Genesis 28:12

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

and had a dream. He saw a stairway erected on the earth with its top reaching to the heavens. The angels of God were going up and coming down it

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וֽ͏ַיַּחֲלֹ֗ם וְהִנֵּ֤ה סֻלָּם֙ מֻצָּ֣ב אַ֔רְצָה וְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ מַגִּ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וְהִנֵּה֙ מַלְאֲכֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֔ים עֹלִ֥ים וְיֹרְדִ֖ים בּֽוֹ

Transliteration

wə-yaḥălōm and-behold sullām muṣṣāb ʾarṣâ wə-rōʾšô maggîaʿ haššāmāyəmâ and-behold malʾăkê ʾĕlōhîm ʿōlîm wə-yōrədîm in-him

Grammar Details

• *wə-yaḥălōm*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and he dreamed
• *sullām*: noun, masculine singular - ladder/stairway
• *muṣṣāb*: hophal participle masculine singular - set up/stationed
• *ʾarṣâ*: noun, feminine singular + directional heh - to the earth
• *wə-rōʾšô*: waw conjunction + noun, masculine singular + 3rd masculine singular suffix - and its top
• *maggîaʿ*: hiphil participle masculine singular - reaching
• *haššāmāyəmâ*: noun, masculine dual + definite article + directional heh - to the heavens
• *malʾăkê*: noun, masculine plural construct - messengers/angels of
• *ʾĕlōhîm*: noun, masculine plural - God
• *ʿōlîm*: qal participle masculine plural - ascending
• *wə-yōrədîm*: waw conjunction + qal participle masculine plural - and descending
• *bô*: preposition + 3rd masculine singular suffix - on it

Word Meanings

• *yaḥălōm*: dreamed/had a dream
• *sullām*: ladder/stairway/ramp
• *muṣṣāb*: set up/erected/placed/stationed
• *ʾarṣâ*: earthward/to the ground/on the earth
• *rōʾšô*: its top/its head/its upper end
• *maggîaʿ*: reaching/touching/extending to
• *haššāmāyəmâ*: heavenward/to the sky/to the heavens
• *malʾăkê*: messengers/angels/divine beings
• *ʾĕlōhîm*: God/divine beings (plural form with singular meaning)
• *ʿōlîm*: ascending/going up
• *yōrədîm*: descending/going down

