Genesis 28:13 And there at the top the LORD was standing and saying, "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 now lie.

◄ Genesis 28:13 ►

New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
And there at the top the LORD was standing and saying, “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 now lie.

King James Bible
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;

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
Then behold, the LORD was standing above it and said, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your descendants.

NASB 1995
And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants.

NASB 1977
And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants.

Legacy Standard Bible
And behold, Yahweh stood above it and said, “I am Yahweh, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your seed.

Amplified Bible
And behold, the LORD stood above and around him and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your [father’s] father and the God of Isaac; I will give to you and to your descendants the land [of promise] on which you are lying.

Christian Standard Bible
The LORD was standing there beside him, saying, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your offspring the land on which you are lying.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Yahweh was standing there beside him, saying, “I am Yahweh, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your offspring the land that you are now sleeping on.

American Standard Version
And, behold, Jehovah stood above it, and said, I am Jehovah, the 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;

Contemporary English Version
The LORD was standing beside the ladder and said: I am the LORD God who was worshiped by Abraham and Isaac. I will give to you and your family the land on which you are now sleeping.

English Revised Version
And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD, the 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;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD was standing above it, saying, "I am the LORD, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give the land on which you are lying to you and your descendants.

Good News Translation
And there was the LORD standing beside him. "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham and Isaac," he said. "I will give to you and to your descendants this land on which you are lying.

International Standard Version
And there was the LORD, standing above it and telling Jacob, "I am the LORD God of your grandfather Abraham. I'm Isaac's God, too. I'm giving you and your descendants the ground on which you're sleeping.

Majority Standard Bible
And there at the top the LORD was standing and saying, “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 now lie.

NET Bible
and the LORD stood at its top. He said, "I am the LORD, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the ground you are lying on.

New Heart English Bible
And God stood above it, and said, "I am the God of Abraham your grandfather, and the God of Isaac. The land on which you are lying I will give to you and to your descendants.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 on which thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed.

World English Bible
Behold, Yahweh stood above it, and said, “I am Yahweh, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. I will give the land you lie on to you and to your offspring.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and behold, YHWH is standing on it, and He says, “I [am] YHWH, God of your father Abraham, and God of Isaac; the land on which you are lying, to you I give it, and to your seed;

Young's Literal Translation
and lo, Jehovah is standing upon it, and He saith, 'I am Jehovah, God of Abraham thy father, and God of Isaac; the land on which thou art lying, to thee I give it, and to thy seed;

Smith's Literal Translation
And behold, Jehovah was set upon it, and he will say, I Jehovah, the God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaak: the land which thou liest upon it, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord leaning upon the ladder, saying to him: I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac; the land, wherein thou sleepest, I will give to thee and to thy seed.

Catholic Public Domain Version
and the Lord, leaning upon the ladder, saying to him: “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. The land, in which you sleep, I will give to you and to your offspring.

New American Bible
And there was the LORD standing beside him and saying: I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you are lying I will give to you and your descendants.

New Revised Standard Version
And the LORD stood beside him 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;

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
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 whereon you are lying, I will give to you and to your descendants;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And behold LORD JEHOVAH was standing above it, and LORD JEHOVAH said: “I AM the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac; the land upon which you lie I shall give to you and to your seed;

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And, behold, the LORD stood beside him, and said: 'I am the LORD, the 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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord stood upon it, and said, I am the God of thy father Abraam, and the God of Isaac; fear not, the land on which thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Jacob's Ladder
…12And Jacob had a dream about a ladder that rested on the earth with its top reaching up to heaven, and God’s angels were going up and down the ladder. 13And there at the top the LORD was standing and saying, “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 now lie. 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.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Genesis 12:7
Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

Genesis 26:24
and that night the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of My servant Abraham.”

Genesis 35:12
The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.”

Exodus 3:6
Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Genesis 13:15
for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever.

Genesis 15:18
On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—

Genesis 17:8
And to you and your descendants I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as an eternal possession; and I will be their God.”

Genesis 22:16-18
saying, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your only son, / I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies. / And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

Genesis 24:7
The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—He will send His angel before you so that you can take a wife for my son from there.

Genesis 50:24
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely visit you and bring you up from this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Exodus 6:8
And I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD!’”

Leviticus 26:42
then I will remember My covenant with Jacob and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.

Deuteronomy 34:4
And the LORD said to him, “This is the land that I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you will not cross into it.”

Acts 7:5
He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised to give possession of the land to Abraham and his descendants, even though he did not yet have a child.

Acts 7:32
‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.

Treasury of Scripture

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 where on you lie, to you will I give it, and to your seed;

the Lord stood.

Genesis 35:1,6,7
And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother…

Genesis 48:3
And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

I am.

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Genesis 17:6,7
And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee…

Genesis 26:24
And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.

the land.

Genesis 28:4
And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.

