Genesis 35

God Blesses Jacob at Bethel

1 # Gen 28.11–17 God said to Jacob, “Go to Bethel at once, and live there. Build an altar there to me, the God who appeared to you when you were running away from your brother Esau.”

2So Jacob said to his family and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that you have; purify yourselves and put on clean clothes. 3We are going to leave here and go to Bethel, where I will build an altar to the God who helped me in the time of my trouble and who has been with me everywhere I have gone.” 4So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods that they had and also the earrings that they were wearing. He buried them beneath the oak tree near Shechem.

5When Jacob and his sons started to leave, great fear fell on the people of the nearby towns, and they did not pursue them. 6Jacob came with all his people to Luz, which is now known as Bethel, in the land of Canaan. 7He built an altar there and named the place after the God of Bethel, because God had revealed himself to him there when he was running away from his brother. 8Rebecca's nurse Deborah died and was buried beneath the oak south of Bethel. So it was named “Oak of Weeping”.

9When Jacob returned from Mesopotamia, God appeared to him again and blessed him. 10#Gen 32.28God said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but from now on it will be Israel.” So God named him Israel. 11#Gen 17.4–8And God said to him, “I am Almighty God. Have many children. Nations will be descended from you, and you will be the ancestor of kings. 12I will give you the land which I gave to Abraham and to Isaac, and I will also give it to your descendants after you.” 13Then God left him. 14#Gen 28.18–19There, where God had spoken to him, Jacob set up a memorial stone and consecrated it by pouring wine and olive oil on it. 15He named the place Bethel.

The Death of Rachel

16Jacob and his family left Bethel, and when they were still some distance from Ephrath, the time came for Rachel to have her baby, and she was having difficult labour. 17When her labour pains were at their worst, the midwife said to her, “Don't be afraid, Rachel; it's another boy.” 18But she was dying, and as she breathed her last, she named her son Benoni,#35.18 Benoni: This name in Hebrew means “son of my sorrow”. but his father named him Benjamin.#35.18 Benjamin: This name in Hebrew means “son who will be fortunate”.

19When Rachel died, she was buried beside the road to Ephrath, now known as Bethlehem. 20Jacob set up a memorial stone there, and it still marks Rachel's grave to this day. 21Jacob moved on and set up his camp on the other side of the tower of Eder.

The Sons of Jacob

(1 Chr 2.1–2)

22 # Gen 49.4 While Jacob was living in that land, Reuben had sexual intercourse with Bilhah, one of his father's concubines; Jacob heard about it and was furious.#35.22 One ancient translation and was furious; Hebrew does not have these words.

Jacob had twelve sons. 23The sons of Leah were Reuben (Jacob's eldest son), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24The sons of Rachel 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 sons were born in Mesopotamia.

The Death of Isaac

27 # Gen 13.18 Jacob went to his father Isaac at Mamre, near Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac had lived. 28Isaac lived to be 180 years old 29and died at a ripe old age; and 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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