Click
here to show/hide instructions.
Instructions on how to use the page:
The commentary for the selected verse is is displayed below.
All commentary was produced against the King James, so the same verse from that translation may appear as well. Hovering your mouse over a commentary's scripture reference attempts to show those verses.
Use the browser's back button to return to the previous page.
Or you can also select a feature from the Just Verses menu appearing at the top of the page.
Selected Verse: Genesis 28:20 - Strong Concordance
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Ge 28:20 |
Strong Concordance |
And Jacob [03290] vowed [05087] a vow [05088], saying [0559], If God [0430] will be with me, and will keep me [08104] in this way [01870] that I go [01980], and will give [05414] me bread [03899] to eat [0398], and raiment [0899] to put on [03847], |
|
King James |
And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
JACOB'S VOW. (Gen 28:20-22)
Jacob vowed a vow--His words are not to be considered as implying a doubt, far less as stating the condition or terms on which he would dedicate himself to God. Let "if" be changed into "since," and the language will appear a proper expression of Jacob's faith--an evidence of his having truly embraced the promise. How edifying often to meditate on Jacob at Beth-el. |
Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
Lastly, Jacob made a vow: that if God would give him the promised protection on his journey, and bring him back in safety to his father's house, Jehovah should be his God (והיה in Gen 28:21 commences the apodosis), the stone which he had set up should be a house of God, and Jehovah should receive a tenth of all that He gave to him. It is to be noticed here, that Elohim is used in the protasis instead of Jehovah, as constituting the essence of the vow: if Jehovah, who had appeared to him, proved Himself to be God by fulfilling His promise, then he would acknowledge and worship Him as his God, by making the stone thus set up into a house of God, i.e., a place of sacrifice, and by tithing all his possessions. With regard to the fulfilment of this vow, we learn from Gen 35:7 that Jacob built an altar, and probably also dedicated the tenth to God, i.e., offered it to Jehovah; or, as some have supposed, applied it partly to the erection and preservation of the altar, and partly to burnt and thank-offerings combined with sacrificial meals, according to the analogy of Deu 14:28-29 (cf. Gen 31:54; Gen 46:1). |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
And Jacob vowed a vow - By religious vows we give glory to God, and own our dependance upon him, and we lay a bond upon our own souls, to engage and quicken our obedience to him. Jacob was now in fear and distress, and in times of trouble it is seasonable to make vows, or when we are in pursuit of any special mercy, Jon 1:16; Psa 66:13-14; Sa1 1:11; Num 21:1-3. Jacob had now had a gracious visit from heaven, God had renewed his covenant with him, and the covenant is mutual; when God ratifies his promises to us, it is proper for us to repeat our promises to him. If thou wilt be with me and keep me - We need desire no more to make us easy and happy wherever we are, but to have God's presence with us, and to be under his protection. It is comfortable in a journey to have a guide in an unknown way, a guard in a dangerous way, to be well carried, well provided for, and to have good company in any way; and they that have God with them, have all this in the best manner. Then shall the Lord be my God - Then I will rejoice in him as my God, then I will be the more strongly engaged to abide with him. And this pillar shall be God's house - That is, an altar shall be erected here to the honour of God. And of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee - To be spent either upon God's altar or upon his poor, which are both his receivers in the world. The tenth is a very fit proportion to be devoted to God, and employed for him; though as circumstances vary, it may be more or less, as God prospers us. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Vowed a vow - A vow is a solemn, holy promise, by which a man bound himself to do certain things in a particular way, time, etc., and for power to accomplish which he depended on God; hence all vows were made with prayer.
If God will be with me, etc. - Jacob seems to make this vow rather for his posterity than for himself, as we may learn from Gen 28:13-15; for he particularly refers to the promises which God had made to him, which concerned the multiplication of his offspring, and their establishment in that land. If, then, God shall fulfill these promises, he binds his posterity to build God a house, and to devote for the maintenance of his worship the tenth of all their earthly goods. This mode of interpretation removes that appearance of self-interest which almost any other view of the subject presents. Jacob had certainly, long ere this, taken Jehovah for his God; and so thoroughly had he been instructed in the knowledge of Jehovah, that we may rest satisfied no reverses of fortune could have induced him to apostatize: but as his taking refuge with Laban was probably typical of the sojourning of his descendants in Egypt, his persecution, so as to be obliged to depart from Laban, the bad treatment of his posterity by the Egyptians, his rescue from death, preservation on his journey, re-establishment in his own country, etc., were all typical of the exodus of his descendants, their travels in the desert, and establishment in the promised land, where they built a house to God, and where, for the support and maintenance of the pure worship of God, they gave to the priests and Levites the tenth of all their worldly produce. If all this be understood as referring to Jacob only, the Scripture gives us no information how he performed his vow. |
20 And Jacob [03290] vowed [05087] a vow [05088], saying [0559], If God [0430] will be with me, and will keep me [08104] in this way [01870] that I go [01980], and will give [05414] me bread [03899] to eat [0398], and raiment [0899] to put on [03847],
21 So that I come again [07725] to my father's [01] house [01004] in peace [07965]; then shall the LORD [03068] be my God [0430]:
22 And this stone [068], which I have set [07760] for a pillar [04676], shall be God's [0430] house [01004]: and of all that thou shalt give [05414] me I will surely [06237] give the tenth [06237] unto thee.
