so that I may return safely to my father’s house, then the LORD will be my God.
Parallel translations
- WEB so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, and Yahweh will be my God,
- KJV So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:
- NKJV so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God.
- NASB and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God.
- NLT and if I return safely to my father’s home, then the Lord will certainly be my God.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jacob's vow continues: if he returns safely, then Yahweh will be his God.
Overview
Jacob looks to a peaceful homecoming as the visible confirmation of God's faithfulness, after which he pledges Yahweh as his God. Rather than a condition imposed on God, this expresses Jacob's intention to embrace the covenant Lord personally. His personal faith is taking root, moving from the God of his fathers toward "my God."
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Judg 11:31then whatever comes out the door of my house to greet me on my triumphant return from the Ammonites will belong to the LORD, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”
- Deut 26:17Today you have proclaimed that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in His ways, keep His statutes and commandments and ordinances, and listen to His voice.
- Exod 15:2The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.
- 2 Sam 15:8For your servant made a vow while dwelling in Geshur of Aram, saying: ‘If indeed the LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.’”
- 2 Sam 19:24Then Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king had left until the day he returned safely.
- 2 Sam 19:30And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, since my lord the king has safely come to his own house, let Ziba take it all!”
- 2 Kgs 5:17“If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much soil as a pair of mules can carry. For your servant will never again make a burnt offering or a sacrifice to any other god but the LORD.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 28:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.