Referenced Verses

• John 1:51 : 51 He continued,“I tell all of you the solemn truth– you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
• Num 12:6 : 6 The LORD said,“Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known to him in a vision; I will speak with him in a dream.
• Gen 20:3 : 3 But God appeared to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him,“You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else’s wife.”
• Job 33:15-16 : 15 In a dream, a night vision, when deep sleep falls on people as they sleep in their beds. 16 Then he gives a revelation to people, and terrifies them with warnings,
• Isa 41:10 : 10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you! Don’t be frightened, for I am your God! I strengthen you– yes, I help you– yes, I uphold you with my saving right hand!
• Dan 2:1-9 : 1 Nebuchadnezzar Has a Disturbing Dream In the second year of his reign Nebuchadnezzar had many dreams. His mind was disturbed and he suffered from insomnia. 2 The king issued an order to summon the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and wise men in order to explain his dreams to him. So they came and awaited the king’s instructions. 3 The king told them,“I have had a dream, and I am anxious to understand the dream.” 4 The wise men replied to the king:[What follows is in Aramaic]“O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will disclose its interpretation.” 5 The king replied to the wise men,“My decision is firm. If you do not inform me of both the dream and its interpretation, you will be dismembered and your homes reduced to rubble! 6 But if you can disclose the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts, a reward, and considerable honor. So disclose to me the dream and its interpretation!” 7 They again replied,“Let the king inform us of the dream; then we will disclose its interpretation.” 8 The king replied,“I know for sure that you are attempting to gain time, because you see that my decision is firm. 9 If you don’t inform me of the dream, there is only one thing that is going to happen to you. For you have agreed among yourselves to report to me something false and deceitful until such time as things might change. So tell me the dream, and I will have confidence that you can disclose its interpretation.” 10 The wise men replied to the king,“There is no man on earth who is able to disclose the king’s secret, for no king, regardless of his position and power, has ever requested such a thing from any magician, astrologer, or wise man. 11 What the king is asking is too difficult, and no one exists who can disclose it to the king, except for the gods– but they don’t live among mortals!” 12 Because of this the king got furiously angry and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So a decree went out, and the wise men were about to be executed. They also sought Daniel and his friends so that they could be executed. 14 Then Daniel spoke with prudent counsel to Arioch, who was in charge of the king’s executioners and who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. 15 He inquired of Arioch the king’s deputy,“Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. 16 So Daniel went in and requested the king to grant him time, that he might disclose the interpretation to the king. 17 Then Daniel went to his home and informed his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the matter. 18 He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then in a night vision the mystery was revealed to Daniel. So Daniel praised the God of heaven, 20 saying,“Let the name of God be praised forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to him. 21 He changes times and seasons, deposing some kings and establishing others. He gives wisdom to the wise; he imparts knowledge to those with understanding; 22 he reveals deep and hidden things. He knows what is in the darkness, and light resides with him. 23 O God of my fathers, I acknowledge and glorify you, for you have bestowed wisdom and power on me. Now you have enabled me to understand what I requested from you. For you have enabled me to understand the king’s dilemma.” 24 Then Daniel went in to see Arioch(whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon). He came and said to him,“Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon! Escort me to the king, and I will disclose the interpretation to him!” 25 So Arioch quickly ushered Daniel into the king’s presence, saying to him,“I have found a man from the captives of Judah who can make known the interpretation to the king.” 26 The king then asked Daniel(whose name was also Belteshazzar),“Are you able to make known to me the dream that I saw, as well as its interpretation?” 27 Daniel replied to the king,“The mystery that the king is asking about is such that no wise men, astrologers, magicians, or diviners can possibly disclose it to the king. 28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the times to come. The dream and the visions you had while lying on your bed are as follows. 29 “As for you, O king, while you were in your bed your thoughts turned to future things. The revealer of mysteries has made known to you what will take place. 30 As for me, this mystery was revealed to me not because I possess more wisdom than any other living person, but so that the king may understand the interpretation and comprehend the thoughts of your mind. 31 “You, O king, were watching as a great statue– one of impressive size and extraordinary brightness– was standing before you. Its appearance caused alarm. 32 As for that statue, its head was of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs were of bronze. 33 Its legs were of iron; its feet were partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 You were watching as a stone was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its iron and clay feet, breaking them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were broken in pieces without distinction and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors that the wind carries away. Not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a large mountain that filled the entire earth. 36 This was the dream. Now we will set forth before the king its interpretation. 37 Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream“You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has granted you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. 38 Wherever human beings, wild animals, and birds of the sky live– he has given them into your power. He has given you authority over them all. You are the head of gold. 39 Now after you another kingdom will arise, one inferior to yours. Then a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule in all the earth. 40 Then there will be a fourth kingdom, one strong like iron. Just like iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything, and as iron breaks in pieces all of these metals, so it will break in pieces and crush the others. 