The Meaning of Genesis 28:17 Explained

Genesis 28:17

KJV: 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.

YLT: and he feareth, and saith, 'How fearful is this place; this is nothing but a house of God, and this a gate of the heavens.'

Darby: 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.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 28:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Gen 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.
[source]

Chapter Summary: Gen 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 28:17 mean?

And he was afraid and said what an awesome place this [is] none this [is] that other than the house of God and this [is] the gate of heaven
וַיִּירָא֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר מַה־ נּוֹרָ֖א הַמָּק֣וֹם ! הַזֶּ֑ה אֵ֣ין זֶ֗ה כִּ֚י אִם־ בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְזֶ֖ה שַׁ֥עַר הַשָּׁמָֽיִם

וַיִּירָא֙  And  he  was  afraid 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
וַיֹּאמַ֔ר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
נּוֹרָ֖א  an  awesome 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
הַמָּק֣וֹם  place 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
! הַזֶּ֑ה  this  [is] 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
אֵ֣ין  none 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
זֶ֗ה  this  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
כִּ֚י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אִם־  other  than 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
בֵּ֣ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אֱלֹהִ֔ים  of  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וְזֶ֖ה  and  this  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
שַׁ֥עַר  the  gate 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
הַשָּׁמָֽיִם  of  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.