Genesis 28:22
in Genesis 28And this stone I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give You a tenth.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
then this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
KJV
And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
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This verse in Genesis 28
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis stone shall be God’s house - That is, (as far as this matter refers to Jacob alone), should I be preserved to return in safety, I shall worship God in this place. And this purpose he fulfilled, for there he built an altar, anointed it with oil, and poured a drink-offering thereon. For a practical use of Jacob’s vision, see note on Gen 28:12. On the doctrine of tithes, or an adequate support for the ministers of the Gospel, I shall here register my opinion.
This site's exposition
this stone I have set up as a pillar
The pillar is to be God's house, and the tenth here is the second in Genesis. Abram gave one to Melchizedek at 14:20, long before any law required it. Jacob keeps the half of the vow about the stone at 35:7, building an altar and calling the place El-bethel. The tenth itself drops out of the record.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
See the good man's gratitude: In making his request Jacob did not bring himself to ask for anything lavish—just bread and clothing. On the other hand, he promised to the Lord what lay within his power, realizing God's generosity in giving and the fact that he surpasses our expectations in rewarding us. And so he said, "I will consider the monument God's house, and of all the things provided me by you I will set aside a tenth." Do you see his godly attitude? He still had not received anything, and yet he promised to devote to God a tenth of what was due to be given him.Let us not pass idly by these words, dearly beloved. Instead, may we all imitate this good man, we in the age of grace imitating this man who lived before the law, and let us ask the Lord for nothing of this world. After all, he does not wait for a reminder from us. Even if we don't ask, he grants us what we need. "He makes the sun rise on evil people and good, and rains on just and unjust." Let us believe him as he advises us in these words, "Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will come to you in addition." Do you see that he personally has made the former things ready for us and promises to give the latter as a bonus? Accordingly, don't request as an initial favor what you are likely to receive as a bonus, thus reversing the due order. Instead, let us seek the former things, as he directed, so that we may come to enjoy the former and the latter.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house,....
Jacob had now had a gracious visit from heaven. God had renewed his covenant with him, and the covenant is mutual. When God ratifies his promises to us, it is proper for us to repeat our promises to him.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָאֶ֣בֶן | vehaeven | and the stone | H68 → | 273 times |
| הַזֹּ֗את | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| שַׂ֙מְתִּי֙ | samti | I have set up | H7760 → | 584 times |
| מַצֵּבָ֔ה | matzevah | a pillar | H4676 → | 32 times |
| יִהְיֶ֖ה | yihyeh | it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בֵּ֣ית | beit | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֑ים | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וְכֹל֙ | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| תִּתֶּן־ | titen- | you will give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לִ֔י | li | to <the> me | ||
| עַשֵּׂ֖ר | ʾaser | fully <tithe> | H6237 → | |
| אֲעַשְּׂרֶ֥נּוּ | ʾaasserenu | I will tithe it | H6237 → | |
| לָֽךְ׃ | lakh | to <the> you |
וְהָאֶ֣בֶןand the stone
vehaevenH68 →273 times
הַזֹּ֗את<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
שַׂ֙מְתִּי֙I have set up
samtiH7760 →584 times
מַצֵּבָ֔הa pillar
matzevahH4676 →32 times
יִהְיֶ֖הit will be
yihyehH1961 →3559 times
בֵּ֣ית[the] house of
beitH1004 →2046 times
אֱלֹהִ֑יםGod
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
וְכֹל֙and all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
תִּתֶּן־you will give
titen-H5414 →2011 times
לִ֔יto <the> me
li
עַשֵּׂ֖רfully <tithe>
ʾaserH6237 →
אֲעַשְּׂרֶ֥נּוּI will tithe it
ʾaasserenuH6237 →
לָֽךְ׃to <the> you
lakh
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 35:1Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”
it leads to
- Genesis 31:13
I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and made a solemn vow to Me. Now get up and leave this land at once, and return to your native land.’”
- Hosea 12:4
Yes, he struggled with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought His favor; he found Him at Bethel and spoke with Him there—
- Psalms 91:15
When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.
- Genesis 31:3
Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”
- Genesis 31:13
Through
Genesis 14:20and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.
it leads to
- Hebrews 7:4–9
Consider how great Melchizedek was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder.
- Nehemiah 13:12
and all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storerooms.
- Deuteronomy 14:28
At the end of every three years, bring a tenth of all your produce for that year and lay it up within your gates.
- Malachi 3:10
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the windows of…
- Hebrews 7:4–9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 54.25-26; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.