1Then God said to Jacob, “Get up! Go up to Beth-El and stay there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”

2So Jacob said to his household and to everyone who was with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Cleanse yourselves and change your clothes.

3Now let’s get up and go up to Beth-El so that I can make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and has been with me in the way that I have gone.”

4So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods in their hand and the rings in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the oak tree near Shechem.

5Then they journeyed, and the terror of God was on the cities that were around them, so they did not pursue Jacob’s sons.

6Then Jacob arrived at Luz in the land of Canaan (that is Beth-El), he and all the people who were with him.

7He built an altar there and called the place El-Beth-El because God had revealed Himself to him there when he fled from the presence of his brother.

8Then Rebekah’s nurse Deborah died, and was buried below Beth-El, under the oak—so it was named Oak of Weeping.

9God appeared to Jacob again, after he returned from Paddan-aram, and He blessed him.

10God said to him: “Your name was Jacob. No longer will your name be Jacob, for your name will be Israel.” So He named him Israel.

11God also said to him: “I am El Shaddai. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and an assembly of nations will come from you. From your loins will come forth kings.

12The land that I gave to Abraham and to Isaac— I give it to you, and to your seed after you I will give the land.”

13Then God went up from him at the place where He had spoken with him.

14Jacob set up a memorial stone in the place where He had spoken with him—a stone pillar—and he poured a drink offering on it and poured oil on it.

15Jacob named the place where God spoke with him Beth-El.

Rachel’s Death in Childbirth

16Then they traveled from Beth-El, and while they were still a distance from entering Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, but her labor was difficult.

17While she was struggling to give birth, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for this is also a son for you.”

18Now as her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Ben-Oni, but his father named him Benjamin.

19Then Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).

20Jacob set up a memorial stone over her grave. (It is the memorial stone over Rachel’s grave to this day.)

Israel Returns to Isaac

21Then Israel journeyed on and set up his tent beyond the tower of Eder.

22While Israel was living in that land, Reuben went and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Now Jacob had twelve sons.

23Leah’s sons were Jacob’s firstborn Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun.

24Rachel’s sons were Joseph and Benjamin.

25The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s female servant, were Dan and Naphtali,

26and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s female servant, were Gad and Asher. These are Jacob’s sons, who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

27Then Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre of Kiriat-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed.

28Now Isaac’s days were 180 years.

29Then Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his peoples, old and full of days. So his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

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Genesis 35

Jacob Returns to Bethel

1Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”

2So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your garments. 3Then let us arise and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to God, who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.”

4So they gave Jacob all their foreign gods and all their earrings, and Jacob buried them under the oak #35:4 Or terebinth or great tree near Shechem.

5As they set out, a terror from God fell over the surrounding cities, so that they did not pursue Jacob’s sons. 6So Jacob and everyone with him arrived in Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan. 7There Jacob built an altar, and he called that place El-bethel,#35:7 El-bethel means God of Bethel. because it was there that God had revealed Himself to Jacob as he fled from his brother.

8Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak #35:8 Or great tree below Bethel. So Jacob named it Allon-bachuth.#35:8 Allon-bacuth means oak of weeping.

9After Jacob had returned from Paddan-aram,#35:9 That is, northwest Mesopotamia; also in verse 26 God appeared to him again and blessed him. 10And God said to him, “Though your name is Jacob,#35:10 Jacob means he grasps the heel or he deceives. you will no longer be called Jacob. Instead, your name will be Israel.#35:10 Israel means he struggles with God.” So God named him Israel.

11And God told him, “I am God Almighty.#35:11 Hebrew El-Shaddai Be fruitful and multiply. A nation—even a company of nations—shall come from you, and kings shall descend from you. 12The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.”

13Then God went up from the place where He had spoken with him.

14So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where God had spoken with him—a stone marker—and he poured out a drink offering on it and anointed it with oil. 15Jacob called the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.#35:15 Bethel means house of God.

Benjamin Born, Rachel Dies

16Later, they set out from Bethel, and while they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult. 17During her severe labor, the midwife said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you are having another son.”

18And with her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni.#35:18 Ben-oni could mean son of my sorrow or son of my strength. But his father called him Benjamin.#35:18 Benjamin means son of my right hand.

19So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20Jacob set up a pillar on her grave; it marks Rachel’s tomb to this day.

The Sons of Jacob

(1 Chronicles 2:1–2)

21Israel again set out and pitched his tent beyond the Tower of Eder. 22While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it.

Jacob had twelve sons:

23The sons of Leah were Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.

24The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.

25The sons of Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali.

26And the sons of Leah’s maidservant Zilpah were Gad and Asher.

These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

The Death of Isaac

27Jacob returned to his father Isaac at Mamre, near Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed.

28And Isaac lived 180 years. 29Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

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Genesis 35

Genesis 35