1 And Israel [03478] took his journey [05265] with all that he had, and came [0935] to Beersheba [0884], and offered [02076] sacrifices [02077] unto the God [0430] of his father [01] Isaac [03327].
54 Then Jacob [03290] offered [02076] sacrifice [02077] upon the mount [02022], and called [07121] his brethren [0251] to eat [0398] bread [03899]: and they did eat [0398] bread [03899], and tarried all night [03885] in the mount [02022].
28 At the end [07097] of three [07969] years [08141] thou shalt bring forth [03318] all the tithe [04643] of thine increase [08393] the same year [08141], and shalt lay it up [03240] within thy gates [08179]:
29 And the Levite [03881], (because he hath no part [02506] nor inheritance [05159] with thee,) and the stranger [01616], and the fatherless [03490], and the widow [0490], which are within thy gates [08179], shall come [0935], and shall eat [0398] and be satisfied [07646]; that the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] may bless [01288] thee in all the work [04639] of thine hand [03027] which thou doest [06213].
7 And he built [01129] there an altar [04196], and called [07121] the place [04725] Elbethel [0416]: because there God [0430] appeared [01540] unto him, when he fled [01272] from the face [06440] of his brother [0251].
21 So that I come again [07725] to my father's [01] house [01004] in peace [07965]; then shall the LORD [03068] be my God [0430]:
1 And when king [04428] Arad [06166] the Canaanite [03669], which dwelt [03427] in the south [05045], heard [08085] tell that Israel [03478] came [0935] by the way [01870] of the spies [0871]; then he fought [03898] against Israel [03478], and took [07617] some of them prisoners [07628].
2 And Israel [03478] vowed [05087] a vow [05088] unto the LORD [03068], and said [0559], If thou wilt indeed [05414] deliver [05414] this people [05971] into my hand [03027], then I will utterly destroy [02763] their cities [05892].
3 And the LORD [03068] hearkened [08085] to the voice [06963] of Israel [03478], and delivered up [05414] the Canaanites [03669]; and they utterly destroyed [02763] them and their cities [05892]: and he called [07121] the name [08034] of the place [04725] Hormah [02767].
11 And she vowed [05087] a vow [05088], and said [0559], O LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], if thou wilt indeed [07200] look [07200] on the affliction [06040] of thine handmaid [0519], and remember [02142] me, and not forget [07911] thine handmaid [0519], but wilt give [05414] unto thine handmaid [0519] a man [0582] child [02233], then I will give [05414] him unto the LORD [03068] all the days [03117] of his life [02416], and there shall no razor [04177] come [05927] upon his head [07218].
13 I will go [0935] into thy house [01004] with burnt offerings [05930]: I will pay [07999] thee my vows [05088],
14 Which my lips [08193] have uttered [06475], and my mouth [06310] hath spoken [01696], when I was in trouble [06862].
16 Then the men [0582] feared [03372] the LORD [03068] exceedingly [01419] [03374], and offered [02076] a sacrifice [02077] unto the LORD [03068], and made [05087] vows [05088].
13 And, behold, the LORD [03068] stood [05324] above it, and said [0559], I am the LORD [03068] God [0430] of Abraham [085] thy father [01], and the God [0430] of Isaac [03327]: the land [0776] whereon thou liest [07901], to thee will I give it [05414], and to thy seed [02233];
14 And thy seed [02233] shall be as the dust [06083] of the earth [0776], and thou shalt spread abroad [06555] to the west [03220], and to the east [06924], and to the north [06828], and to the south [05045]: and in thee and in thy seed [02233] shall all the families [04940] of the earth [0127] be blessed [01288].
15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep [08104] thee in all places whither [0834] thou goest [03212], and will bring thee again [07725] into this land [0127]; for I will not leave [05800] thee, until [0834] I have done [06213] that which I have spoken [01696] to thee of.