Genesis 28:16
New International Version
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”

New Living Translation
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!”

English Standard Version
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.”

Berean Standard Bible
When Jacob woke up, he said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was unaware of it.”

King James Bible
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.

New King James Version
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.

New American Standard Bible
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “The LORD is certainly in this place, and I did not know it!”

NASB 1995
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.”

NASB 1977
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely Yahweh is in this place, and I did not know it.”

Amplified Bible
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and he said, “Without any doubt the LORD is in this place, and I did not realize it.”

Christian Standard Bible
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.”

American Standard Version
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely Jehovah is in this place; and I knew it not.

Contemporary English Version
Jacob woke up suddenly and thought, "The LORD is in this place, and I didn't even know it."

English Revised Version
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Jacob woke up from his sleep and exclaimed, "Certainly, the LORD is in this place, and I didn't know it!"

Good News Translation
Jacob woke up and said, "The LORD is here! He is in this place, and I didn't know it!"

International Standard Version
Then Jacob woke up during the night and told himself, "Surely, the LORD is in this place and I never knew it!"

Majority Standard Bible
When Jacob woke up, he said, ?Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was unaware of it.?

NET Bible
Then Jacob woke up and thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, but I did not realize it!"

New Heart English Bible
Then Jacob woke up from his sleep, and said, "Surely God is in this place, and I did not know it."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.

World English Bible
Jacob awakened out of his sleep, and he said, “Surely Yahweh is in this place, and I didn’t know it.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Jacob awakens out of his sleep and says, “Surely YHWH is in this place, and I did not know”;

Young's Literal Translation
And Jacob awaketh out of his sleep, and saith, 'Surely Jehovah is in this place, and I knew not;'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jacob will awake from his sleep, and he will say, surely there is Jehovah in this place and I knew not.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when Jacob awaked out of sleep, he said: Indeed the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And when Jacob had awakened from sleep, he said, “Truly, the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”

New American Bible
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, “Truly, the LORD is in this place and I did not know it!”

New Revised Standard Version
Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place—and I did not know it!”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Jacob awoke from his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I did not know it.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Yaquuv was awakened from his sleep and he said, “Truly, LORD JEHOVAH is in this place and I not have known.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said: 'Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and said, The Lord is in this place, and I knew it not.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jacob's Ladder
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 thought, “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!”…

Cross References
Exodus 3:4-6
When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from within the bush, “Moses, Moses!” “Here I am,” he answered. / “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” / 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.

Judges 6:12-22
And the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and said, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.” / “Please, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all His wonders of which our fathers told us, saying, ‘Has not the LORD brought us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hand of Midian.” / The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Am I not sending you?” ...

1 Kings 19:11-13
Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. / After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice. / When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Isaiah 6:1-5
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted; and the train of His robe filled the temple. / Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. / And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.” ...

Job 42:5-6
My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You. / Therefore I despise myself, and I repent in dust and ashes.”

Psalm 139:7-10
Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? / If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. / If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle by the farthest sea, ...

Jeremiah 23:23-24
“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away?” / “Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.

2 Kings 6:17
Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Daniel 10:7-9
Only I, Daniel, saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but a great terror fell upon them, and they ran and hid themselves. / So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision. No strength remained in me; my face grew deathly pale, and I was powerless. / I heard the sound of his words, and as I listened, I fell into a deep sleep, with my face to the ground.

Amos 3:7
Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.

Matthew 28:20
and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 14:21
Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”

John 20:14-16
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not recognize that it was Jesus. / “Woman, why are you weeping?” Jesus asked. “Whom are you seeking?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried Him off, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.” / Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

Acts 9:3-5
As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. / He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?” / “Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied.


Treasury of Scripture

And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.

and I.

Exodus 3:5
And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

Exodus 15:11
Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

Joshua 5:15
And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

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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.














When Jacob woke up
Jacob's awakening marks a pivotal moment in his spiritual journey. This event occurs after his dream of a ladder reaching to heaven, where he sees angels ascending and descending. This dream signifies a divine connection between heaven and earth, emphasizing God's ongoing involvement in human affairs. Jacob's awakening can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual enlightenment and awareness of God's presence.

he said,
Jacob's verbal response indicates a moment of realization and acknowledgment. In biblical narratives, speech often signifies a character's internal transformation or understanding. This moment is crucial as it reflects Jacob's recognition of a divine encounter.

“Surely the LORD is in this place,
Jacob's declaration acknowledges God's presence in a specific location, which he had not previously recognized. This reflects the belief in sacred spaces where God reveals Himself. The location, later named Bethel, becomes significant in Israel's history as a place of worship and encounter with God. This statement also underscores the omnipresence of God, who can manifest His presence anywhere, not just in designated holy sites.

and I was unaware of it.”
Jacob's admission of unawareness highlights human limitations in perceiving the divine. It serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the mystery of His ways, which often go unnoticed until He chooses to reveal Himself. This phrase can be connected to other biblical instances where individuals fail to recognize God's presence or actions, such as the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-35. It also speaks to the theme of spiritual blindness and the need for divine revelation to truly understand God's workings in the world.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jacob
The son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the twin brother of Esau. Jacob is a central figure in this passage, experiencing a divine encounter in a dream.

2. Bethel
The location where Jacob has his dream. Originally called Luz, Jacob renames it Bethel, meaning "House of God," after his encounter with God.

3. The Dream
Jacob dreams of a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending on it, and God speaks to him, reaffirming the covenant made with Abraham and Isaac.
Teaching Points
Awareness of God's Presence
Jacob's realization teaches us to be aware of God's presence in our daily lives, even when we do not initially perceive it.

God's Faithfulness
The reaffirmation of the covenant to Jacob reminds us of God's faithfulness to His promises, encouraging us to trust in His word.

Spiritual Awakening
Jacob's awakening symbolizes a spiritual awakening, prompting us to seek deeper understanding and relationship with God.

Transformation of Places
Just as Jacob transformed Luz into Bethel, we are called to transform our environments into places where God's presence is acknowledged and revered.

Personal Reflection
Jacob's experience encourages personal reflection on our own spiritual journeys and the moments when we have encountered God unexpectedly.(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.

Verse 16. - And Jacob awaked out of his sleep (during which he had seen and talked with Jehovah), and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. Jacob does not here learn the doctrine of the Divine omnipresence for the first time (Knobel), but now discovers that the covenant God of Abraham revealed himself at other than consecrated places (Rosenmüller, Keil, Lange, Murphy); or perhaps simply gives expression to his astonishment at finding that whereas he fancied himself alone, he was in reality in the company of God - so plus adeptum ease quam sperare ausus fuisset (Calvin).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When Jacob
יַעֲקֹב֮ (ya·‘ă·qōḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3290: Jacob -- a son of Isaac, also his desc

woke up,
וַיִּיקַ֣ץ (way·yî·qaṣ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3364: To awake

he thought,
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Surely
אָכֵן֙ (’ā·ḵên)
Adverb
Strong's 403: Firmly, surely, but

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

is
יֵ֣שׁ (yêš)
Adverb
Strong's 3426: Being, substance, existence, is

in this
הַזֶּ֑ה (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

place,
בַּמָּק֖וֹם (bam·mā·qō·wm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4725: A standing, a spot, a condition

and I
וְאָנֹכִ֖י (wə·’ā·nō·ḵî)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 595: I

was unaware of it.”
יָדָֽעְתִּי׃ (yā·ḏā·‘ə·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3045: To know


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OT Law: Genesis 28:16 Jacob awakened out of his sleep (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 28:15
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