Genesis 28:16
Genesis 28:16 in Multiple Translations
When Jacob woke up, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was unaware of it.”
¶ And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely Jehovah is in this place; and I knew it not.
And Jacob, awaking from his sleep, said, Truly, the Lord is in this place and I was not conscious of it.
When Jacob woke up he said to himself, “The Lord is right here, in this place, and I didn't realize it!”
Then Iaakob awoke out of his sleepe, and sayde, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware.
And Jacob awaketh out of his sleep, and saith, 'Surely Jehovah is in this place, and I knew not;'
Jacob awakened out of his sleep, and he said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I didn’t know it.”
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.
And when Jacob awaked out of sleep, he said: Indeed the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not.
During the night, when Jacob woke up from sleeping, he thought, “Surely Yahweh is in this place, and until now I was not aware of it!”
Then Jacob woke up, and he said, “Now I know that God is in this place. I didn’t know that before, but now I do.”
Berean Amplified Bible — Genesis 28:16
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Genesis 28:16 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/יִּיקַ֣ץ
יַעֲקֹב֮
מִ/שְּׁנָת/וֹ֒
וַ/יֹּ֕אמֶר
אָכֵן֙
יֵ֣שׁ
יְהוָ֔ה
בַּ/מָּק֖וֹם
הַ/זֶּ֑ה
וְ/אָנֹכִ֖י
לֹ֥א
יָדָֽעְתִּי
וַ/יִּיקַ֣ץ
yâqats
H3364
to awake
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
יַעֲקֹב֮
Yaʻăqôb
H3290
Jacob
N-proper
מִ/שְּׁנָת/וֹ֒
shênâh
H8142
sleep
Prep | N-fs | Suff
וַ/יֹּ֕אמֶר
ʼâmar
H559
to say
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
אָכֵן֙
ʼâkên
H403
surely
Adv
יֵ֣שׁ
yêsh
H3426
there
Part
יְהוָ֔ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
The Lord
N-proper
בַּ/מָּק֖וֹם
mâqôwm
H4725
place
Prep | N-ms
הַ/זֶּ֑ה
zeh
H2088
this
Art | Pron
וְ/אָנֹכִ֖י
ʼânôkîy
H595
I
Conj | Pron
לֹ֥א
lôʼ
H3808
not
Part
יָדָֽעְתִּי
yâdaʻ
H3045
to know
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Genesis 28:16
וַ/יִּיקַ֣ץ
yâqats
H3364
"to awake"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to wake up or become active, and is used in the Bible to describe someone awakening from sleep. It is translated as 'awake' in the KJV.
Definition: (Qal) to awake, awaken, become active
Usage: Occurs in 10 OT verses. KJV: (be) awake(-d). See also: Genesis 9:24; Judges 16:14; Psalms 78:65.
יַעֲקֹב֮
Yaʻăqôb
H3290
"Jacob"
N-proper
This word is the name of a person, Jacob, a key figure in the Bible. He was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the father of many tribes of Israel. The KJV simply translates it as Jacob.
Definition: A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26; son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259); brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A); father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently Another name of yis.ra.el (יִשְׂרָאֵל "Israel" H3478) § Jacob = "heel holder" or "supplanter" son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 12 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel
Usage: Occurs in 319 OT verses. KJV: Jacob. See also: Genesis 25:26; Genesis 34:1; Psalms 14:7.
מִ/שְּׁנָת/וֹ֒
shênâh
H8142
"sleep"
Prep | N-fs | Suff
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to sleep or be asleep, like when God put Adam to sleep in Genesis 2:21. It is also used to describe a state of unconsciousness. This word is used throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: sleep Aramaic equivalent: she.nah (שְׁנָה "sleep" H8139)
Usage: Occurs in 23 OT verses. KJV: sleep. See also: Genesis 28:16; Proverbs 6:4; Psalms 76:6.
וַ/יֹּ֕אמֶר
ʼâmar
H559
"to say"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.
אָכֵן֙
ʼâkên
H403
"surely"
Adv
The Hebrew word ʼâkên means surely or truly, often used for strong emphasis. It is used in the Bible to express certainty or contrast, like in Genesis 28:16 where Jacob says 'Surely the Lord is in this place'.
Definition: 1) surely, truly, indeed 1a) truly, indeed (strong assertive force) 1b) but indeed, but in fact (emphasizing a contrast)
Usage: Occurs in 17 OT verses. KJV: but, certainly, nevertheless, surely, truly, verily. See also: Genesis 28:16; Isaiah 40:7; Psalms 31:23.
יֵ֣שׁ
yêsh
H3426
"there"
Part
This Hebrew word means 'there is' or 'there are', used to show existence or being. It appears in various forms, like 'to be' or 'to have'. In the Bible, it's used in Genesis and Psalms to describe God's presence.
Definition: 1) being, existence, substance, there is or are 1a) substance 1b) existence 1c) there is or are Aramaic equivalent: i.tay (אִיתַי "there is" H0383)
Usage: Occurs in 129 OT verses. KJV: (there) are, (he, it, shall, there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had, hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is, substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt, wouldest. See also: Genesis 18:24; Nehemiah 5:2; Psalms 7:4.