Genesis 12:7
And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

Genesis 13:15
For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

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Genesis 28

1. Isaac blesses Jacob, and sends him to Padan-aram.
6. Esau marries Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael.
10. Jacob journeys, and has a vision of a ladder.
18. The stone of Bethel.
20. Jacob's vow.

Berean Study Bible

And there at the top
This phrase sets the scene for a divine encounter. The "top" refers to the pinnacle of the ladder in Jacob's dream, symbolizing a connection between heaven and earth. In Hebrew, the word for "top" is "רֹאשׁ" (rosh), often used to denote the head or chief part, indicating the highest point of spiritual significance. This imagery underscores the transcendence of God and His supreme authority over all creation.

the LORD was standing
The Hebrew word for "LORD" is "יהוה" (YHWH), the sacred and personal name of God, emphasizing His eternal presence and covenantal faithfulness. The act of "standing" suggests readiness and intentionality, portraying God as actively engaged in the affairs of His people. This divine posture reassures Jacob of God's unwavering support and presence.

and said, 'I am the LORD
God's self-identification as "I am the LORD" echoes His revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:14, "I AM WHO I AM." This declaration affirms His self-existence, sovereignty, and unchanging nature. It is a profound reminder of God's eternal presence and His role as the ultimate authority in the universe.

the God of your father Abraham
By identifying Himself as the God of Abraham, God reaffirms the covenantal promises made to Jacob's grandfather. Abraham is a patriarchal figure, representing faith and obedience. This reference serves to remind Jacob of the rich spiritual heritage and the divine promises that are now being extended to him.

and the God of Isaac
Mentioning Isaac, Jacob's father, reinforces the continuity of God's covenant through the generations. Isaac's life was marked by God's provision and faithfulness, and this connection assures Jacob that the same divine care and promise are now his inheritance.

I will give you
This promise of giving is a direct assurance of God's provision and blessing. The Hebrew verb "נָתַן" (natan) means to give or bestow, indicating a generous and intentional act of grace. God's promise to Jacob is not earned but freely given, highlighting the nature of divine grace.

and your descendants
The mention of "descendants" points to the future generations that will come from Jacob, emphasizing the enduring nature of God's promise. This promise of numerous offspring echoes the Abrahamic covenant, ensuring the perpetuation of God's people and His plan through Jacob's lineage.

the land on which you now lie
The "land" refers to the Promised Land, a central theme in the biblical narrative. This specific land, where Jacob lay during his dream, is a tangible symbol of God's promise and faithfulness. The land is not just a physical territory but a place of divine blessing and fulfillment of God's covenantal promises. This assurance to Jacob is a reaffirmation of God's commitment to His people and His plan for their future.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - And, behold, - "the dream-vision is so glorious that the narrator represents it by a threefold הִגֵּה (Lange) - the Lord stood above it, - the change in the Divine name is not to be explained by assigning vers. 13-16 to the Jehovistic editor (Tuch, Bleek) or to a subsequent redactor (Davidson), since without it the Elohistic document would be abrupt, if not incomplete (Kalisch), but by recalling the fact that it is not the general providence of the Deity over his creature man, but the special superintendence of the God of Abraham and of Isaac over his chosen people, that the symbolic ladder was intended to depict (Hengstenberg) - and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: - thus not simply proclaiming his personal name Jehovah, but announcing himself as the Elohim who had solemnly entered into covenant with his ancestors, and who had now come, in virtue of that covenant, to renew to him the promises he had previously given them - the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed - given to Abraham, Genesis 13:15; to Isaac, Genesis 26:3.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

And there
וְהִנֵּ֨ה (wə·hin·nêh)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

at the top
עָלָיו֮ (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the LORD
יְהוָ֜ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

was standing
נִצָּ֣ב (niṣ·ṣāḇ)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5324: To take one's stand, stand

and saying,
וַיֹּאמַר֒ (way·yō·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“I
אֲנִ֣י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

am the LORD,
יְהוָ֗ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

the God
אֱלֹהֵי֙ (’ĕ·lō·hê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

of your father
אָבִ֔יךָ (’ā·ḇî·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

Abraham
אַבְרָהָ֣ם (’aḇ·rā·hām)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 85: Abraham -- 'exalted father', the father of the Jewish nation

and the God
וֵאלֹהֵ֖י (wê·lō·hê)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

of Isaac.
יִצְחָ֑ק (yiṣ·ḥāq)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3327: Isaac -- 'he laughs', son of Abraham and Sarah

I will give
אֶתְּנֶ֖נָּה (’et·tə·nen·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

you and your descendants
וּלְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃ (ū·lə·zar·‘e·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity

the land
הָאָ֗רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

on which
אֲשֶׁ֤ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you
אַתָּה֙ (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

now lie.
שֹׁכֵ֣ב (šō·ḵêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7901: To lie down

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OT Law: Genesis 28:13 Behold Yahweh stood above it and said (Gen. Ge Gn)