The Meaning of Genesis 28:16 Explained

Genesis 28:16

KJV: And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.

YLT: And Jacob awaketh out of his sleep, and saith, 'Surely Jehovah is in this place, and I knew not;'

Darby: And Jacob awoke from his sleep, and said, Surely Jehovah is in this place, and I knew it not.

ASV: And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely Jehovah is in this place. And I knew it not.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Jacob  awaked  out of his sleep,  and he said,  Surely  the LORD  is  in this place;  and I knew  [it] not. 

What does Genesis 28:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 28:10-22 - Jacob's Vision At Bethel
This is the Ladder chapter, in which a wayward, weak man is seen holding fellowship with the Eternal God, who loves us, notwithstanding our unworthiness, and desire to lead us into a life of power and blessedness. It is all wonderful! Notice the four Beholds! Genesis 28:12-15. Sunset. Overtaken on a moor by the swift fall of the Oriental night, Jacob had no alternative than to sleep in the open. But he slept to see! Night. There is an open way between heaven and earth for each of us. The movement of the tide and circulation of the blood are not more regular than the inter-communication between heaven and earth. Jacob may have thought that God was local: now he found Him to be omnipresent. Every lonely spot was His house, filled with angels. Morning. Worship, consecration, the vows of God. Put down thy foot on God's promises. He will do more than He has said. Thou shalt come to thy Father's house in peace.
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Chapter Summary: Genesis 28

1  Isaac blesses Jacob, and sends him to Padan-aram
6  Esau marries Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael
10  Jacob journeys, and has a vision of a ladder
18  The stone of Bethel
20  Jacob's vow

What do the individual words in Genesis 28:16 mean?

And awoke Jacob from his sleep and said surely is Yahweh in place this and I not did know [it]
וַיִּיקַ֣ץ יַעֲקֹב֮ מִשְּׁנָתוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָכֵן֙ יֵ֣שׁ יְהוָ֔ה בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וְאָנֹכִ֖י לֹ֥א יָדָֽעְתִּי

וַיִּיקַ֣ץ  And  awoke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַץ  
Sense: (Qal) to awake, awaken, become active.
יַעֲקֹב֮  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
מִשְּׁנָתוֹ֒  from  his  sleep 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁנָא 
Sense: sleep.
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אָכֵן֙  surely 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אָכֵן 
Sense: surely, truly, indeed.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בַּמָּק֖וֹם  in  place 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
הַזֶּ֑ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
וְאָנֹכִ֖י  and  I 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אָנׄכִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
יָדָֽעְתִּי  did  know  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.