Genesis 28 · Verse 12

Genesis 28:12

And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
Genesis 28:12, King James Version

Genesis 28:12 in other translations

BSBAnd Jacob had a dream about a ladder that rested on the earth with its top reaching up to heaven, and God’s angels were going up and down the ladder.
WEBHe dreamed and saw a stairway set upon the earth, and its top reached to heaven. Behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
ASVAnd he dreamed; and behold, a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
YLTAnd he dreameth, and lo, a ladder set up on the earth, and its head is touching the heavens; and lo, messengers of God are going up and coming down by it;
DARBYAnd he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to the heavens. And behold, angels of God ascended and descended upon it.
BBEAnd he had a dream, and in his dream he saw steps stretching from earth to heaven, and the angels of God were going up and down on them.
WebsterAnd he dreamed, and behold, a ladder set upon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

What does Genesis 28:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. he dreamed ... and behold a ladder--Some writers are of opinion that it was not a literal ladder that is meant, as it is impossible to conceive any imagery stranger and more unnatural than that of a ladder, whose base was on earth, while its top reached heaven, without having any thing on which to rest its upper extremity. They suppose that the little heap of stones, on which his head reclined for a pillow, being the miniature model of the object that appeared to his imagination, the latter was a gigantic mountain pile, whose sides, indented in the rock, gave it the appearance of a scaling ladder. There can be no doubt that this use of the original term was common among the early Hebrews; as Josephus, describing the town of Ptolemais (Acre), says it was bounded by a mountain, which, from its projecting sides, was called "the ladder," and the stairs that led down to the city are, in the original, termed a ladder (Ne 3:15) though they were only a flight of steps cut in the side of the rock. But whether the image presented to the mental eye of Jacob were a common ladder, or such a mountain pile as has been described, the design of this vision was to afford comfort, encouragement, and confidence to the lonely fugitive, both in his present circumstances and as to his future prospects. His thoughts during the day must have been painful--he would be his own self-accuser that he had brought exile and privation upon himself--and above all, that though he had obtained the forgiveness of his father, he had much reason to fear lest God might have forsaken him. Solitude affords time for reflection; and it was now that God began to bring Jacob under a course of religious instruction and training. To dispel his fears and allay the inward tumult of his mind, nothing was better fitted than the vision of the gigantic ladder, which reached from himself to heaven, and on which the angels were continually ascending and descending from God Himself on their benevolent errands (Joh 1:51).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 He dreamed, and behold a ladder - A multitude of fanciful things have been spoken of Jacob's vision of the ladder, and its signification. It might have several designs, as God chooses to accomplish the greatest number of ends by the fewest and simplest means possible. 1. It is very likely that its primary design was to point out the providence of God, by which he watches over and regulates all terrestrial things; for nothing is left to merely natural causes; a heavenly agency pervades, actuates, and directs all. In his present circumstances it was highly necessary that Jacob should have a clear and distinct view of this subject, that he might be the better prepared to meet all occurrences with the conviction that all was working together for his good. 2. It might be intended also to point out the intercourse between heaven and earth, and the connection of both worlds by the means of angelic ministry. That this is fact we learn from many histories in the Old Testament; and it is a doctrine that is unequivocally taught in the New: Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? 3. It was probably a type of Christ, in whom both worlds meet, and in whom the Divine and human nature are conjoined. The Ladder was set up on the Earth, and the Top of it reached to Heaven; for God was manifested in the Flesh, and in him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Nothing could be a more expressive emblem of the incarnation and its effects; Jesus Christ is the grand connecting medium between heaven and earth, and between God and man. By him God comes down to man; through him man ascends to God. It appears that our Lord applies the vision in this way himself, first, In that remarkable speech to Nathanael, Hereafter ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of man, Joh 1:51. Secondly, in his speech to Thomas, Joh 14:6 : I am the Way, and the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 28:10-15

Jacob's conduct hitherto, as recorded, was not that of one who simply feared and trusted in God. But now in trouble, obliged to flee, he looked only to God to make him to dwell in safety, and he could lie down and sleep in the open air with his head upon a stone. Any true believer would be willing to take up with Jacob's pillow, provided he might have Jacob's vision. God's time to visit his people with his comforts…

Read the full comment on Genesis 28:10-15 →

Genesis 28:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֗םvai.ya.cha.Lomand he dreamedH2492
וְהִנֵּ֤הve.hi.Nehand there!H2009
סֻלָּם֙su.Lama stairwayH5551
מֻצָּ֣בmu.Tzav[was] placedH5324
אַ֔רְצָה'Ar.tzah[the] earth towardsH776
וְרֹאשׁ֖וֹve.ro.Shoand top itsH7218
מַגִּ֣יעַma.Gi.a'[was] reachingH5060
הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָהha.sha.Ma.ye.mahthe heavens towardsH8064
וְהִנֵּה֙ve.hi.Nehand there!H2009
מַלְאֲכֵ֣יmal.'a.Khei[the] angels ofH4397
אֱלֹהִ֔ים'E.lo.HimGodH430
עֹלִ֥ים'o.Lim[were] going upH5927
וְיֹרְדִ֖יםve.yo.re.Dimand [were] going downH3381
בּֽוֹ\׃boon <the> it

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 28:12

  • John 1:51

    And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

  • Genesis 32:1-2

    And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

  • Numbers 12:6

    And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

  • Job 33:15-16

    In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,

  • Genesis 15:1

    After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

  • 2 Timothy 4:16-17

    At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

  • Genesis 37:5-11

    And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. …

  • Genesis 15:12

    And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.

  • Hebrews 1:14

    Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

  • Daniel 7:1

    In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.

  • Daniel 4:1-37

    Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace: …

  • Hebrews 1:1

    God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he dreamed.
15:1,12; 20:3,6,7; 37:5-11; 40:1-41:57; Nu 12:6; Job 4:12-21
Job 33:15,16; Da 2:1-49; 4:1-37; 7:1; Mt 1:20; 2:12,13,19; Heb 1:1
ladder.
32:1,2; 2Ch 16:9; Isa 41:10; Joh 1:51; 2Ti 4:16,17; Heb 1:14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 28:11

    And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

  • Genesis 28:12

    And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

  • Genesis 28:13

    And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;

Read all of Genesis 28

Genesis 28:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y soñó, y he aquí una escala que estaba apoyada en tierra, y su cabeza tocaba en el cielo: y he aquí ángeles de Dios que subían y descendían por ella.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il songea: et voici une échelle dressée sur la terre, et son sommet touchait aux cieux; et voici, les anges de Dieu montaient et descendaient sur elle.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er träumte: und siehe, eine Leiter war auf die Erde gestellt, und ihre Spitze rührte an den Himmel; und siehe, Engel Gottes stiegen auf und nieder an ihr.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Viditque in somnis scalam stantem super terram, et cacumen illius tangens cælum: angelos quoque Dei ascendentes et descendentes per eam,