Genesis 28:20
Then Jacob made 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 clothing to wear,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jacob's vow isn't a suspicious bargain with God, but rather his way of embracing God's promises and pledging his grateful response. The phrase "If God will be with me" doesn't show doubt, but rather acknowledges God's promised presence and assumes its fulfillment. This highlights Jacob's faith as he accepts the covenant God initiated.
Jacob is fleeing his brother Esau and heading to Haran after receiving his father's blessing and instructions. After a dream where God reaffirms the covenant promises made to Abraham and Isaac, and assures Jacob of His presence and protection, Jacob awakens. In response to this divine encounter and promise, Jacob makes a vow, essentially accepting God's terms for their ongoing relationship.
Jacob is on the run, alone and afraid. In this vulnerable moment, he makes a profound commitment to God. What does this reveal about the nature of faith?
Jacob's vow isn't a business deal with God, but a heartfelt response to a divine encounter.
The 'If' of Faith
While Jacob uses conditional language ("If God will be with me..."), the commentary highlights that this isn't doubt, but rather an expression of faith. He's not questioning God's ability or willingness to keep His promises, but rather acknowledging God's faithfulness and binding himself in response.
Embracing God's Promises
The vow is Jacob's way of accepting and internalizing the incredible promises God just made to him in his dream (Genesis 28:15). He's saying, 'If you do all this, then I will dedicate myself to you.' It's a profound acceptance of God's covenant.
Basic Needs, Profound Faith
Jacob asks for "bread to eat and clothing to wear." These are the essentials of life. His vow shows that even in his fear and uncertainty, his focus is on God's provision for his basic needs, trusting that God will sustain him.
Jacob uses two different names for God in his vow. What's the significance of this shift, and what does it tell us about his growing understanding of God?
The choice of divine names in Jacob's vow reveals a deepening relationship with God.
Elohim: The Creator and Judge
Jacob initially refers to 'Elohim' (God). This name often emphasizes God's power, sovereignty, and role as the creator and judge. It's a fitting choice for someone facing the unknown and needing divine protection.
Jehovah: The Covenant God
However, when Jacob declares, 'then shall the LORD be my God,' he uses the name 'Jehovah.' This is God's personal covenant name, revealing His faithfulness, His promises, and His intimate relationship with His people. By invoking 'Jehovah,' Jacob is not just acknowledging God's power, but accepting Him as his personal God, the God who makes and keeps promises.
Understand the original words
neder · Hebrew Noun
A solemn promise or religious pledge made to God, often involving a commitment to perform a service or offer a sacrifice in response to God's providence or favor.
Jacob's vow, made in a moment of profound spiritual encounter after fleeing deceit and facing exile, is not a transactional bargain but a heartfelt acceptance of God's covenant promises, demonstrating faith in God's faithfulness even amidst personal failure and uncertainty.
c. 1800 BC
Abraham's Covenant Established
God establishes a covenant with Abraham, promising land and descendants. This covenant becomes the foundational promise passed down through Isaac to Jacob.
c. 1750 BC
Isaac is Born and Raised
Isaac grows up in the context of God's promises to Abraham, experiencing God's faithfulness firsthand, though not without trials.
c. 1720 BC
Jacob Deceives Esau
Jacob, with his mother Rebekah's help, deceives his dying father Isaac into giving him the blessing intended for his older brother Esau.
c. 1720 BC
Jacob Flees to Haran
Fearing Esau's wrath after stealing the blessing, Jacob flees his home in Beersheba and travels toward Haran to find a wife from his mother's family.
c. 1720 BC
This Psalm echoes Jacob's vow by expressing deep trust in God's guidance and protection during a journey, highlighting that even in the 'valley of the shadow of death,' God's presence is a source of comfort and security.
1 Kings 18:21Elijah challenges the Israelites to stop 'limping between two different gods,' a sentiment that resonates with Jacob's declaration that 'the Lord will be my God,' signifying a commitment to exclusive devotion after experiencing God's faithfulness.
Matthew 6:33Jesus' teaching to 'seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness' aligns with Jacob's conditional vow, showing that prioritizing God's provision and kingdom leads to all necessary things being supplied.
Joshua 1:5This passage assures Joshua that 'just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not leave you or forsake you,' directly mirroring God's promise to Jacob in verse 15, which forms the basis of Jacob's subsequent vow.
1 Samuel 1:11Hannah's vow to dedicate her son to the Lord if He grants her request provides a parallel to Jacob's vow, demonstrating how people, in times of need and reliance on God, make solemn promises in gratitude for His perceived intervention.
calvinGenesis 28:1-22: "And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan."
When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, 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;
Et vidit Esau quod benedixisset Ishac Iahacob, et misisset eum in Padan Aram, ut caperet sibi inde uxorem: et benedicendo…
ellicottGenesis 28:20: "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,"
(20-22) Then shall the Lord (Jehovah) be my God. —This is a false translation, and gives a wrong sense. Jacob, in his vow, which implies no doubt on his part, but is his acceptance of the terms of the covenant, says: “If Elohim will be with me, and will protect me on this journey that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothin…
Jacob's vow isn't a suspicious bargain with God, but rather his way of embracing God's promises and pledging his grateful response. The phrase "If God will be with me" doesn't show doubt, but rather acknowledges God's promised presence and assumes its fulfillment. This highlights Jacob's faith as he accepts the covenant God initiated.
Jacob is fleeing his brother Esau and heading to Haran after receiving his father's blessing and instructions. After a dream where God reaffirms the covenant promises made to Abraham and Isaac, and assures Jacob of His presence and protection, Jacob awakens. In response to this divine encounter and promise, Jacob makes a vow, essentially accepting God's terms for their ongoing relationship.
Jacob is fleeing his brother Esau and heading to Haran after receiving his father's blessing and instructions. After a dream where God reaffirms the covenant promises made to Abraham and Isaac, and assures Jacob of His presence and protection, Jacob awakens. In response to this divine encounter and promise, Jacob makes a vow, essentially accepting God's terms for their ongoing relationship.
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A Transformative Encounter
This shift from the more general 'Elohim' to the specific, relational 'Jehovah' signifies Jacob's transformative encounter. He moved from a general awareness of God's power to a personal embrace of God's covenantal love and faithfulness.
Jacob's Vision at Bethel
Exhausted and alone, Jacob dreams of a ladder connecting earth and heaven, with angels ascending and descending. God appears and reaffirms the Abrahamic covenant to Jacob.
c. 1720 BC
Jacob Sets Up Pillar and Vows
Jacob consecrates the site as Bethel ('House of God') and makes a vow, promising to serve God if God remains with him and provides for him on his journey.
c. 1713 BC
Jacob Arrives in Haran
After seven years of service for Rachel, Jacob begins his life in Haran, the homeland of his mother Rebekah.
"Then Jacob made 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 clothing to wear," — Jacob's vow isn't a suspicious bargain with God, but rather his way of embracing God's promises and pledging his grateful response. The phrase "If God will be with me" doesn't show doubt, but rather…
