Genesis 28:16

III. THE HOUSE OF GOD.

16. Surely the Lord is in this place, and. knew it not.

It is probable that Jacob did not have so intelligent. conviction of God's Omnipresence as we have, and thought that he was more likely to be found in special places. Indeed this narrow comprehension of the Infinite seems to have remained, at least partly, with the Jewish race, until the Savior declared that God might be worshiped with equal acceptance everywhere, in his interview with the Samaritan woman. The Jews thought that God was to be met at Jerusalem, the Samaritans, at Gerizim, and Jacob's idea seems to have been that God had this place, where he had seen the wonderful vision, as his peculiar residence;. place where he met with and made revelations to his worshipers. If he knew that Abraham had erected an altar there, had called on the name of Jehovah, and had had revelations, it would have strengthened his idea that this spot was. Bethel,. house of God.