Genesis-Chap-28
-hebraicstudies.net-
Please do NOT visit this
site on שַׁבָּת - Shabbat or on the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim -
Feasts!
Re Tanakh versions:
Throughout this
site I may use any of the following three versions of
the Tanakh: 1. “Jewish
Publication Society” (JPS-1917), 2. “Mechon-Mamre.org” (MEC), and 3. “Sefaria.org” (SEF), three brilliant versions, although JPS-1917 is my preferred
version!
Colour coded details of our
beloved TaNaKh:
1. Torah = History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.
*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical books -
Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot, or Scrolls - Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations
of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and
history of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles I & II.
Please Note: Some
alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’
of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, having
been corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.
YYYYYYY
Remember the following
truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER
SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep
the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your
Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
YYYYYYY
“Genesis Chapter 28”
With
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
Genesis
Chapter 28 marks a transformative moment in the life of Jacob. As he
transitions from the comforts of home to the uncertainty of exile, he moves
from being a son acting under his mother’s direction to a man standing directly
before the Divine. This chapter serves as the bridge between Jacob’s life in
Canaan and his future in
YYYYYYY
Genesis Chapter 28, verses 1 to 22: Whilst
below the verses are the Explanation’s. (The Chapter is from
JPS-1917 version of the Torah).
Verses 1-5: And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said
unto him: ‘Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of
Explanation Verses 1-5, describe Isaac’s formal departure instructions to Jacob. Unlike the previous
chapter’s tension, here Isaac knowingly charges Jacob to find a wife from the
house of Bethuel, his mother’s father. Isaac
explicitly confers the “Blessing of Abraham” upon him, confirming that the
spiritual and territorial legacy belongs to Jacob.
Verses 6-9: Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed
him he gave him a charge, saying: ‘Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters
of Canaan’; and that Jacob hearkened to his father and his
mother, and was gone to Paddan-aram; and Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan pleased not
Isaac his father; so Esau went unto Ishmael, and took unto
the wives that he had Mahalath the
daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife.
Explanation Verses 6-9, detail Esau’s reaction to Jacob’s departure. Seeing that his Canaanite wives
displeased his father, Esau attempts to regain parental favour by
marrying Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael. This
highlights the contrast between Jacob’s journey toward the family’s spiritual
roots and Esau’s attempts to fix his status through additional marriages.
Verses 10-11: And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward
Explanation Verses 10-11, follow Jacob as he leaves Beer-sheba. As the sun sets, he stops at a “certain place” to
sleep, using a stone for a pillow. This setting emphasizes his vulnerability
and isolation as he flees his brother’s wrath and heads into the unknown.
Verses 12-15: And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the
earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God) ascending and descending on it. And, behold, יְהוָה - the LORD stood beside him, and said: ‘I am יְהוָה - the LORD, the אֱלֹהִים - Elohim of Abraham thy father, and the אֱלֹהִים - Elohim of Isaac. The land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt
spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south.
And in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be
blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee
whithersoever thou goest,
and will bring thee back into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I
have done that which I have spoken to thee of’.
Explanation Verses 12-15, recount Jacob’s famous
dream of a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and
descending. In this vision, אֱלֹהִים - Elohim stands
above the ladder and speaks directly to Jacob, promising him the land, a vast progeny,
and Divine protection. This is the moment the ancestral promise becomes Jacob’s
personal reality.
Verses 16-17: And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said:
‘Surely יְהוָה - the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not’. And he was afraid, and said: ‘How full of awe is this place! this is none other than the house of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, and this is the gate of heaven’.
Explanation Verses 16-17, describe Jacob’s reaction upon waking. He is struck by a sense of awe and holy
fear, realizing that the spot he chose for sleep is a “dreadful” and sacred
space the “gate of heaven” even though he was initially unaware of the Divine
presence there.
Verses 18-19: And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the
stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured
oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that
place ‘Beth-el’, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
Explanation Verses 18-19, focus on Jacob’s physical response to the revelation. He takes the stone he
used as a pillow, sets it up as a monument (matzevah),
and pours oil on it to sanctify it. He renames the place “
Verses 20-22: 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, so that I come back to my father’s house
in peace, then shall יְהוָה - the LORD be my אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, and this stone, which I
have set up for a pillar, shall be אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s house;
and of all that Thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto Thee’.
Explanation Verses 20-22, concludes the chapter
with Jacob’s vow. He makes his commitment to אֱלֹהִים - Elohim conditional
on אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s
protection: if he is kept safe, provided with food and clothing, and returned
home in peace, he will dedicate himself to the Divine service and return a
tenth of everything he gains to אֱלֹהִים - Elohim.
YYYYYYY
My Closing Message:
Genesis
28 illustrates the shift from physical inheritance to spiritual responsibility.
Jacob begins his journey as a fugitive but ends it as a visionary. The image of
the ladder suggests that the אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the
LORD Elohim, בָּרוּךְ
שֵׁם - Baruch Shem - “Blessed be His Name”, is not distant, but actively involved in
the earthly realm. As Jacob moves toward
YYYYYYY
Please Note: “hebraicstudies”
links are located down the page!
This site was
originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful
faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times
a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s
guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed
be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of
studies!
Remember
what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed
be He, said the following via several of our prophets...
“Return unto Me,
and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts” Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).
YYYYYYY
“Hebraic Studies” motto
is as follows;
“The More
Torah, the More Life”,
For Elohim is the One who gave us our ... “Life!”
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom =
Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD
of hosts, be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat,
as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and
continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s - Prayers and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s - blessings before
food and drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!
Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Enter ...
http://www.hebraicstudies.net/Site-Index.htm
Enter ...
https://www.hebraicstudies.net
-hebraicstudies.net-
Email the Rabbi
If the email link does not
open - You can also copy the link and use it.
Although the author does not believe in
having to copyright “Hebraic Studies” commenced in the mid 1980’,
but there have been occasions where there
parts of his studies have been taken and quoted out of context
under my name, and thus he has been
misquoted by those who have their own reasons for doing so.
Thus, it is only for this reason these
works are fully covered under strict ...
Copyright © 2025 - “Hebraic Studies” - All rights reserved.