Genesis 31:13

Gen 31:13 I [am] the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, [and] where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

Ver. 13. I am the God of Bethel, &c.] Here God pulls Jacob by the ear, as it were, and reminds him of his vow which he had well nigh forgotten. But the Lord looked for a performance, and afterward punished him for his slackness. Most men’s practice proclaims, that having escaped the danger, they would willingly deceive the saint. {a} And of those that vow against sin, how many have we, who, when temptations, like strong Philistines, are upon them, break all bonds of God, whereby foul breaches are made into their consciences, such as nothing can cure, but the blood of that great votary, that Nazarite, Christ Jesus. Vows are solemn services; and they have much to answer for that care not either to make or keep them; that dally and play with them, as children do with nuts and beads. When the cardinals meet to choose a pope, they make a vow, Whosoever is chosen, he shall swear to such articles as they make. And Sleidan {b} saith, The pope is no sooner chosen, but he breaks them all, and checks their insolences; as if they went about to limit his power, to whom all power is given, both in heaven and earth. Is not this pretty collusion? But "God is the avenger of all such."

{a} Sciapato il morbo, fraudato il Santo .

{b} Sleid., Comm.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Gen_31:13

I am the God of Bethel

The God of Bethel

I.

THE GOD OF BETHED IS A GOD OF PROVIDENCE, of a special gracious Providence towards His people; and of this as exercised through a Mediator, by the ministry of angels.

1. He is the God of Providence, extending to all the creatures He has made. God did not make the world, and then leave it, confining Himself to heaven, as some would have Him. Though His throne be above, His kingdom ruleth over all. He is no unconcerned spectator of what is done; but like a skilful pilot sits at the helm, and steers the world to what course it shall move. His providence is often mysterious, but nevertheless real and universal.

2. God exercises a special gracious providence about His servants. God has a regard to all the works of His hands; but it is spoken with an emphasis, Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy. Upon every one of this number His eye is fixed with satisfaction and delight.

3. God employs His angels as the ministers of His providence in the world, particularly as to His people. Not that God needs the agency of any of His creatures, but for the honour of His majesty He is pleased to use them.

II. THE GOD OF BETHEL IS THE GOD OF PROMISE. And as it is here declared by Himself, I am the God of Bethel, it plainly denotes--

1. That He takes delight in the promises He hath made to His people, and the covenant engagements in which He stands to them.

2. These words, I am the God of Bethel, being spoken twenty years after the promises and appearances there, were first made, God intimated by them, that He was the same now as heretofore; as able to guide and guard, as formerly.

3. God proclaims this to tell His servant that all the mercies he enjoyed came from His hand and love, as his God in covenant; and that under this notion, he was still to look to Him for all he should further need.

III. At Bethel Jacob vowed a vow, which was in confirmation of his covenant with God: and so Gods styling Himself the God of Bethel denotes in general that HE TAKES SPECIAL NOTICE OF THE SOLEMN TRANSACTIONS OF HIS SERVANTS, what promises and vows they make to Him and where. Particularly He is the God of Bethel, i.e., of His house, of every place appointed for His worship, as observing who there vow and dedicate themselves to Him, and who do not; in what manner any vow unto Him, whether in truth and with the heart, or deceitfully and with guile. God cannot be ignorant of what is done, and where; but He would be considered as particularly observing what passes at Bethel, i.e., in His hoarse, and at His table there, now under these New Testament ages.

1. God takes notice who tarries away from His house that ought to be there; and He takes notice too, in what dress every individual comes thither.

2. God is the God of Bethel, as approving His peoples dedicating themselves by vow, in confirmation of their covenant to Him. This is their reasonable service, and what His promises and grace should readily lead them to.

3. God is the God of Bethel, as He is ready to reward His servants who make conscience of keeping their engagements, and walk in a sense of the vows of God upon their souls.

IV. And now as THE USE of all.

1. How desirable is a special relation to the God of Bethel, as the God of Providence, and of this as in a peculiar manner exercised about His people.

2. As the God of Bethel is ever mindful of His promises, His people can never want encouragement to come to His throne of grace.

