21
and I returnוְשַׁבְתִּיin peaceבְשָׁלוֹםto the houseאֶל בֵּיתof my father,אָבִיthen YHWHוְ יְהוָהwill beהָיָהmyלִיElohim,לֵאלֹהִים
Genesis 28:21
Study it in the app“and I return in peace to the house of my father, then YHWH will be my Elohim,”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 28:21, word by word
- and I returnשַׁבְתִּיshavti
return
To go back to a place.
Where else “shavti” appears- in peaceשָׁלוֹםshalom
peace
Living without war or quarrels, in harmony.
Where else “shalom” appears- to the houseבֵּיתbet
household
The family, everyone living under one roof.
Where else “bet” appears- of my fatherאָבִavi
father
The man who begets a child and heads his household.
Where else “avi” appears- then YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- will beהָיָהhaya
be
To be: "I will be their Elohim".
Where else “haya” appears- Elohimאלֹהִיםlohim
Elohim
The one true God, the Creator; the word is plural but means one.
Where else “lohim” appears
The context
20Jacob made a vow, saying, “If Elohim is with me and keeps me on this way that I am going, and gives me bread to eat and clothing to wear,
21 · This verse (above)
22and this stone, which I have set up as a standing stone, will be the house of Elohim; and of all that you give me I will surely give a tenth of it to you.”
To study Genesis 28 in a group
1. What it says
What did Jacob dream at Bethel, and what did YHWH say to him (vv. 12-15)?
2. What it means
What does it mean that Elohim tells Jacob, “I am with you and will keep you,” in his flight (v. 15)?
3. How I live it
In what difficult place in your life do you need to remember that Elohim is with you?