Genesis 35

Jacob establishes worship at Bethel

1God said to Jacob, “Get up, go to Bethel, and live there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you ran away from your brother Esau.”

2Jacob said to his household and to everyone who was with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you. Clean yourselves and change your clothes. 3Then let’s rise and go up to Bethel so that I can build an altar there to the God who answered me when I was in trouble and who has been with me wherever I’ve gone.” 4So they gave Jacob all of the foreign gods they had, as well as the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the terebinth at Shechem. 5When they set out, God made all of the surrounding cities fearful so that they didn’t pursue Jacob’s sons. 6Jacob and all of the people with him arrived in Luz, otherwise known as Bethel, in the land of Canaan. 7He built an altar there and named the place El-bethel,#35.7 Or God of Bethel because God had revealed himself to him there when he ran away from his brother. 8Rebekah’s nurse Deborah died and was buried at Bethel under the oak, and Jacob named it Allon-bacuth.#35.8 Or oak of weeping

9God appeared to Jacob again, while he was on his way back from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. 10God said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but your name will be Jacob no longer. No, your name will be Israel.” And he named him Israel. 11God said to him, “I am El Shaddai.#35.11 Or God Almighty or God of the Mountain Be fertile and multiply. A nation, even a large group of nations, will come from you; kings will descend from your own children. 12The land I gave to Abraham and to Isaac, I give to you; and I will give the land to your descendants after you.” 13Then God ascended, leaving him alone in the place where he spoke to him. 14So Jacob set up a sacred pillar, a stone pillar, at the place God spoke to him. He poured an offering of wine on it and then poured oil over it. 15Jacob named the place Bethel where God spoke to him.

Benjamin’s birth and Rachel’s death

16They left Bethel, and when they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into hard labor. 17During her difficult labor, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid. You have another son.” 18As her life faded away, just before she died, she named him Ben-oni,#35.18 Or my suffering son but his father named him Benjamin.#35.18 Or right-hand son or strong son 19Rachel died and was buried near the road to Ephrath, that is, Bethlehem. 20Jacob set up a pillar on her grave. It’s the pillar on Rachel’s tomb that’s still there today. 21Israel continued his trip and pitched his tent farther on near the tower of Eder.

Jacob’s family

22While Israel stayed in that place, Reuben went and slept with Bilhah his father’s secondary wife, and Israel heard about it.

Jacob had twelve sons. 23The sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s oldest son, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. 25The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, were Dan and Naphtali. 26The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant, were Gad and Asher. These were Jacob’s sons born to him in Paddan-aram.

Isaac’s death

27Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, that is, Kiriath-arba. This is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac lived as immigrants. 28At the age of 180 years, 29Isaac took his last breath and died. He was buried with his ancestors after a long, satisfying life. His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

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Genesis 35

God Blesses and Renames Jacob

1God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to #ch. 28:19 Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you #ch. 27:43when you fled from your brother Esau.” 2So Jacob said to his #ch. 18:19; Josh. 24:15 household and to all who were with him, “Put away #[ch. 31:19; Josh. 24:23; 1 Sam. 7:3] the foreign gods that are among you and #Ex. 19:10purify yourselves and change your garments. 3Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God #ch. 32:7, 24 who answers me in the day of my distress and #ch. 28:20; 31:3has been with me wherever I have gone.” 4So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under #Josh. 24:26; Judg. 9:6the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.

5And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. 6And Jacob came to #ch. 28:19Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him, 7and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel,#35:7 El-bethel means God of Bethel because #ver. 1there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother. 8And #ch. 24:59Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried under an oak below Bethel. So he called its name Allon-bacuth.#35:8 Allon-bacuth means oak of weeping

9God appeared#35:9 Or had appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. 10And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; #[ch. 17:5, 15] no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but #ch. 32:28Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. 11And God said to him, #See ch. 17:1 “I am God Almighty:#35:11 Hebrew El Shaddai be #ch. 28:3; 48:4 fruitful and multiply. #ch. 17:5, 6, 16; 26:4A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body.#35:11 Hebrew from your loins 12#ch. 12:7; 13:15; 17:8; 26:3; 28:13The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.” 13Then God #ch. 17:22went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. 14And Jacob #ch. 28:18; 31:45set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. 15So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him #ch. 28:19Bethel.

The Deaths of Rachel and Isaac

16Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance#35:16 Or about two hours’ distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. 17And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for #ch. 30:24you have another son.” 18And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni;#35:18 Ben-oni could mean son of my sorrow, or son of my strength #[Luke 1:59, 60]but his father called him Benjamin.#35:18 Benjamin means son of the right hand 19So #ch. 48:7 Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to #Ruth 1:2; 4:11; Mic. 5:2; Matt. 2:6, 16-18Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), 20and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb. It is #1 Sam. 10:2; [2 Sam. 18:18]the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day. 21Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.

22While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and #ch. 49:4; 1 Chr. 5:1; [2 Sam. 16:22; 20:3; 1 Cor. 5:1]lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. And Israel heard of it.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. 23The sons of Leah: #For ver. 23-26, see ch. 46:8-27; Ex. 1:2-4Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 25The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant: Dan and Naphtali. 26The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

27And Jacob came to his father Isaac at #ch. 13:18; 23:19 Mamre, or #ch. 23:2; Josh. 14:15; 15:13Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. 28Now the days of Isaac were 180 years. 29And Isaac breathed his last, and he died #ch. 15:15; 25:8 and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And #ch. 25:9; 49:31his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

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