Genesis 35
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Genesis 35: Jacob’s Return To Bethel
Genesis 35: Jacob’s Return To Bethel
And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth-el, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.
Bethel means “House of God”. This is the place where Jacob used the stone “pillow”, had the dream about the ladder ascending to Heaven, and then built the stone altar back in chapter 28.
Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:
Jacob is telling all of his people to purify themselves because they are going to Beth-el, “the House of God”. We see that some of them had been worshiping strange Gods, highlighting part of the problem with Simeon and Levi ransacking the Shechemites. By bringing in those captives their gods have been mixed in, perhaps with some lingering worship of the strange gods that we saw with Rachel back in chapter 31.
And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.
Jacob is leading a course correction, refocusing on the one true God and the fact that He has watched over them all.
And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.
Here we see confirmation that the people were worshipping false gods and idols. The inclusion of the earrings shows that some of those that were followers of Jehovah were probably wearing religious artifacts that were part of the items captured during the slaughter of the Shechemites. Jacob buries the idols at the oak tree because 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 (chapter 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 return of the people of Jacob’s household to the lordship of Yahweh.
And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
Remember that because of the actions of Simeon and Levi in chapter 34, Jacob was sure that all the surrounding tribes would unite and come against them. It is clear that God makes the safe passage possible, travel was also risky in general in the ancient Near East.
So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Beth-el, he and all the people that were with him.
Luz is just the earlier name of Beth-el as we see in chapter 28 verse 19. This place would be known by both names for quite a while, and t is now identified with the modern Beitin, and lies on the western slope of the mountain on which Abraham built his altar (ch. 12:8).
And he built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.
El-beth-el translates to “God of the House of God”, meaning this the house of THE GOD, the one true God; showing Jacob’s understanding of who Jehovah is, and that the covenant was still in place.
But Deborah Rebekah’s nurse died, and she was buried beneath Beth-el under an oak: and the name of it was called Allon-bachuth.
We saw Deborah first mention in chapter 24 verse 59, signifying the closeness that the family felt for her; in their culture the nurse maid was like a second mother. Nurses, like her, were not only honoured, but loved as mothers; and, accordingly, her death was treated as a special, solemn event. Allon-Bacuth means the “oak of weeping.”
And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him.
Remember that God promised to always be with this family and this verse shows His continued presence, and we can take comfort in the fact that this still applies today. If we will surrender to God he will be present with us just as he was present with Jacob’s family.
And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.
We have seen over several chapters the shortcomings and deceitfulness of Jacob and his family, even falling into worshipping false God’s. Now he is putting away that sinful man, to take on a new name and to better follow God. Israel means God rules, or God reigns. Showing that God reigns over everything, and Jacob (now Israel) is going to try his best to allow God to guide every aspect of his life. Just as we are, Israel is an imperfect man who will fall short at times, but sets an example that we should do our best to have God involved in every part of our lives, each and every day.
And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;
The name used for God here is “El-Shaddai”, God the all-bountiful; reflecting that God will provide for and multiply the seed of Jacob; and that the covenant that we saw laid out in chapter 12 and repeated in chapter 28 still stands.
And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.
Here the phrase “which I gave” is better translated “which I promised to give”; helping us to understand that the promise is still ongoing and futurist.
And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.
And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.
This is the first time we see a drink offering, but will show up again in Leviticus, Exodus, Numbers, and Isaiah. Pay attention to the fact that the offering is always poured out, never drank. By pouring oil on the pillar this marks it as sacred just as he had done in chapter 28.
And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Beth-el.
Again, Beth-el being “House of God”.
And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.
We don’t see a reason why Jacob leaves Beth-el, and the time they dwelt there before leaving isn’t given either. Ephrath means “fertility” and is also called Bethlehem. Bethlehem is in the territory of the tribe of Judah and this is where Rachel will end up being buried which is surprising since she isn’t buried in the territory of one of her sons (Joseph and Benjamin).
And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.
We see the midwife comforting Rachel, perhaps knowing that she wouldn’t survive but assuring her that the child would.
And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin.
Ben-oni means “son of my sorrow” as Rachel died in child birth. But we see Jacob rename him Benjamin, “son of my right hand”. The word used for sorrow can mean strength as well and this is the basis of Jacob changing the name.
And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem.
Bethlehem means “House of bread”, the future birth place of Jesus, the bread of life.
And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day.
The Hebrew word for grave that is used here is:
Qeburah, keb-oo-raw - a sepulchre:- burial, burying place, grave, sepulchre.
Not sheol, or THE grave; place of the dead. This informs us that it is about the physical place she was laid to rest, not where her spirit is located.
Rachel’s burying place is used later in 1 Samuel as a point of reference showing that it’s location was well known.
And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar.
Eder is the first camping place of Jacob between Bethlehem and Hebron following Rachel’s death. The tower of Eder, which means “the tower of the flock,” was probably a watchtower constructed for shepherds to guard their flocks
And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
Bilhah was Rachel’s maidservant. With the matriarch of the family (Rachel) now dead, Reuben’s violation of Bilhah ensures she will never replace Rachel as chief wife. Bilhah’s chief rival would have been Leah—Reuben’s mother, so by laying with Bilhah he ensured his mother would become the matriarch or chief wife. The twelves sons of Jacob will become the twelve tribes of Israel. Twelve is the number of governmental perfection.
The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:
The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:
And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:
And the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padan-aram.
And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.
So this and earlier verses may lead us to believe that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob didn’t see each other often if at all. When Isaac is married we no longer see Abraham, when Jacob marries the same goes for Isaac. But this probably isn’t the case as we can see in:
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
By faith he (Abraham) sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
So although we don’t see it referenced more in scripture; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob probably had a closer relationship than it may seem at first glance.
And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.
And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
“Gathered unto his people” is a Hebrew phrase used for when someone passes on, showing the belief that they would be in the presence of their ancestors who had died before them. Genesis 49 will show that Isaac was buried in the Cave of Machpelah; along with Rachel, Abraham, Sarah, and eventually Leah and Jacob (Israel).
So what can we take from this chapter? We’ve seen Jacob’s family endure terrible hardship with the defilement of Dinah and the subsequent massacre committed by an overzealous Simeon and Levi. Jacob was filled with fear and anxiety that family would be attacked by the surrounding tribes, but in this difficult time Jacob sets an excellent example for what we should do during times of tribulation. He refocuses his family on God and their commitment to serving Him. When distressed by the death of Deborah, Rachel, and Isaac; the family finds comfort in the presence of God and the knowledge that He has reaffirmed the covenant He made with Abraham. Just as Jacob was called to return to Bethel (the house of God), we’re called to return to a place of worship and remembrance. Jacob buried idols, purified his household, and chose to remember God’s faithfulness with a stone pillar — an act of visible commitment. What is calling you back to Bethel? What needs to be laid down or removed so you can meet God there? God doesn’t just call us back — When we listen and repent, He meets us there and blesses us again.
Genesis 35
Genesis 35
