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New King James Version
Genesis 28:19
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He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
And he called the name of that place Beth-el. But the name of the city was Luz at first.
At first, the name of that city was Luz, but Jacob named it Bethel.
He called that place Bethel, although the former name of the town was Luz.
And he called the name of that place Beth-el: but the name of that city [was called] Luz at the first.
He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
He named that place Bethel (the house of God); the previous name of that city was Luz (Almond Tree).
And he clepide the name of that citee Bethel, which was clepid Lusa bifore.
and he calleth the name of that place Bethel, [house of God,] and yet, Luz [is] the name of the city at the first.
and he called that place Bethel, though previously the city had been named Luz.
and he named the place Bethel. Before that it had been named Luz.
and named the place Beit-El [house of God]; but the town had originally been called Luz.
And he called the name of that place Beth-el: but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
And he gave that place the name of Beth-el, but before that time the town was named Luz.
And he called the name of the place Bethel: but the name of the citie was called Luz, before tyme.
And he called the name of that place Beth-el; but the name of that city was Luz at the first.
The name of that place was Luz, but Jacob named it Bethel.
And he called the name of that place Beth-el, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
And hee called the name of that place Beth-el: but the name of that citie was called Luz, at the first.
And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.
He gave that place the name Bethel. Its name had been Luz before.
He called that place Bethel; but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
and called the name of that place - Beth-el, - nevertheless, Luz, was the name of the city, aforetime.
And he called ye name of that place Bethel: notwithstanding the name of the citie was at the first called Luz.
Then Jacob called the name of that place Beth-el (the house of God); but at the first the name of that place was called Luz.
He named the place Bethel. (The town there was once known as Luz.)
And he called the name of the city Bethel, which before was called Luza.
He called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
And he called the name of that place, the House of God; and the name of the city before was Ulam-luz.
And he called the name of that place Beth-el: but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
and named the place Bethel, though previously the city was named Luz.
He called the name of that place Beit-El, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
And he called the name of that place Bethel; however, the name of the city was formerly Luz.
And he called the name of that place, The House of God. And yet the name of the city was at first Luz.
And he called the place Bethel, but afore the cite was called Lus.
Then he named that place Bethel; but previously the name of the city had been Luz.
He named that place Bethel (which means "house of God"), although it was previously called Luz.
He called the name of that place Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been Luz.
And he called the name of that place Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been Luz.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
the name: Genesis 12:8, Genesis 35:1, Genesis 48:3, Judges 1:22-26, 1 Kings 12:29, Hosea 4:15, Hosea 12:4, Hosea 12:5
Bethel: i.e. the house of God
Reciprocal: Genesis 13:3 - Bethel and Hai Genesis 16:13 - called Genesis 22:14 - called Genesis 32:30 - Peniel Genesis 35:6 - Luz Genesis 35:7 - General Genesis 35:14 - General Genesis 35:15 - Bethel Joshua 7:2 - Bethaven Joshua 12:16 - Bethel Joshua 16:2 - Bethel Joshua 18:13 - side of Luz Judges 1:23 - Luz Judges 15:19 - Enhakkore 1 Samuel 7:12 - took a stone 1 Samuel 10:3 - Bethel 1 Samuel 30:27 - Bethel 2 Kings 2:2 - Bethel 1 Chronicles 7:28 - Bethel 2 Chronicles 20:26 - the name Nehemiah 11:31 - Aija
Cross-References
And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
And give you the blessing of Abraham, To you and your descendants with you, That you may inherit the land In which you are a stranger, Which God gave to Abraham."
So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Padan Aram, to Laban the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.
And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You."
Then God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother."
Then Jacob said to Joseph: "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me,
And he set up one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.
"Though you, Israel, play the harlot, Let not Judah offend. Do not come up to Gilgal, Nor go up to Beth Aven, Nor swear an oath, saying, "As the LORD lives'--
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And he called the name of that place Bethel,.... The house of God, which he took this place to be:
but the name of that city [was called] Luz at the first; which signifies an almond or hazel nut, Genesis 30:37; perhaps from the number of this sort of trees that grew there, under which Jacob might lay himself down, which was probably in the field of Luz; and being at night, he might not know there was a city so near, until the morning. Though Josephus r says he did it purposely, out of hatred to the Canaanites, and chose rather to lie under the open air. This was about twelve miles from Jerusalem, as Jerom s says.
r Antiqu. l. 1. c. 19. sect. 1. s De loc. Heb. fol. 89. C.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
- Jacob’s Journey to Haran
3. קהל qâhāl, “congregation.”
