significant. It personalizes the cosmic promise, anchoring it to the very ground Jacob occupies in his desperate moment. This transforms a barren, lonely place into "Bethel" – "House of God," a sacred site and a physical symbol of God's abiding presence and commitment. Coupled with the promise of "thy seed," this verse outlines the dual pillars of the Abrahamic covenant: the physical land for the nation of Israel and the numerous descendants through whom the blessing would ultimately come to all nations (Gal 3:16). This revelation comforts Jacob, establishes his legitimacy as the covenant heir, and lays the groundwork for his journey of faith and the eventual formation of God's chosen people, despite the immediate challenges he faced. It highlights that God's covenant promises are founded on His character and faithfulness, not on human worthiness.