Genesis 35
Genesis 35 is a chapter that marks an important turning point in Jacob’s life. God gives Jacob the command again to go up to Bethel and build an altar, and Jacob, along with his family and all his possessions, gets rid of foreign idols and purifies himself before going up to Bethel. Then a series of major events follows, including God’s blessings and the reaffirmation that Jacob’s name is Israel, as well as Rachel’s death and the death of his father Isaac.
1verseGod 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.”
2verseThen 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.
3verseLet’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.”
4verseThey 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.
5verseThey traveled, and a terror of God was on the cities that were around them, and they didn’t pursue the sons of Jacob.
6verseSo Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him.
7verseHe 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.
8verseDeborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; and its name was called Allon Bacuth.
9verseGod appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan Aram, and blessed him.
10verseGod 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.
11verseGod 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.
12verseThe 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.”
13verseGod went up from him in the place where he spoke with him.
14verseJacob 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.
15verseJacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him “Bethel”.
16verseThey traveled from Bethel. There was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and Rachel travailed. She had hard labor.
17verseWhen she was in hard labor, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for now you will have another son.”
18verseAs her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin.
19verseRachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem).
20verseJacob set up a pillar on her grave. The same is the Pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day.
21verseIsrael traveled, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Eder.
22verseWhile 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.
23verseThe sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
24verseThe sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
25verseThe sons of Bilhah (Rachel’s servant): Dan and Naphtali.
26verseThe sons of Zilpah (Leah’s servant): Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.
27verseJacob came to Isaac his father, to Mamre, to Kiriath Arba (which is Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac lived as foreigners.
28verseThe days of Isaac were one hundred eighty years.
29verseIsaac gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him.
The Structure and Flow of the Text
- Return to Bethel (Verses 1–7): God tells Jacob to go up to Bethel and build an altar. Jacob purifies his entire family and obeys God’s command.
- God’s Reconfirmed Promise (Verses 9–15): At Bethel, God meets Jacob again, reaffirms the promise regarding his life and his people, and declares that his name is Israel.
- Events within the Family (Verses 16–29): The chapter also includes key events in Jacob’s household, such as Rachel’s death while giving birth to Benjamin, Reuben’s incident of sleeping with his father’s concubine, and Isaac’s death and burial.
The Meaning and Insights of the Text
Genesis 35 shows how God’s faithful promises and human weakness intersect. God is with Jacob and his household, despite Jacob’s many mistakes and shortcomings, and He reaffirms His promise. Through Jacob’s return to God, breaking free from idols and contaminated habits, the importance of repentance and obedience becomes evident. It also records the genealogy and family history of the twelve sons, an important part of the nation of Israel.
Reflection Points
- Are God’s invitations to my life continuing as well (the call to go up to Bethel)?
- What does true obedience and repentance look like, and am I making the decision to lay aside elements of idolatry?
- Have I ever experienced that God does not give up on me even in my weakness and mistakes?
Personal Application
- Think about where your “Bethel” is—where you need to go to get closer to God in your life.
- If you have an idol in everyday life or an obsession you cannot let go of, make the decision to lay it down before God.
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