41 In that you were seeing feet and toes partly of wet clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom. Some of the strength of iron will be in it, for you saw iron mixed with wet clay. 42 In that the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, the latter stages of this kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 And in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay, so people will be mixed with one another without adhering to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever. 45 You saw that a stone was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands; it smashed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold into pieces. The great God has made known to the king what will occur in the future. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is reliable.” 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed down with his face to the ground and paid homage to Daniel. He gave orders to offer sacrifice and incense to him. 47 The king replied to Daniel,“Certainly your God is a God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery!” 48 Then the king elevated Daniel to high position and bestowed on him many marvelous gifts. He granted him authority over the entire province of Babylon and made him the main prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 And at Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon. Daniel himself served in the king’s court.
• Dan 4:1-9 : 1 (3:31)“King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and language groups that live in all the land: Peace and prosperity! 2 I am delighted to tell you about the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me. 3 “How great are his signs! How mighty are his wonders! His kingdom will last forever, and his authority continues from one generation to the next.” 4 Nebuchadnezzar Dreams of a Tree Chopped Down(4:1) I, Nebuchadnezzar, was relaxing in my home, living luxuriously in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that frightened me badly. The things I imagined while lying on my bed– these visions of my mind– were terrifying me. 6 So I issued an order for all the wise men of Babylon to be brought before me so that they could make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 When the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners entered, I recounted the dream for them. But they were unable to make known its interpretation to me. 8 Later Daniel entered(whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom there is a spirit of the holy gods). I recounted the dream for him as well, 9 saying,“Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, in whom I know there to be a spirit of the holy gods and whom no mystery baffles, consider my dream that I saw and set forth its interpretation! 10 Here are the visions of my mind while I was on my bed. While I was watching, there was a tree in the middle of the land. It was enormously tall. 11 The tree grew large and strong. Its top reached far into the sky; it could be seen from the borders of all the land. 12 Its foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful; on it there was food enough for all. Under it the wild animals used to seek shade, and in its branches the birds of the sky used to nest. All creatures used to feed themselves from it. 13 While I was watching in my mind’s visions on my bed, a holy sentinel came down from heaven. 14 He called out loudly as follows:‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches! Strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit! Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches! 15 But leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the animals in the grass of the land. 16 Let his mind be altered from that of a human being, and let an animal’s mind be given to him, and let seven periods of time go by for him. 17 This announcement is by the decree of the sentinels; this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones, so that those who are alive may understand that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms, and he bestows them on whomever he wishes. He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’ 18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, for none of the wise men in my kingdom are able to make known to me the interpretation. But you can do so, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.” 19 Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream Then Daniel(whose name is also Belteshazzar) was upset for a brief time; his thoughts were alarming him. The king said,“Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream and its interpretation alarm you.” But Belteshazzar replied,“Sir, if only the dream were for your enemies and its interpretation applied to your adversaries! 20 The tree that you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky, and which could be seen in all the land, 21 whose foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful, and from which there was food available for all, under whose branches wild animals used to live, and in whose branches birds of the sky used to nest– 22 it is you, O king! For you have become great and strong. Your greatness is such that it reaches to heaven, and your authority to the ends of the earth. 23 As for the king seeing a holy sentinel coming down from heaven and saying,‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the wild animals, until seven periods of time go by for him’– 24 this is the interpretation, O king! It is the decision of the Most High that this has happened to my lord the king. 25 You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and you will become damp with the dew of the sky. Seven periods of time will pass by for you, before you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes. 26 They said to leave the taproot of the tree, for your kingdom will be restored to you when you come to understand that heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps your prosperity will be prolonged.” 28 Now all of this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 After twelve months, he happened to be walking around on the battlements of the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king uttered these words:“Is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence by my own mighty strength and for my majestic honor?” 31 While these words were still on the king’s lips, a voice came down from heaven:“It is hereby announced to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that your kingdom has been removed from you! 32 You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and seven periods of time will pass by for you before you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.” 33 Now in that very moment this pronouncement about Nebuchadnezzar came true. He was driven from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until his hair became long like an eagle’s feathers, and his nails like a bird’s claws. 34 But at the end of the appointed time I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up toward heaven, and my sanity returned to me. I extolled the Most High, and I praised and glorified the one who lives forever. For his authority is an everlasting authority, and his kingdom extends from one generation to the next. 35 All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he wishes with the army of heaven and with those who inhabit the earth. No one slaps his hand and says to him,‘What have you done?’ 36 At that time my sanity returned to me. I was restored to the honor of my kingdom, and my splendor returned to me. My ministers and my nobles were seeking me out, and I was reinstated over my kingdom. I became even greater than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all his deeds are right and his ways are just. He is able to bring down those who live in pride.