3. Does God style Himself the God of Bethel, as denoting His strict observance of what passes in His house? What seriousness becomes us in all religious duties and services, or when, in a way of worship, we have to do with God?

4. Is the God of Bethel to be conceived of, as a witness to all our solemn transactions and engagements? how great must be the sin and folly of being formal and insincere in vowing to the Lord, or in pretending, either to enter into or confirm our covenant with Him, when leaving our hearts behind?

5. Does God as the God of Bethel remember the vows there made, with what confusion will they appear before Him who have omitted to perform their promises? (D. Wilson.)

The God of Bethel

I am the God of Bethel! When at Bethel, the Lord said, I am Jehovah, God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac. He might have said the same now; but it was His pleasure to direct the attention of His servant to the last, and to Him the most interesting of His manifestations. By giving him hold of the last link in the chain, he would be in possession of the whole. The God of Bethel was the God of his fathers, Abraham and Isaac; the God who had entered into covenant with the former, had renewed it with the latter, and again renewed it with him. What satisfaction must it afford, to be directed by such a God! (A. Fuller.)

Gods reminders

I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and vowedst a vow unto Me. It is not only necessary that we be reminded of Gods promises for our support in troubles, but of our own solemn engagements, that the same affections which distinguished the best seasons of our life may be renewed, and that in all our movements we may keep in view the end for which we live. The object of the vow was, that Jehovah should be his God: and whenever he should return, that that stone should be Gods house. And now that the Lord commands him to return, He reminds him of his vow. He must not go to Canaan with a view to promote his own temporal interest, but to introduce the knowledge and worship of the true God. This was the great end which Jehovah had in view in all that He did for Abrahams posterity, and they must never lose sight of it. (A. Fuller.)

Lessons

1. God sets Himself out to His saints distinctly and eminently from the misconceits of Him by nations.

2. God is the God of Bethel to His Jacobs, of sweet providences and precious promises to His saints.

3. Gods providence and promise may justly cause souls to dedicate and vow themselves to Him.

4. Souls devoting of themselves to God, engageth them to follow Him at this call.

5. God is forced to put His saints in mind of their engagement sometimes before they think of 2:6. Gods call alone is the just ground of the egress and regress of His servants, for blessing, and with 2:7. God will surely call in His set time to His saints for their returning to the place of rest.

8. Preparation and execution to go where God calleth, is due from saints to the call of God (Gen_2:13). (G. Hughes, B. D.)

The God of Bethel

I. Does not that mean, first, that our God is the God of our early mercies 2 Bethel was to Jacob the place of early mercy. Let us look back upon our early mercies. Did they not come to us, as they did to him, unsought and unexpected, and when, perhaps, we were unprepared for them?

II. Does it not mean, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ? What is Beth-el but the house of God. And the house of God, the true Bethel, is the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, for In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

III. Still further let us remember that this God of Bethel is the God of angels. We do not often say much about those mysterious beings, for it is but little that we know of them. This, however, we know--that angels are set by God to be the watchers over His people. We shall not come to harm if we put our trust in God. I will lay me down to sleep, for Thou makest me to dwell in safety. These angels were also messengers. Are they not all ministering spirits? and are they not sent with messages from God? Moreover, they are our protectors. God employs them to bear us up in their hands, lest at any time we dash our foot against a stone. We do not see them, but unseen agencies are probably the strongest agencies in the world.

IV. Notice, once more, that the God of Bethel is the God of our vows. (C. H.Spurgeon.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This Angel was Christ which appeared to Jacob in Bethel: and hereby appeareth he had taught his wives the fear of God: for he talketh as though they knew this thing.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