9. מחלת māchălat, Machalath, “sickness, or a harp.”
19. לוּז lûz, Luz, “almond.”
The blessing of his sons was the last passage in the active life of Isaac, after which he retires from the scene. Jacob now becomes the leading figure in the sacred history. His spiritual character has yet come out to view. But even now we can discern the general distinction in the lives of the three patriarchs. Abraham’s is a life of authority and decision; Isaac’s, of submission and acquiescence; and Jacob’s, of trial and struggle.
Genesis 28:1-5
Isaac has now become alive to the real destiny of Jacob. He therefore calls for him to bless him, and give him a command. The command is to take a wife, not from Kenaan, but from the kindred of his parents. The blessing comes from “God Almighty” (Genesis 17:1). It is that belonging to the chosen seed, “the blessing of Abraham.” It embraces a numerous offspring, the land of promise, and all else that is included in the blessing of Abraham. “A congregation of peoples.” This is the word “congregation” (קהל qâhāl) which is afterward applied to the assembled people of God, and to which the Greek ἐκκλησία ekklēsia, “ecclesia,” corresponds. Jacob complies with his mother’s advice and his father’s command, and, at the same time, reaps the bitter fruit of his fraud against his brother in the hardship and treachery of an exile of twenty years. The aged Isaac is not without his share in the unpleasant consequences of endeavoring to go against the will of God.
Genesis 28:6-9
Esau is induced, by the charge of his parents to Jacob, the compliance of the latter with their wishes, and by their obvious dislike to the daughters of Kenaan, to take Mahalath, a daughter of Ishmael, in addition to his former wives. “Went unto Ishmael;” that is, to the family or tribe of Ishmael, as Ishmael himself was now thirteen years dead. Esau’s hunting and roving career had brought him into contact with this family, and we shall presently find him settled in a neighboring territory.
Genesis 28:10-22
Jacob’s dream and vow. Setting out on the way to Haran, he was overtaken by night, and slept in the field. He was far from any dwelling, or he did not wish to enter the house of a stranger. He dreams. A ladder or stair is seen reaching from earth to heaven, on which angels ascend and descend. This is a medium of communication between heaven and earth, by which messengers pass to and fro on errands of mercy. Heaven and earth have been separated by sin. But this ladder has re-established the contact. It is therefore a beautiful emblem of what mediates and reconciles John 1:51. It here serves to bring Jacob into communication with God, and teaches him the emphatic lesson that he is accepted through a mediator. “The Lord stood above it,” and Jacob, the object of his mercy, beneath. First. He reveals himself to the sleeper as “the Lord” Genesis 2:4, “the God of Abraham thy father, and of Isaac.” It is remarkable that Abraham is styled his father, that is, his actual grandfather, and covenant father. Second. He renews the promise of the land, of the seed, and of the blessing in that seed for the whole race of man. Westward, eastward, northward, and southward are they to break forth. This expression points to the world-wide universality of the kingdom of the seed of Abraham, when it shall become the fifth monarchy, that shall subdue all that went before, and endure forever. This transcends the destiny of the natural seed of Abraham. Third. He then promises to Jacob personally to be with him, protect him, and bring him back in safety. This is the third announcement of the seed that blesses to the third in the line of descent Genesis 12:2-3; Genesis 22:18; Genesis 26:4.
Genesis 28:16-19
Jacob awakes, and exclaims, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not.” He knew his omnipresence; but he did not expect a special manifestation of the Lord in this place, far from the sanctuaries of his father. He is filled with solemn awe, when he finds himself in the house of God and at the gate of heaven. The pillar is the monument of the event. The pouring of oil upon it is an act of consecration to God who has there appeared to him Numbers 7:1. He calls the name of the place Bethel, “the house of God.” This is not the first time it received the name. Abraham also worshipped God here, and met with the name already existing (see on Genesis 12:8; Genesis 13:3; Genesis 25:30.)