• Dan 7:1 : 1 Daniel has a Vision of Four Animals Coming up from the Sea In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream filled with visions while he was lying on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream in summary fashion.
• Matt 1:20 : 20 When he had contemplated this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
• Matt 2:12-13 : 12 After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back by another route to their own country. 13 The Escape to Egypt After they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,“Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to look for the child to kill him.”
• Matt 2:19 : 19 The Return to Nazareth After Herod had died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt
• Gen 20:6-7 : 6 Then in the dream God replied to him,“Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience. That is why I have kept you from sinning against me and why I did not allow you to touch her. 7 But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed he is a prophet and he will pray for you; thus you will live. But if you don’t give her back, know that you will surely die along with all who belong to you.”
• Gen 32:1-2 : 1 Jacob Wrestles at Peniel So Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed,“This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim.
• Gen 37:5-9 : 5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him even more. 6 He said to them,“Listen to this dream I had: 7 There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the middle of the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose up and stood upright and your sheaves surrounded my sheaf and bowed down to it!” 8 Then his brothers asked him,“Do you really think you will rule over us or have dominion over us?” They hated him even more because of his dream and because of what he said. 9 Then he had another dream, and told it to his brothers.“Look,” he said.“I had another dream. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 When he told his father and his brothers, his father rebuked him, saying,“What is this dream that you had? Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come and bow down to you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept in mind what Joseph said.
• Gen 40:1-9 : 1 The Cupbearer and the Baker After these things happened, the cupbearer to the king of Egypt and the royal baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, the cupbearer and the baker, 3 so he imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard in the same facility where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be their attendant, and he served them. They spent some time in custody. 5 Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream the same night. Each man’s dream had its own meaning. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were looking depressed. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials, who were with him in custody in his master’s house,“Why do you look so sad today?” 8 They told him,“We both had dreams, but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded,“Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me.” 9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph:“In my dream, there was a vine in front of me. 10 On the vine there were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes, squeezed them into his cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” 12 “This is its meaning,” Joseph said to him.“The three branches represent three days. 13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before when you were cupbearer. 14 But remember me when it goes well for you, and show me kindness. Make mention of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison, 15 for I really was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews and I have done nothing wrong here for which they should put me in a dungeon.” 16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the first dream was favorable, he said to Joseph,“I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread on my head. 17 In the top basket there were baked goods of every kind for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them from the basket that was on my head.” 18 Joseph replied,“This is its meaning: The three baskets represent three days. 19 In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you and impale you on a pole. Then the birds will eat your flesh from you.” 20 On the third day it was Pharaoh’s birthday, so he gave a feast for all his servants. He“lifted up” the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants. 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his former position so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand, 22 but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted. 23 But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph– he forgot him.
• 2 Chr 16:9 : 9 Certainly the LORD watches the whole earth carefully and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him. You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on you will have war.”
• Job 4:12-21 : 12 Ungodly Complainers Provoke God’s Wrath“Now a word was secretly brought to me, and my ear caught a whisper of it. 13 In the troubling thoughts of the dreams in the night when a deep sleep falls on men, 14 dread gripped me and trembling, which made all my bones shake. 15 Then a breath of air passes by my face; it makes the hair of my flesh stand up. 16 It stands still, but I cannot recognize its appearance; an image is before my eyes, and I hear a murmuring voice: 17 “Is a mortal man righteous before God? Or a man pure before his Creator? 18 If God puts no trust in his servants and attributes folly to his angels, 19 how much more to those who live in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like a moth? 20 They are destroyed between morning and evening; they perish forever without anyone regarding it. 21 Is not their excess wealth taken away from them? They die, yet without attaining wisdom.
• Gen 15:1 : 1 The Cutting of the Covenant After these things the LORD’s message came to Abram in a vision:“Fear not, Abram! I am your shield and the one who will reward you in great abundance.”
• Gen 15:12 : 12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, and great terror overwhelmed him.
• 2 Tim 4:16-17 : 16 At my first defense no one appeared in my support; instead they all deserted me– may they not be held accountable for it. 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed for all the Gentiles to hear. And so I was delivered from the lion’s mouth!
• Heb 1:1 : 1 ¶ Introduction: God Has Spoken Fully and Finally in His Son After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets,
• Heb 1:14 : 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who will inherit salvation?