יְהוָ֔ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
"The Lord"
N-proper
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Usage: Occurs in 5522 OT verses. KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה). See also: Genesis 2:4; Genesis 24:42; Exodus 8:8.
בַּ/מָּק֖וֹם
mâqôwm
H4725
"place"
Prep | N-ms
Maqom means a place or location, like a city or a region. It can also refer to a condition of the body or mind. This term is used to describe a wide range of locations and situations.
Definition: 1) standing place, place 1a) standing place, station, post, office 1b) place, place of human abode 1c) city, land, region 1d) place, locality, spot 1e) space, room, distance 1f) region, quarter, direction 1g) give place to, instead of
Usage: Occurs in 379 OT verses. KJV: country, [idiom] home, [idiom] open, place, room, space, [idiom] whither(-soever). See also: Genesis 1:9; Deuteronomy 12:3; 1 Kings 20:24.
הַ/זֶּ֑ה
zeh
H2088
"this"
Art | Pron
This word is a pronoun meaning this or that, used to point out a specific person or thing. It appears in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms, to indicate something specific. The KJV translates it as he, here, or it.
Definition: 1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such 1a) (alone) 1a1) this one 1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another 1b) (appos to subst) 1b1) this 1c) (as predicate) 1c1) this, such 1d) (enclitically) 1d1) then 1d2) who, whom 1d3) how now, what now 1d4) what now 1d5) wherefore now 1d6) behold here 1d7) just now 1d8) now, now already 1e) (poetry) 1e1) wherein, which, those who 1f) (with prefixes) 1f1) in this (place) here, then 1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter 1f3) thus and thus 1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus 1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side 1f6) on this account 1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how
Usage: Occurs in 1061 OT verses. KJV: he, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus, very, which. Compare H2063 (זֹאת), H2090 (זֹה), H2097 (זוֹ), H2098 (זוּ). See also: Genesis 5:1; Exodus 10:17; Numbers 14:16.
וְ/אָנֹכִ֖י
ʼânôkîy
H595
"I"
Conj | Pron
This simple Hebrew word just means 'I', referring to the speaker, like in Genesis 27 where Esau says 'I' when talking to his father Isaac.
Definition: I (first pers. sing.) Another spelling of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589)
Usage: Occurs in 335 OT verses. KJV: I, me, [idiom] which. See also: Genesis 3:10; Deuteronomy 11:26; 2 Samuel 3:39.
לֹ֥א
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
יָדָֽעְתִּי
yâdaʻ
H3045
"to know"
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Definition: 1) to know 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to know 1a1a) to know, learn to know 1a1b) to perceive 1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern 1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish 1a1e) to know by experience 1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skilful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed 1b2) to make oneself known 1b3) to be perceived 1b4) to be instructed 1c) (Piel) to cause to know 1d) (Poal) to cause to know 1e) (Pual) 1e1) to be known 1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle) 1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare 1g) (Hophal) to be made known 1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)
Usage: Occurs in 874 OT verses. KJV: acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, [phrase] be learned, [phrase] lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, [idiom] prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), [idiom] will be, wist, wit, wot. See also: Genesis 3:5; Leviticus 5:4; Judges 21:12.
Study Notes — Genesis 28:16
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Genesis 28:16 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Genesis 28:16
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 28:16
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Genesis 28:16
- Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 28:16
- Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 28:16
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Genesis 28:16
- Cambridge Bible on Genesis 28:16
- Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 28:16
- Sermons on Genesis 28:16
Context — Jacob’s Ladder
14Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and east and north and south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.
15Look, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
16When Jacob woke up, he said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was unaware of it.”
17And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven!” 18Early the next morning, Jacob took the stone that he had placed under his head, and he set it up as a pillar. He poured oil on top of it,Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua 5:15 | The Commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. |
| 2 | Exodus 3:5 | “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” |
| 3 | Exodus 15:11 | Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders? |
| 4 | 1 Samuel 3:4–7 | Then the LORD called to Samuel, and he answered, “Here I am.” He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” “I did not call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. Once again the LORD called, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” “My son, I did not call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, because the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. |
| 5 | Job 33:14 | For God speaks in one way and in another, yet no one notices. |
| 6 | Job 9:11 | Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him. |
| 7 | Isaiah 8:13 | The LORD of Hosts is the One you shall regard as holy. Only He should be feared; only He should be dreaded. |
| 8 | Psalms 68:35 | O God, You are awesome in Your sanctuary; the God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God! |
Genesis 28:16 Summary
[This verse means that Jacob realized God was with him, even when he didn't feel it or know it, similar to what God promised in Genesis 28:15. It's like when you're with a friend, but you're not paying attention to them, and then you realize they're right there with you. God is always with us, even when we don't feel His presence, as promised in Matthew 28:20, and we should seek to recognize and respond to Him.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean that Jacob thought the LORD was in this place and he was unaware of it?
This indicates that Jacob had an encounter with God, but did not initially recognize it, similar to how the disciples did not recognize Jesus on the road to Emmaus, as described in Luke 24:13-35. It highlights the idea that God can be present with us even when we are not aware of it.
