Genesis 28
28
Isaac's instructions to Jacob
1Isaac called in Jacob, then gave him a blessing, and said:
Don't marry any of those Canaanite women. 2Go at once to your mother's father Bethuel in northern Syria#28.2 northern Syria: See the note at 24.10. and choose a wife from one of the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother. 3I pray that God All-Powerful will bless you with many descendants and let you become a great nation. 4May he bless you with the land he gave Abraham, so that you will take over this land where we now live as foreigners.#Gn 17.4-8.
5Isaac then sent Jacob to stay with Rebekah's brother Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean.
Esau marries the daughter of Ishmael
6Esau found out that his father Isaac had blessed Jacob and had warned him not to marry any of the Canaanite women. He also learnt that Jacob had been sent to find a wife in northern Syria#28.6 northern Syria: See the note at 24.10. 7and that he had obeyed his father and mother. 8Esau already had several wives, but he realized at last how much his father hated the Canaanite women. 9So he married Ishmael's daughter Mahalath, who was the sister of Nebaioth#28.9 Nebaioth: Ishmael's eldest son (see 25.13). and the granddaughter of Abraham.
Jacob and his family
Jacob's dream at Bethel
10Jacob left the town of Beersheba and started out for Haran. 11At sunset he stopped for the night and went to sleep, resting his head on a large rock. 12In a dream he saw a ladder#28.12 ladder: Or “stairway”. that reached from earth to heaven, and God's angels were going up and down on it.#Jn 1.51.
13The LORD was standing beside the ladder#28.13 the ladder: Or “Jacob” or “the stairway” (see the note at 28.12). and said:#Gn 13.14,15.
I am the LORD God who was worshipped by Abraham and Isaac. I will give to you and your family the land on which you are now sleeping. 14Your descendants will spread over the earth in all directions and will become as numerous as the specks of dust. Your family will be a blessing to all people.#28.14 Your family…people: Or “All people will ask me to bless them as I have blessed your family.”#Gn 12.3; 22.18. 15Wherever you go, I will watch over you, then later I will bring you back to this land. I won't leave you—I will do all I have promised.
16Jacob woke up suddenly and thought, “The LORD is in this place, and I didn't even know it.” 17Then Jacob became frightened and said, “This is a fearsome place! It must be the house of God and the ladder#28.17 ladder: See the note at 28.12. to heaven.”
18When Jacob got up early the next morning, he took the rock that he had used for a pillow and stood it up for a place of worship. Then he poured olive oil on the rock to dedicate it to God, 19and he named the place Bethel.#28.19 Bethel: In Hebrew “Bethel” means “House of God”. Before that it had been named Luz.
20Jacob solemnly promised God, “If you go with me and watch over me as I travel, and if you give me food and clothes 21and bring me safely home again, you will be my God. 22This rock will be your house, and I will give back to you a tenth of everything you give me.”
© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
Genesis 28
28
1And Yitz’chak [Laughter] called Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of), and Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) him, and charged him, and said unto him, Youi shall not take a wife of the daughters of Kena’an (merchant; trader; or that humbles and subdues).
2Arise, go to Paddan-aram (a place of height; field; plain), to the house of B’tu’el (meaning disputed) youri mother’s father; and take youi a wife from there of the daughters of Lavan (to be white; white guy) youri mother’s brother.
3And God-El [The Powerful Living Word] Almighty-Shaddai bless youi, and make youi fruitful, and multiply youi, that youi may be a multitude of people;
4And give youi the blessing of Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will], to youi, and to youri seed with youi; that youi may inherit the land wherein youi are a stranger, which God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] gave unto Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will].
5And Yitz’chak [Laughter] sent away Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of): and he went to Paddan-aram (a place of height; field; plain) unto Lavan (to be white; white guy), son of B’tu’el the Arami [Arami [exalted]] (level plain), the brother of Rivkah (Tied Up; Secured), Ya’akov’s and ‘Esav’s mother.
6When ‘Esav (hairy) saw that Yitz’chak [Laughter] had Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of), and sent him away to Paddan-aram (a place of height; field; plain), to take him a wife from there; and that as he Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) him he gave him a charge, saying, Youi shall not take a wife of the daughters of Kena’an (merchant; trader; or that humbles and subdues);
7And that Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Paddan-aram (a place of height; field; plain);
8And ‘Esav (hairy) seeing that the daughters of Kena’an (merchant; trader; or that humbles and subdues) pleased not Yitz’chak [Laughter] his father;
9Then went ‘Esav (hairy) unto Yishma’el (He Will Hear God; God hears [EL]), and took unto the wives which he had Machalat (sad song; sickness) the daughter of Yishma’el (He Will Hear God; God hears [EL]) Avraham’s [exalted father/Fly They Will] son, the sister of N’vayot (heights; vision), to be his wife.
10And Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) went out from Be’er-Sheva (well of the sevenfold oath), and went toward Haran [mountaineer] (Mountaineer or Mountainous).
11And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put [them for] his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
12And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] ascending and descending on it.
13And, behold, the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) stood above it, and said, I [am] the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] of Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] youri father, and the God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] of Yitz’chak [Laughter]: the land upon which youi lie, to youi will I give it, and to youri seed;
14And youri seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and youi shall spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in youi and in youyi seed shall all the families of the earth be Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous).
15And, behold, I [am] with youi, and will keep youi in all [places] to where youi go, and will bring youi again into this land; for I will not leave youi, until I have done [that] which I have spoken to youi of.
16And Ya’akov awakened out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) is in this place; and I knew [it] not.
17And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful [is] this place! this [is] none other but the house of God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered], and this [is] the gate of heaven.
18And Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put [for] his pillows, and set it up [for] a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.
19And he called the name of that place Beit-El (The House of the Powerful One): but the name of that city was called Luz [Almond Tree] (almond tree) at the first.
20And Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) vowed a vow, saying, If God-EL [The Powerful Living Word] will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothing to put on,
21So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) be my God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered]:
22And this stone, which I have set [for] a pillar, shall be God-Elōhīm’s [The Living Word - The Many Powered] house: and of all that youi shall give me I will surely give the tenth unto youi.
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