ESV Translation:
“Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Genesis 28:15 Original Hebrew Text and Word-for-Word Translation
Hebrew (Genesis 28:15):
**”וְהִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֤י עִמָּךְ֙ וּשְׁמַרְתִּ֣יךָ בְּכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּלֵ֔ךְ וַהֲשִׁ֣בֹתִ֔יךָ אֶל־הָ֖אֲדָמָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את כִּ֣י לֹ֤א אֶֽעֶזְבְךָ֙ עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁר֙ אִם־עָשִׂ֣יתִי אֵ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי לָֽךְ׃”
Transliteration and Semantic Breakdown:
- וְהִנֵּה (v’hinneh): And behold, a dramatic interjection drawing attention to divine presence.
- אָנֹכִי (anokhi): I, emphatic first-person pronoun, often used by God in covenantal language.
- עִמָּךְ (immakh): With you, conveying intimacy, presence, and companionship.
- וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ (u-shmartikha): And I will guard/preserve you, from shamar (שָׁמַר), implying vigilant protection.
- בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ (b’khol asher telekh): In all that you go, or wherever you go, indicating God’s omnipresent oversight.
- וַהֲשִׁבֹתִיךָ (va’ha-shivotikha): And I will return you, active causative form of shuv (שׁוּב) meaning “to return.”
- אֶל הָאֲדָמָה הַזֹּאת (el ha’adamah ha-zot): To this land, reaffirming the land promise made to Abraham and Isaac.
- כִּי לֹא אֶעֶזְבְךָ (ki lo e’ezveka): For I will not abandon you, stressing covenantal faithfulness.
- עַד אֲשֶׁר אִם־עָשִׂיתִי (ad asher im asiti): Until I have done, with a nuance of guaranteed future action.
- אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי לָךְ (et asher dibbarti lakh): That which I have spoken to you, referring back to the promises of land, blessing, and offspring.
Genesis 28:15 Syntactic Analysis
This verse uses parataxis (clause stacking without conjunctions), a common feature in biblical Hebrew to heighten drama and divine speech. Key syntactic elements include:
- Vav-consecutive forms (“וְשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ”, “וַהֲשִׁבֹתִיךָ”): signify future actions with certainty, following divine declaration.
- Infinitive clause (“עַד אֲשֶׁר אִם־עָשִׂיתִי”): Acts like a temporal clause, conveying a guarantee with the force of a divine oath.
- The use of an emphatic anokhi (“אָנֹכִי”): Uncommon outside divine or prophetic declarations, highlighting the intentionality and authority of the speaker—YHWH.
What is the Genesis 28:15 Commentary and Theological Significance?
Genesis 28:15 sits within Jacob’s Bethel dream narrative (Genesis 28:10–22), where God appears to Jacob in a vision of a ladder (or staircase) stretching between heaven and earth. This verse is God’s personal affirmation to Jacob—a divine reiteration of the Abrahamic covenant, now personalized.
Genesis 28:15 Key Themes in Commentaries:
- God’s Presence (“I am with you”):
This echoes the covenantal promise first made in Genesis 12:1–3 and later in 26:3 to Isaac. God’s “Immanuel”presence prefigures later uses in Scripture (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23). - Protection (“I will keep you”):
The verb shamar is a loaded theological term, used throughout Psalms and Deuteronomy to describe God’s protective care over Israel (cf. Psalm 121:7–8). It implies more than physical safety—it suggests divine oversight and guidance. - Restoration (“I will bring you back”):
This anticipates Jacob’s return from exile (Genesis 35), and later Israel’s exile-and-return themes found in prophetic literature (e.g., Jeremiah 29:10). Jacob’s exile to Laban mirrors Israel’s exile to Babylon. - Divine Fidelity (“I will not leave you until…”):
A literary marker of divine resolve. The phrase “until I have done what I promised” underscores Yahweh’s hesed(steadfast love) and emet (faithfulness). It sets a pattern: when God speaks, He completes.
What are Genesis 28:15 Alternative Translations and Interpretive Views?
Different translations bring out distinct nuances:
| Translation | Key Phrase Highlighted | Interpretive Emphasis |
|---|---|---|
| KJV | “I will not leave thee” | Emphasizes permanence |
| NIV | “I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you” | Focus on God’s fulfillment |
| NASB | “I will not desert you” | Emphasizes emotional reassurance |
| CSB | “I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you” | Covenant fulfillment clarity |
Jewish Interpretive Tradition:
- Rashi explains that God’s promise refers not just to physical protection, but to spiritual presence throughout Jacob’s journey.
- The Targum Onkelos emphasizes God’s faithfulness in “all the places Jacob will go”—showing that God’s presence transcends geography.
Christian Interpretive Tradition:
- Seen as proto-Incarnational, foreshadowing Christ’s “I am with you always” in Matthew 28:20.
- Interpreters like Matthew Henry and John Calvin view this as a covenant of grace being applied directly to Jacob, a sinner, as a sign of unearned divine favor.
What is the Application of Genesis 28:15?
Genesis 28:15 is more than an ancient promise—it is a paradigm of God’s presence, providence, and persistence. Applications include:
- For Exiles and Wanderers:
Jacob was fleeing from Esau and uncertain of his future. God’s promise of guidance applies to those navigating uncertainty or displacement—emotionally, geographically, or spiritually. - For Covenant Assurance:
This verse models unilateral divine commitment. God doesn’t say, “If you obey me, I’ll stay with you,” but instead declares His loyalty based solely on His word. - For Long-Term Vision:
God’s “I will not leave you until…” reflects long-haul faithfulness. It’s a divine call to trust His timing—He finisheswhat He begins (cf. Philippians 1:6).
Genesis 28:15 Comparative Canonical Echoes
Genesis 28:15 finds strong thematic echoes throughout Scripture:
- Deuteronomy 31:6 – “He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
- Isaiah 43:2 – “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.”
- Matthew 28:20 – “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.”
- Hebrews 13:5 – “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Genesis 28:15 Final Theological Insights
Genesis 28:15 reveals a God who travels, guards, restores, and remains. It teaches that God is not merely stationed in the sacred places (like Bethel), but moves with His people, shaping their journeys. The structure of this verse also sets a precedent for how promises unfold throughout redemptive history: presence precedes possession, and protection guarantees fulfillment.