Read Genesis 28 at Bible Gateway.
Genesis 28:13-22 makes an instructive Chiastic Structure:
The NKJV of Genesis 28:13 says that YHVH stood above the ladder, in other words, in heaven where the top of the ladder was. But the JPS edition of the Hebrew Bible says that YHVH stood beside Jacob; the Hebrew translating to ‘beside him.’ Then how does the A pair match? YHVH stood beside Jacob, to be with him and to keep him, as He vowed, and Jacob stood beside YHVH, to acknowledge Him as God and to worship Him as God, as he vowed. It is a picture of a reciprocal relationship of faithfulness and loyalty. Isn’t that beautiful?
Why This Matters: Our relationship with God is a living, reciprocal relationship. We love Him because He first loved us (1 Joh 4:19). We confess Him before men, and He confesses us before the Father (Mat 10:32). We draw near to Him, and He draws near to us (Jam 4:8).
The Hebrew paragraphs in this chapter:
27:1-28:9 {s} Jacob receives the blessing/ Esau’s jealousy [i.e., life of Jacob repeats events from the life of Isaac]
28:10-32:2 {p} …
If there are questions, these are good resources:
Genesis in Chiastic Structure – Christine Miller
Finding Messiah in Torah – Christine Miller
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