Genesis 28:20-22
Jacob’s vow. A vow is a solemn engagement to perform a certain duty, the obligation of which is felt at the time to be especially binding. It partakes, therefore, of the nature of a promise or a covenant. It involves in its obligation, however, only one party, and is the spontaneous act of that party. Here, then, Jacob appears to take a step in advance of his predecessors. Hitherto, God had taken the initiative in every promise, and the everlasting covenant rests solely on his eternal purpose. Abraham had responded to the call of God, believed in the Lord, walked before him, entered into communion with him, made intercession with him, and given up his only son to him at his demand. In all this there is an acceptance on the part of the creature of the supremacy of the merciful Creator. But now the spirit of adoption prompts Jacob to a spontaneous movement toward God. This is no ordinary vow, referring to some special or occasional resolve.
It is the grand and solemn expression of the soul’s free, full, and perpetual acceptance of the Lord to be its own God. This is the most frank and open utterance of newborn spiritual liberty from the heart of man that has yet appeared in the divine record. “If God will be with me.” This is not the condition on which Jacob will accept God in a mercenary spirit. It is merely the echo and the thankful acknowledgment of the divine assurance, “I am with thee,” which was given immediately before. It is the response of the son to the assurance of the father: “Wilt thou indeed be with me? Thou shalt be my God.” “This stone shall be God’s house,” a monument of the presence of God among his people, and a symbol of the indwelling of his Spirit in their hearts. As it comes in here it signalizes the grateful and loving welcome and entertainment which God receives from his saints. “A tenth will I surely give unto thee.” The honored guest is treated as one of the family. Ten is the whole: a tenth is a share of the whole. The Lord of all receives one share as an acknowledgment of his sovereign right to all. Here it is represented as the full share given to the king who condescends to dwell with his subjects. Thus, Jacob opens his heart, his home, and his treasure to God. These are the simple elements of a theocracy, a national establishment of the true religion. The spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind, has begun to reign in Jacob. As the Father is prominently manifested in regenerate Abraham, and the Son in Isaac, so also the Spirit in Jacob.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Genesis 28:19. He called the name of that place Beth-el — That is, the house of God; for in consequence of his having anointed the stone, and thus consecrated it to God, he considered it as becoming henceforth his peculiar residence; see on the preceding verse. This word should be always pronounced as two distinct syllables, each strongly accented, Beth-El.
Was called Luz at the first. — The Hebrew has אולם לוז Ulam Luz, which the Roman edition of the Septuagint translates Ουλαμλουζ Oulamlouz; the Alexandrian MS., Ουλαμμους Oulammaus; the Aldine, Ουλαμμαους Oulammaous; Symmachus, Λαμμαους Lammaous; and some others, Ουλαμ Oulam. The Hebrew אולם ulam is sometimes a particle signifying as, just as; hence it may signify that the place was called Beth-El, as it was formerly called Luz. As Luz signifies an almond, almond or hazel tree, this place probably had its name from a number of such trees growing in that region. Many of the ancients confounded this city with Jerusalem, to which they attribute the eight following names, which are all expressed in this verse: -
Solyma, Luza, Bethel, Hierosolyma, Jebus, AElia, Urbs sacra, Hierusalem dicitur atque Salem.
Solyma, Luz, Beth-El, Hierosolyma, Jebus, AElia, The holy city is call'd, as also Jerusalem and Salem.
From Beth-El came the Baetylia, Bethyllia, Βαιτυλια, or animated stones, so celebrated in antiquity, and to which Divine honours were paid. The tradition of Jacob anointing this stone, and calling the place Beth-El, gave rise to all the superstitious accounts of the Baetylia or consecrated stones, which we find in Sanchoniathon and others. These became abused to idolatrous purposes, and hence God strongly prohibits them, Leviticus 26:1; and it is very likely that stones of this kind were the most ancient objects of idolatrous worship; these were afterwards formed into beautiful human figures, male and female, when the art of sculpture became tolerably perfected, and hence the origin of idolatry as far as it refers to the worshipping of images, for these, being consecrated by anointing, c., were supposed immediately to become instinct with the power and energy of some divinity. Hence, then, the Bactylia or living stones of the ancient Phoenicians, &c. As oil is an emblem of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, so those who receive this anointing are considered as being alive unto God, and are expressly called by St. Peter living stones, 1 Peter 2:4; 1 Peter 2:5. May not the apostle have reference to those living stones or Baetyllia of antiquity, and thus correct the notion by showing that these rather represented the true worshippers of God, who were consecrated to his service and made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and that these alone could be properly called the living stone, out of which the true spiritual temple is composed?
