Jacob's command to "put away the foreign gods" marks the only instance where a patriarch explicitly demands monotheistic purification before approaching God's sacred space.
Genesis 35
Jacob Returns to Bethel and Isaac's Death
1God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and live there. Make there an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”
2Then Jacob said to his household, and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments.
3Let’s arise, and go up to Bethel. I will make there an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me on the way which I went.”
4They gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the rings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.
5They traveled, and a terror of God was on the cities that were around them, and they didn’t pursue the sons of Jacob.
6So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him.
7He built an altar there, and called the place El Beth El; because there God was revealed to him, when he fled from the face of his brother.
8Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; and its name was called Allon Bacuth.
9God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan Aram, and blessed him.
10God said to him, “Your name is Jacob. Your name shall not be Jacob any more, but your name will be Israel.” He named him Israel.
11God said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations will be from you, and kings will come out of your body.
12The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, and to your offspring after you I will give the land.”
13God went up from him in the place where he spoke with him.
14Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he spoke with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it, and poured oil on it.
15Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him “Bethel”.
16They traveled from Bethel. There was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and Rachel travailed. She had hard labor.
17When she was in hard labor, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for now you will have another son.”
18As her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin.
19Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem).
20Jacob set up a pillar on her grave. The same is the Pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day.
21Israel traveled, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Eder.
22While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
23The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
24The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
25The sons of Bilhah (Rachel’s servant): Dan and Naphtali.
26The sons of Zilpah (Leah’s servant): Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.
27Jacob came to Isaac his father, to Mamre, to Kiriath Arba (which is Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac lived as foreigners.
28The days of Isaac were one hundred eighty years.
29Isaac gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him.
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Theme
God commands Jacob to return to Bethel, where He renews the covenant promises and confirms Jacob's name change to Israel. The chapter marks a pivotal moment of spiritual renewal as Jacob's household abandons foreign gods and worships at the sacred site. However, joy mingles with sorrow as Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin, and the narrative concludes by listing Jacob's twelve sons who will become the patriarchs of Israel's tribes.
Context
This chapter follows the violent events at Shechem in chapter 34 and represents a spiritual turning point before focusing on Joseph's story in subsequent chapters.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-7 Return to Bethel and Worship God commands Jacob to return to Bethel, prompting spiritual purification and the building of an altar.
- 8-15 God Renews the Covenant God appears to Jacob, confirms his name as Israel, and reaffirms the promises given to Abraham and Isaac.
- 16-20 Rachel's Death and Benjamin's Birth Rachel dies in childbirth while giving birth to Benjamin, and Jacob erects a pillar at her grave.
- 21-29 Reuben's Sin and Jacob's Sons Listed Reuben commits adultery with Bilhah, and the narrative catalogs Jacob's twelve sons and Isaac's death.
Jacob Returns to Bethel and Isaac's Death
35:1–35:29 narrative narration solemn
God commands Jacob to return to Bethel where He renews the covenant promises and confirms Jacob's name change to Israel. The chapter concludes with Isaac's death at age 180.
person_contrast
Jacob's command to "put away the foreign gods" marks the only instance where a patriarch explicitly demands monotheistic purification before approaching God's sacred space.
Insights
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Genesis 35:2 1 reference
Genesis 35:6 1 reference
Genesis 35:9 5 references
Lexicals 5
Genesis 28:6 Lexical
Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan Aram, to take him a wife from there, and that as h…
Genesis 28:7 Lexical
and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Paddan Aram.
Genesis 33:18 Lexical
Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan Aram; and encamped…
Genesis 28:5 Lexical
Isaac sent Jacob away. He went to Paddan Aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and E…
Genesis 46:15 Lexical
These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the souls of his sons an…
Genesis 35:11 2 references
Genesis 35:12 5 references
Lexicals 5
Joshua 24:3 Lexical
I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his offs…
Exodus 32:13 Lexical
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multip…
Genesis 21:12 Lexical
God said to Abraham, “Don’t let it be grievous in your sight because of the boy, and because of your servant. In all tha…
Deuteronomy 1:8 Lexical
Behold, I have set the land before you. Go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to your fathers—to Abraham, to I…
Exodus 33:1 Lexical
The LORD spoke to Moses, “Depart, go up from here, you and the people that you have brought up out of the land of Egypt,…
Genesis 35:14 3 references
Lexicals 3
Genesis 28:18 Lexical
Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and p…
Jeremiah 19:13 Lexical
The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah, which are defiled, will be as the place of Topheth, even a…
Genesis 31:45 Lexical
Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.
Genesis 35:16 1 reference
Genesis 35:19 2 references
Genesis 35:22 1 reference
Genesis 35:23 5 references
Lexicals 5
1 Chronicles 2:1 Lexical
These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,
Ezekiel 48:33 Lexical
“At the south side four thousand five hundred reeds by measure, and three gates: the gate of Simeon, one; the gate of Is…
Deuteronomy 27:12 Lexical
“These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Iss…
Exodus 1:2 Lexical
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
Genesis 34:30 Lexical
Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have troubled me, to make me odious to the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaan…
Genesis 35:24 1 reference
Genesis 35:25 2 references
Genesis 35:26 5 references
Lexicals 5
Genesis 30:9 Lexical
When Leah saw that she had finished bearing, she took Zilpah, her servant, and gave her to Jacob as a wife.
Genesis 30:10 Lexical
Zilpah, Leah’s servant, bore Jacob a son.
Genesis 30:12 Lexical
Zilpah, Leah’s servant, bore Jacob a second son.
Genesis 46:15 Lexical
These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the souls of his sons an…
Genesis 46:18 Lexical
These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah, his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob, even sixteen souls.
Genesis 35:27 5 references
Lexicals 5
Genesis 23:2 Lexical
Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for…
Genesis 23:19 Lexical
After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the l…
Deuteronomy 6:10 Lexical
It shall be, when the LORD your God brings you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and t…
Exodus 6:3 Lexical
I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty; but by my name the LORD I was not known to them.
Exodus 6:8 Lexical
I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it to you for a…
Genesis 35:29 5 references
Lexicals 5
Genesis 25:8 Lexical
Abraham gave up his spirit, and died at a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people.
Exodus 3:16 Lexical
Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and tell them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of I…
Genesis 49:33 Lexical
When Jacob finished charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, breathed his last breath, and was gathered…
Genesis 25:28 Lexical
Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate his venison. Rebekah loved Jacob.
Genesis 27:22 Lexical
Jacob went near to Isaac his father. He felt him, and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of…
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