13. I am the God of Beth-el. It is not wonderful that the angel should assume the person of God: either because God the Father appeared to the holy patriarchs in his own Word, as in a lively mirror, and that under the form of an angel; or because angels, speaking by the command of God, rightly utter their words, as from his mouth. For the prophets are accustomed to this form of speaking; not that they may exalt themselves into the place of God; but only that the majesty of God, whose ministers they are, may shine forth in his message. Now, it is proper that we should more carefully consider the force of this form of expression. He does not call himself the God of Bethel, because he is confined within the limits of a given place, but for the purpose of renewing to his servant the remembrance of his own promise; for holy Jacob had not yet attained to that degree of perfection which rendered the more simple rudiments unnecessary for him. But little light of true doctrine at that time prevailed; and even that was wrapped in many shadows. Nearly the whole world had apostatized to false gods; and that region, nay, even the house of his father-in-law, was filled with unholy superstitions. Therefore, amid so many hindrances, nothing was more difficult for him than to hold his faith in the one true God firm and invincible. Wherefore, in the first place, pure religion is commended to him, in order that, among the various errors of the world, he may adhere to the obedience and worship of that God whom he had once known. Secondly; the promise which he had before received is anew confirmed to him, in order that he may always keep his mind fixed on the special covenant which God had made with Abraham and his posterity. Thus he is directed to the land of Canaan, which was his own inheritance; lest the temporal blessing of God, which he was soon to enjoy, should detain his heart in Mesopotamia. For since this oracle was only an appendix of the previous one, whatever benefits God afterwards bestowed ought to be referred to that first design. We may also conjecture from this passage, that Jacob had before preached to his household concerning the true God and the true religion, as became a pious father of his family. For he would have acted absurdly in uttering this discourse, unless his wives had been previously instructed respecting that wonderful vision. To the same point belongs what he had said before, that the God of his father had brought him assistance. For it is just as if he would openly distinguish the God whom he worshipped from the god of Laban. And now, because he holds familiar discourse with his wives, as on subjects which they know, the conjecture is probable, that it was not Jacob’s fault if they were not imbued with the knowledge of the one God, and with sincere piety. Further, by this oracle the Lord declared that he is always mindful of the godly, even when they seem to be cast down and deserted. For who would not have said that the outcast Jacob was now deprived of all celestial help? And truly the Lord appears to him late; but beyond all expectation shows, that he had never been forgetful of him. Let the faithful, also, at this day, feel that he is the same towards them; and if, in any way, the wicked tyrannically oppress them by unjust violence, let them bear it patiently, until at length, in due time, he shall avenge them.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(13) I am the God of Beth-el.—The angel of Elohim (Gen_31:11) was the speaker, but the words were those of God (1Th_2:13; Heb_1:1). With this verse compare Gen_28:13.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13. the God of Beth-el] i.e. the God who appeared unto thee at Beth-el; see Gen_35:7. For the mention of the pillar and the vow, see Gen_28:18-22. By the words “I am the God of Beth-el,” the Angel is shewn to be not a created angel, but Jehovah Himself in a manifested form; cf. Exo_23:20-21, “Behold, I send an angel before thee … my name is in him.” See notes on Gen_16:10, Gen_21:17-18, Gen_22:11-12. The Hebrew text is ungrammatical: LXX ὁ θεὸς ὁ ὀφθείς σοι ἐν τόπῳ θεοῦ.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him,.... One after another, and their answers agreeing, are put together; it may be Rachel answered in the name of Leah, and for herself, since she is mentioned first, and the verb is singular. The Targum of Jonathan is, Rachel answered with the consent of Leah:

is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? it was what might have been justly expected, as they were his children, that they should have been used as such, and have had children's portions given them; but by the whole of Laban's attitude towards them, both at their marriage, and ever since, it was plain he never intended to give them anything; but kept all he had to himself, or designed it for his sons, and therefore it was in vain for them to hope for anything; signifying to Jacob hereby, that they were willing to leave their father's house, and go with him when he pleased, since they could expect nothing by their stay here.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Where thou vowedst a vow unto me; of which see Gen 28:19,20. And this God here mentions to show his acceptance of that action of Jacob’s, his mindfulness even of the past and forgotten services of his people, and his purpose now to fulfil the promise there made to him.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13. I am the God of Beth-el — See Gen_28:12-22. The revelations and promises of Jacob’s dream at Beth-el were incompatible with his remaining permanently in Haran, and it was now time for him to get himself away. Keil argues that this dream was largely the work of Jacob’s excited imagination, “the materials being supplied by the three thoughts that were most frequently in his mind, by night as well as by day, namely: 1) His own schemes and their success; 2) The promise received at Beth-el, 3) The wish to justify his actions to his own conscience.” No doubt absorbing thoughts and schemes, united with strong desires to succeed, may furnish the proper physical conditions for dreams like this of Jacob; but it seems entirely superfluous to insinuate such a suspicion of the objective reality of the angel’s words to Jacob. If we allow such an exposition here, we introduce a principle of hermeneutics that would as easily make against the reality of other recorded revelations. Jacob had natural reason to withhold from his wives his own artifices, but we can scarcely believe that he tells a falsehood in respect to this dream. As in all the wrong actions of his life God overruled and wrought good out of evil, so in this.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I am the God of Bethel, the angel here identifies himself with Jehovah. (vide Gen_28:13) Contrary to usual custom, laeh; though in the construct, state, has the art. (vide Ewald, "Hebrews Synt.," where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindredi.e. to the land of Canaan, which was Jacob"s true inheritance.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

האל בית אל is the same as אל בית אל the ה of האל being redundant. It is customary for Scripture to speak thus, e. g. (Numbers 34:2) “When ye come into the land of Canaan הארץ כנען (instead of ארץ כנען).

משחת שם WHERE THOU ANOINTEDST [A PILLAR] — This denotes distinction and eminence just as when one is anointed king one is raised to eminence: thus, too (Genesis 28:18) “and he poured oil upon the top of it (the stone)” that it might be anointed to be an altar (thus being distinguished among other stones).

אשר נדרת לי WHERE THOU VOWEDST A VOW UNTO ME —and you are bound to fulfill it, for you said (Genesis 28:22) “it shall be God’s house”, signifying that you would offer sacrifice there.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

I AM THE G-D OF BETH-EL. Jacob related to his wives all that G-d’s angel had told him in the dream, all this serving to persuade them to go with him. However, what he told did not consist of one dream. The statement, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the he-goats was made to him when he served Laban for his flock, at the time the flock conceived in one of the first years. The statement, I am the G-d of Beth-el was made to him after that, at the time of the journey, for after He said to him, Now arise, get thee out from this land, he no longer remained in Haran to further tend Laban’s flocks so that the he-goats would mount the flocks and the flocks would give birth to speckled and spotted. But on the morrow of the dream, he sent for Rachel and Leah and told them his dream, and they left Haran.I am ‘ha’e-il’ (the G-d) of Beth-el. The meaning thereof is, as Rashi explained it, that the letter hei in ha’e-il is redundant and is the same as if it were written: “I am e-il Beth-el (the G-d of Beth-el).” Similarly, To ‘ha’aretz’ (the land) of Canaan; [the hei is redundant and is the same as if it were written: “to eretz Canaan (the land of Canaan).”] Grammarians adjusted it by saying that it is as if it were written, “I am the G-d, who is the G-d of Beth-el.” Similarly, And the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, [which is as if it said: “and the tree of the knowledge, namely the knowledge of good and evil”]; the cords of gold, [which is as if it said, “the cords, which are cords of gold]. And the angel here speaks in the name of He Who sent him, [therefore, he speaks in the first person and says, “I am, etc.”] ….

WHERE THOU DIDST ANOINT A PILLAR, WHERE THOU DIDST VOW A VOW UNTO ME. The meaning thereof is that “you have vowed to worship the Proper Name of the Eternal in the Chosen Land, and that this stone should be to you a house of G-d in which to set aside your tithes, and if you further delay the fulfillment of your vows, G-d might yet be angry at your voice.”

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

אנכי הא-ל בית א-ל, the noun to which the word בית א-ל is attached is absent, i.e. the line should have been:אנכי הא-ל א-ל בית א-ל. We have a similar construction in Joshua 3,14 הארון הברית, where the word ארון in the middle in the construct mode is also missing. In our verse the meaning of the whole line is: “I am the Lord that has revealed Himself to you as G’d at Beyt El.”

אשר נדרת לי, we already explained that when the angel speaks as messenger of G’d he describes himself by the name applicable to his Master, i.e. to G’d.

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.