King James Version

What Does Genesis 28:15 Mean?

Genesis 28:15 in the King James Version says “And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this la...” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 28 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.”

Genesis 28:15 · KJV

Context

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;

14

And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. spread: Heb. break forth

15

And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

16

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

17

And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

Read Genesis 28 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring the... This passage belongs to the Jacob narratives which demonstrate God's sovereign election overriding human merit and the transformation of a deceiver into Israel, the father of the twelve tribes. The Jacob cycle shows how divine purposes advance through flawed individuals whom God graciously transforms.

Key themes include God's sovereign choice ("the older shall serve the younger"), the consequences of deception and family dysfunction, exile and return patterns, wrestling with God leading to blessing, and covenant renewal across generations. Jacob's character development from manipulative deceiver to mature patriarch demonstrates sanctification's lifelong process.

Theologically significant aspects include: (1) divine election based on grace not merit (Romans 9:10-13); (2) God's faithfulness to covenant promises despite human unfaithfulness; (3) discipline as evidence of divine love and means of transformation; (4) generational patterns of sin requiring divine intervention to break; (5) prayer and wrestling with God as legitimate expressions of faith. Jacob's limp after wrestling God symbolizes how divine encounters leave permanent marks, transforming our approach to life and dependence on God rather than our own cunning.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The patriarchal narratives (Genesis 12-50) reflect the cultural, social, and legal customs of the ancient Near East during the Middle Bronze Age (2000-1500 BCE). Archaeological discoveries including the Mari tablets, Nuzi tablets, and Egyptian records confirm many details: nomadic pastoralism, covenant-making ceremonies, marriage customs, property laws, and international travel patterns described in Genesis.

The cultural practices reflected include: treaty/covenant forms (Genesis 15), bride-price customs (Genesis 24, 29), inheritance laws favoring firstborn sons (Genesis 25, 27), adoption practices (Genesis 15, 30), levirate-type arrangements (Genesis 38), and Egyptian administrative systems (Genesis 41, 47). These parallels confirm Genesis's historical reliability while showing how God worked within ancient cultural frameworks to accomplish His purposes.

For later Israelites, these narratives established their identity as Abraham's descendants, explained their claim to Canaan, justified their possession of Joseph's bones (Exodus 13:19), and provided models of faith despite imperfection. The patriarchs' failures and God's faithfulness encouraged Israel that covenant relationship depended on God's grace rather than human merit. The movement from Mesopotamia to Canaan to Egypt set the stage for the Exodus and conquest narratives.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does this passage reveal about God's sovereignty and human responsibility?
  2. How does this passage challenge modern cultural assumptions about identity, purpose, or morality?
  3. How does this verse fit into the broader biblical story culminating in Christ?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 22 words
וְהִנֵּ֨ה1 of 22
H2009

lo!

אָֽנֹכִ֜י2 of 22
H595

i

עִמָּ֗ךְ3 of 22
H5973

adverb or preposition, with (i.e., in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then

וּשְׁמַרְתִּ֙יךָ֙4 of 22

“And behold I am with thee and will keep”

H8104

properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e., guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc

בְּכֹ֣ל5 of 22
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

אֲשֶׁר6 of 22

“thee in all places whither”

H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

תֵּלֵ֔ךְ7 of 22
H1980

to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

וַהֲשִׁ֣בֹתִ֔יךָ8 of 22

“and will bring thee again”

H7725

to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);

אֶל9 of 22
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה10 of 22

“into this land”

H127

soil (from its general redness)

הַזֹּ֑את11 of 22
H2063

this (often used adverb)

כִּ֚י12 of 22
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

לֹ֣א13 of 22
H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

אֶֽעֱזָבְךָ֔14 of 22

“for I will not leave”

H5800

to loosen, i.e., relinquish, permit, etc

עַ֚ד15 of 22
H5704

as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)

אֲשֶׁר16 of 22

“thee in all places whither”

H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

אִם17 of 22
H518

used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not

עָשִׂ֔יתִי18 of 22

“I have done”

H6213

to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

אֵ֥ת19 of 22
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

אֲשֶׁר20 of 22

“thee in all places whither”

H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי21 of 22

“that which I have spoken”

H1696

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

לָֽךְ׃22 of 22
H0

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Genesis. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Genesis 28:15 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Genesis 28:15 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Joshua 1:5Isaiah 41:10Jeremiah 1:19Deuteronomy 31:6Genesis 26:24Psalms 121:5-8

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