How does this verse relate to the concept of God's presence in our lives?
This verse shows that God can be present in any place, at any time, as promised in Genesis 28:15, where God says, 'I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go.' It emphasizes the idea that God is always with us, even when we do not feel His presence.
What can we learn from Jacob's response to realizing God's presence?
Jacob's response teaches us to be aware of God's presence in our lives and to respond with reverence and awe, as seen in his words in Genesis 28:17, 'How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven!'
How does this verse apply to our everyday lives?
This verse reminds us to be mindful of God's presence in our daily lives, just as Jacob was, and to seek to recognize and respond to Him, as encouraged in Psalm 46:10, 'Be still and know that I am God.'
Reflection Questions
- What are some times in your life when you felt God's presence, but did not initially recognize it?
- How can you cultivate a sense of awareness of God's presence in your daily life?
- What are some ways you can respond to God's presence in your life, like Jacob did, with reverence and awe?
- In what ways can you seek to recognize and respond to God's presence in the mundane aspects of your life?
Gill's Exposition on Genesis 28:16
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep,.... Which had been sweet unto him, and out of his dream, it being now over; and it having left such a weight upon his mind, and such an awe upon his spirits, it
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 28:16
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Genesis 28:16
Surely the Lord is in this place, by his special and gracious presence, and the manifestation of his mind and will to me; and I little expected to meet with such a revelation out of my father’ s house, much less in this desert and doleful state and place, when I thought myself rejected by God, as well as abandoned by men.
Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 28:16
Genesis 28:16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew [it] not.Ver. 16. And I knew it not,] viz., That God is graciously present in one place, as well as in another. Our ignorance and unbelief is freely to be confessed and acknowledged. Thus David; Agur. Pray for me, saith Father Latimer to his friend; pray for me, I say: for I am sometimes so fearful, that I would creep into a mouse hole. And in a certain sermon; I myself, saith he, have used, in mine earnest matters, to say, "Yea, by St Mary"; which indeed is naught. In his letter to Ridley, Act. and Mon., 1565. Sermon in 3d Sunday in Advent.
Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 28:16
(16) Surely the Lord (Jehovah) is in this place.—Jacob was not unaware of the omnipresence of the Deity: what astonished him was that Jehovah should thus reveal Himself far away from the shrines where He was worshipped. Rebekah had gone to one of these to inquire of Jehovah (Genesis 25:22), and probably to a shrine in the very neighbourhood of the place where Jacob was sleeping (Genesis 12:8). But first Abraham, and then Isaac, had for so long made Beer-sheba their home, that Jacob probably knew little about the sanctity of the spot, and felt himself far away from all the religious associations of his youth, and from that “presence of Jehovah” which in antediluvian times had also been supposed to be confined to certain localities (Genesis 4:16). But one great object of the dream was to show that Jehovah watches over the whole earth, and that messengers to and fro come from Him and return unto Him.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Genesis 28:16
Verse 16. The Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.] That is, God has made this place his peculiar residence; it is a place in which he meets with and reveals himself to his followers. Jacob might have supposed that this place had been consecrated to God. And it has already been supposed that, his mind having been brought into a humble frame, he was prepared to hold communion with his Maker.
Cambridge Bible on Genesis 28:16
16. in this place] Jacob’s words express astonishment that Jehovah should have manifested Himself (a) in a place remote from his father’s home; (b) to himself a solitary wanderer. this place] Compare Exodus 3:5, “the place whereon thou standest is holy ground”; Joshua 5:15, “the place whereon thou standest is holy.”
Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 28:16
16. Surely the Lord is in this place — The vision awakened a new life, and a new world of thought and emotion within him. He had been, comparatively, a stranger to Jehovah.
Sermons on Genesis 28:16
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Without Spot or Wrinkle by B.H. Clendennen | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the need for a holy and genuine church filled with the Holy Spirit. He compares weariness and fear to the experiences of young soldiers in w |
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The Abrahamic Faith (2 of 2) by Art Katz | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding and maintaining the covenant with God. They highlight how divorce within the church reflects a loss of the se |
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(Genesis) Genesis 28:16-22 by J. Vernon McGee | J. Vernon McGee discusses Jacob's encounter with God at Bethel, emphasizing that Jacob initially believed he could run away from God, only to realize that God was present wherever |
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Called to Be Men of God by Eric J. Alexander | In this sermon, the speaker addresses the importance of the center of gravity in the lives of those who preach the word of God. He emphasizes that the center of gravity should be i |
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a.w. Tozer Audio Prayers - Part 5 by A.W. Tozer | This sermon is a heartfelt prayer for repentance, revival, and surrender to God. It emphasizes the need for individuals to acknowledge their sins, seek forgiveness, and fully surre |
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Jacob by Eric Hughes | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the life of Jacob and how he didn't have a good start but finished well. The sermon emphasizes the principle of sowing and reaping, stating t |
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Speaking Greater Things to Others - Nathanael's Epiphany by Michael Flowers | In this sermon, the speaker reflects on the encounter between Jesus and Nathaniel. The speaker emphasizes the importance of seeking and experiencing the light of God through Jesus |