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.

GENESIS 31:13KJV
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Genesis 31:13 (KJV)

What does Genesis 31:13 mean?

Genesis 31:13 records God speaking to Jacob, reminding him that He is the God who appeared to Jacob at Bethel, where Jacob set up a stone pillar, anointed it, and made a vow. God now commands Jacob to leave the land where he has been living and return to his homeland and family.

In this verse, God is addressing Jacob directly during a time when Jacob has been living with his uncle Laban in a foreign land. God refers back to an earlier encounter at Bethel, highlighting the promises and commitments made there. This reminder connects Jacob’s current situation to his earlier spiritual experience and signals that it is time for Jacob to fulfill his vow by returning to his roots.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 31:13

  • God (אֵל, 'el, H410): This word is a common title for God, emphasizing His power and might. Here, it stresses that the same powerful God who met Jacob at Bethel is now guiding him again.
  • Bethel (בֵּית־אֵל, beit-'el, H1008): Literally "house of God," this place was significant because it was where Jacob previously encountered God in a dream and set up a memorial.
  • Anointedst (מָשַׁח, mashach, H4886): This verb means to pour oil on something as a sign of dedication. Jacob’s act of anointing the pillar marked Bethel as a sacred place and his experience there as holy.
  • Pillar (מַצֵּבָה, matzevah, H4676): This refers to a stone set up as a marker or memorial. Jacob’s pillar was a physical reminder of his encounter with God and the promises made.
  • Vowedst (נָדַר, nadar, H5087) and vow (נֶדֶר, neder, H5088): Both words relate to making a solemn promise to God. Jacob’s vow at Bethel was a key moment of commitment, and God’s reminder here ties Jacob’s current obedience to that earlier promise.
  • Arise (קוּם, qum, H6965): This verb often signals a call to action or a new phase. God’s command for Jacob to “arise” marks a turning point, urging him to leave and return home.
  • Return (שׁוּב, shuv, H7725): This word means to go back or turn around. God’s instruction is not just about physical movement but also about returning to the place of promise and family ties.
  • Kindred (מוֹלֶדֶת, moledet, H4138): This word refers to one’s family or birthplace, emphasizing the personal and ancestral connection God wants Jacob to restore.

Why Genesis 31:13 matters

  • Genesis 31:13 clears up that Jacob’s return to his homeland is not just his own idea but a direct command from God, rooted in a previous spiritual encounter and vow.
  • The verse emphasizes the importance of remembering and honoring past commitments to God, showing how earlier spiritual experiences can shape later decisions.
  • By connecting Jacob’s present situation with his past at Bethel, the verse ties together key moments in Jacob’s life, highlighting God’s ongoing guidance and faithfulness throughout his journey.

Where else these words appear

“kindred” Hebrew H4138 · used in 21 verses

  • Genesis 11:28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.
  • Genesis 43:7 And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?
  • Esther 2:20 Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.

“vowedst” Hebrew H5087 · used in 28 verses

  • Genesis 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
  • Deuteronomy 12:17 Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand:
  • Psalms 76:11 Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.

“pillar” Hebrew H4676 · used in 31 verses

  • Genesis 28:18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.
  • Leviticus 26:1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.
  • 2 Kings 23:14 And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men.

“vow” Hebrew H5088 · used in 57 verses

  • Genesis 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
  • Numbers 30:6 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;
  • 2 Samuel 15:8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.