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.”
2
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.
6
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.
8
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
9
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.
11
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.