68 | Genesis 35:1
Jacob Returns to Bethel
Then God said to Ja cob , “ Go up to Beth el
35 and set tle there , and build an al tar there to God , who ap peared to you when you were flee ing from your broth er Esau .”
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So Ja cob said to his house hold and to all who were with him , “ Get rid of the for eign gods you have with you , and pu ri fy your selves and change your clothes . 3 Then come , let us go up to Beth el , where I will build an al tar to God , who an swered me in the day of my dis tress and who has been with me wher ev er I have gone .” 4 So they gave Jacob all the for eign gods they had and the rings in their ears , and Ja cob bur ied them un der the oak at She chem . 5 Then they set out , and the ter ror of God fell on the towns all around them so that no one pur sued them .
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Ja cob and all the peo ple with him came to Luz ( that is , Beth el ) in the land of Ca naan . 7 There he built an al tar , and he called the place El Beth el , a be cause it was there that God re vealed him self to him when he was flee ing from his broth er .
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Now Deb o rah , Re bek ah ’ s nurse , died and was bur ied un der the oak out side Beth el . So it was named Al lon Bak uth . b
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Af ter Ja cob re turned from Pad dan Aram , c God ap peared to him again and blessed him . 10 God said to him , “ Your name is Ja cob , d but you will no lon ger be called Ja cob ; your name will be Is ra el . e ” So he named him Is ra el .
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And God said to him , “ I am God Al mighty f ; be fruit ful and in crease in num ber . A na tion and a com mu ni ty of na tions will come from you , and kings will be among your de scen dants . 12 The land I gave to Abra ham and Isaac I also give to you , and I will give this land to your de scen dants af ter you .”
a
7 El Bethel means God of Bethel . b
8 Allon Bakuth means oak of weeping . c
9 That is , Northwest Mesopotamia ; also in verse 26 d
10 Jacob means he grasps the heel , a Hebrew idiom for he deceives . e
10 Israel probably means he struggles with
God . f
11 Hebrew El-Shaddai
35:1 – 15 Following the massacre at Shechem ( ch . 34 ), God instructs Jacob to settle at Bethel and build an altar there — this would allow him the opportunity to offer sacrifices . During Jacob ’ s stay in Bethel , God reiterates both his covenant with Abraham ( 12:1 – 3 ) and Jacob ’ s new name ( 32:28 ). This encounter recalls God ’ s covenant faithfulness ( 28:10 – 22 ), his divine protection of his people and his plan for Israel ’ s future .
35:1 Bethel See 28:19 and note . build an altar When Jacob first encountered God at Bethel ( 28:10 – 22 ), he erected a pillar ( matsevah in Hebrew ) and anointed it ( see 28:18 – 22 ). Now he is instructed to build an altar at the same location . See the table “ Altars in the Old Testament ” on p . 249 . 35:2 foreign gods The Hebrew phrase used here , elohe nekhar , refers to the idols buried by Jacob in v . 4 . At his encounter with God at Bethel in 28:10 – 22 , Jacob vowed that if God were to rescue him from exile , then Yahweh shall be his God . However , it seems that those of Jacob ’ s household , and perhaps even him , had been worshipping other gods since then . Although a different Hebrew word is used here than the one used for the figurines ( or household gods ) that Rachel stole from her father Laban ( see 31:19 and note ), Jacob could be referring to those figurines . It seems , though , that more than the figurines stolen by Rachel were involved . purify yourselves and change your clothes The meaning of these acts is unclear , but the acts likely have to do with meeting God on holy ground ( compare Ex 3:5 ) and may be related to purification needed after the defiling acts of Ge 34 . Jacob and his family departed from Shechem ( ch . 34 ), part of the promised land ( see 12:1 – 9 ). But for Jacob Bethel was one of the most holy places because God had appeared to him there ( 28:18 – 22 ). 35:4 rings The inclusion of the rings suggests they were associated with the foreign gods ( perhaps carved with symbols ) or used in the worship of foreign gods . God ’ s previous blessings of Jacob — despite the presence of idolatry among his household — represents the fulfillment of Yahweh ’ s promise to Abraham and Isaac ( 28:13 – 15 ). Compare note on 35:2 . oak Trees often marked sacred sites in Israelite religion . This tree can be identified with the tree of Moreh at Shechem mentioned in Abraham ’ s encounter with Yahweh many years earlier ( 12:6 – 7 ). Burial of the foreign gods and rings at this place , and under this tree , marks a surrender of these items and the people of Jacob ’ s household to the lordship of Yahweh . 35:5 terror of God While it is unclear what this description refers to , it is clear that God makes the safe passage possible . It seems that it was necessary because of the actions of Levi and Simeon at Shechem ( see 34:30 and note ) — travel was also risky in general in the ancient Near East . 35:6 Luz The earlier name of the city of Bethel , according to 28:19 ( see note on 28:19 ). 35:7 El Bethel This term means the “ the God of Bethel .” God The Hebrew word used here is ha-elohim ; in the Hebrew text it is accompanied by the definite article (“ the ”), which at times indicates that Yahweh is the God , set apart from , and superior to , all others ( see Dt 4:35 ). Here , its use indicates the significance of the Bethel event — that the true God , Yahweh , had passed on his promises to Jacob at that time and place ( compare note on Ge 35:1 – 15 ). 35:8 Allon Bakuth This term means the “ oak of weeping .” 35:9 God appeared to him again The Hebrew phrase used here could indicate that God appeared again to Jacob during , or upon , his return to Bethel . This would indicate that the narrative of 35:9 – 13 records a new divine encounter with God that brings together various moments in Jacob ’ s life . If this is the case , the “ again ” would refer back to an earlier encounter , such as that at Peniel ( 32:22 – 32 ) or Bethel 30 years earlier ( 28:10 – 22 ). Alternatively , the Hebrew phrase may not refer to Jacob having a new encounter with God , but instead indicate that 35:9 – 13 is a recounting of earlier events with additional details . In 35:7 , Jacob ’ s first encounter with God at Bethel ( 28:10 – 22 ) was referenced , suggesting that 35:9 – 13 could refer to Jacob ’ s second divine encounter at Peniel ( 32:22 – 32 ). 35:10 your name will be Israel See 32:28 and note . 35:11 I am God Almighty See note on 17:1 . kings will be among your descendants See 49:10 ; compare 17:6,16 .