Genesis 35
35
Jacob in Bethel
1God said to Jacob, “Go to the town of Bethel.#35:1 Bethel A town in Israel. This name means “God’s house.” That is where I appeared to you when you were running away from your brother Esau. Live there and make an altar to honor me as El,#35:1 El A Hebrew name for God. the God who appeared to you.”
2So Jacob told his family and all the other people with him, “Destroy all these foreign gods that you have. Make yourselves pure. Put on clean clothes. 3We will leave here and go to Bethel. There I will build an altar to the God who has always helped me during times of trouble. He has been with me wherever I have gone.”
4So the people gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had, and they gave him all the rings they were wearing in their ears. He buried everything under an oak tree near the town called Shechem.
5Then Jacob and his sons left that place. The people in the surrounding cities wanted to follow and kill them, but God filled them with such great fear that they did not go after them. 6So Jacob and his people went to Luz, which is now called Bethel. It is in the land of Canaan. 7Jacob built an altar there. He named the place “El Bethel.”#35:7 El Bethel A name that means “the God of Bethel.” Jacob chose this name because that is the place where God first appeared to him when he was running from his brother.
8Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died there. They buried her under the oak tree at Bethel. They named that place Allon Bacuth.#35:8 Allon Bacuth This name means “the oak tree of sadness.”
Jacob’s New Name
9When Jacob came back from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again. God blessed Jacob 10and said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but I will change that name. You will no longer be called Jacob. Your new name will be Israel.#35:10 Israel This name might mean “he fights for God,” “he fights with God,” or “God fights.”” So God named him Israel.
11God said to him, “I am God All-Powerful,#35:11 God All-Powerful Literally, “El Shaddai.” and I give you this blessing: Have many children and grow into a great nation. Other nations and other kings will come out of you. 12I gave Abraham and Isaac some special land. Now I give the land to you and to all your people who will live after you.” 13Then God left that place. 14-15Jacob set up a memorial stone there. He made the rock holy by pouring wine and oil on it. This was a special place because God spoke to Jacob there, and Jacob named the place Bethel.
Rachel Dies Giving Birth
16Jacob and his group left Bethel. Before they came to Ephrath, Rachel began giving birth to her baby. 17She was having a lot of trouble with this birth. She was in great pain. When her nurse saw this, she said, “Don’t be afraid, Rachel. You are giving birth to another son.”
18Rachel died while giving birth to the son. Before dying, she named the boy Benoni.#35:18 Benoni This name means “son of my suffering.” But Jacob called him Benjamin.#35:18 Benjamin This name means “right-hand” or “favorite son.”
19Rachel was buried on the road to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20Jacob put a special rock on Rachel’s grave to honor her. That special rock is still there today. 21Then Israel continued his journey. He camped just south of Eder tower.#35:21 Eder tower Or “Migdal Eder.”
22Israel stayed there for a short time. While he was there, Reuben slept with Israel’s slave woman Bilhah. Israel heard about this, and he was very angry.#35:22 and he was very angry These words are from the ancient Greek translation. They are not in the standard Hebrew text. See Gen. 49:4.
The Family of Israel (Jacob)
These are the names of Jacob’s twelve sons:
23His firstborn son was Reuben, whose mother was Leah. Jacob’s other sons by Leah were Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
24His sons by Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.
25His sons by Bilhah, Rachel’s maid, were Dan and Naphtali.
26His sons by Zilpah, Leah’s maid, were Gad and Asher.
These were Jacob’s sons who were born in Paddan Aram.
27Jacob went to his father Isaac at Mamre in Kiriath Arba (Hebron). This is where Abraham and Isaac had lived. 28Isaac lived 180 years. 29Then Isaac became weak and died and went to be with his people. He had lived a long and full life. His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Currently Selected:
Genesis 35: ERV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Genesis 35
35
Return to Bethel
1God said to Jacob, “Get up! Go to Bethel and settle there.#Gn 28:19 Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”#Gn 27:43
2So Jacob said to his family and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you.#Gn 31:19; Jos 24:23; 1Sm 7:3 Purify yourselves and change your clothes.#Ex 19:10 3We must get up and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to the God who answered me in my day of distress.#1Sm 7:9; 2Sm 24:25; Jb 12:4; Ps 20:1; 34:4 He has been with me everywhere I have gone.”#Gn 28:10–22
4Then they gave Jacob all their foreign gods and their earrings, and Jacob hid them under the oak near Shechem. 5When they set out, a terror from God came over the cities around them, and they did not pursue Jacob’s sons.#Ex 23:27 6So Jacob and all who were with him came to Luz (that is, Bethel#Gn 28:19; 48:3) in the land of Canaan. 7Jacob built an altar there and called the place El-bethel#35:7 = God of Bethel because it was there that God had revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother.
8Deborah, the one who had nursed and raised Rebekah,#35:8 Lit Deborah, Rebekah’s wet nurse; Gn 24:59#Gn 24:59 died and was buried under the oak south of Bethel. So Jacob named it Allon-bacuth.#35:8 = Oak of Weeping
9God appeared to Jacob again after he returned from Paddan-aram, and he blessed him. 10God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; you will no longer be named Jacob, but your name will be Israel.”#Gn 17:5; 32:28 So he named him Israel. 11God also said to him, “I am God Almighty.#Gn 17:1; 28:3; Ex 6:3 Be fruitful and multiply.#Gn 9:1,7 A nation, indeed an assembly of nations, will come from you,#Gn 48:4 and kings will descend from you.#35:11 Lit will come from your loins#Gn 17:6,16; 36:31 12I will give to you the land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac.#Gn 12:7; 13:15; 26:3–4; 28:13; Ex 32:13 And I will give the land to your future descendants.” 13Then God withdrew#35:13 Lit went up#Gn 17:22; 18:33 from him at the place where he had spoken to him.
14Jacob set up a marker at the place where he had spoken to him — a stone marker. He poured a drink offering on it and poured oil on it.#Gn 28:18–19; 31:45 15Jacob named the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.
Rachel’s Death
16They set out from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult. 17During her difficult labor, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you have another son.”#Gn 30:24 18With her last breath — for she was dying — she named him Ben-oni,#35:18 = Son of My Sorrow but his father called him Benjamin.#35:18 = Son of the Right Hand 19So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem#Mc 5:2; Mt 2:18). 20Jacob set up a marker on her grave; it is the marker at Rachel’s grave still today.
Israel’s Sons
21Israel set out again and pitched his tent beyond the Tower of Eder.#35:21 Or beyond Migdal-eder 22While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it.#Gn 49:3–4
Jacob had twelve sons:#1Ch 2:1–2
23Leah’s sons were Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn),
Simeon, Levi, Judah,
Issachar, and Zebulun.
24Rachel’s sons were
Joseph and Benjamin.
25The sons of Rachel’s slave Bilhah
were Dan and Naphtali.
26The sons of Leah’s slave Zilpah
were Gad and Asher.
These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan-aram.
Isaac’s Death
27Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre#Gn 13:18; 18:1; 23:19 in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron#Jos 14:15), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. 28Isaac lived 180 years. 29He took his last breath and died, and was gathered to his people,#Gn 25:8,17; 49:33; Nm 20:24,26; Dt 32:50 old and full of days. His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers