Genesis 28:22

And 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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jacob speaks directly to God at Bethel after his night vision and flight from Laban. He marks the moment with a conditional vow tied to his promised safe return.

The words — The Hebrew מַצֵּבָה (matzevah) means "pillar" and refers to the stone Jacob erected as a marker. The phrase בֵּית אֱלֹהִים (beit Elohim) literally translates to "house of God."

The thread — The tithe vow parallels Abram’s tenth to Melchizedek in Genesis 14:20 and anticipates the agricultural tithe command in Deuteronomy 14:22. Jacob later restores the site as El-bethel in Genesis 35:7.

Why it lands — The text states that Jacob will give a tenth of all God provides, conditional on his safe return. It requires a tangible commitment of resources in response to divine promise.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהָאֶ֣בֶןve./ha./'E.venand/ the/ stone הַזֹּ֗אתha./Zot<the>/ this אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which שַׂ֙מְתִּי֙sam.tiI have set up מַצֵּבָ֔הma.tze.Vaha pillar יִהְיֶ֖הyih.Yehit will be בֵּ֣יתbeit[the] house of אֱלֹהִ֑ים'E.lo.HimGod וְכֹל֙ve./Kholand/ all אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherthat תִּתֶּן־ti.ten-you will giveלִ֔יL/ito <the>/ meעַשֵּׂ֖ר'a.Serfully <tithe>אֲעַשְּׂרֶ֥נּוּ'a.'as.se.Re./nuI will tithe/ itלָֽךְ׃La/khto <the>/ you

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Genesis 35:7 There Jacob built an altar, and he called that place El-bethel, because it was there that God had revealed Himself to Jacob as he fled from his brother.
Genesis 14:20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.
Deuteronomy 14:22 You must be sure to set aside a tenth of all the produce brought forth each year from your fields.
Leviticus 27:30 Thus any tithe from the land, whether from the seed of the land or the fruit of the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.
Genesis 35:1 Then 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.”
Genesis 12:8 From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and he called on the name of the LORD.
Genesis 28:17 And 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!”
Genesis 33:20 There he set up an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
Genesis 35:14 So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where God had spoken with him—a stone marker—and he poured out a drink offering on it and anointed it with oil.
Genesis 21:33 And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God.