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Genesis35

God commands Jacob to return to Bethel, where Jacob purifies his household of idols and builds an altar. God reappears, renames Jacob "Israel," and reiterates the covenant promises of land and numerous descendants. During their journey, Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin, and later, Jacob's father Isaac dies and is buried by his sons.

Jacob Returns to Bethel and Purifies His Household

1
God said to Ya'akov, "Get up, go up to Beit-El and live there, and make there an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled 'Esav your brother." ​
2
Then Ya'akov said to his household and all the others with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods that you have with you, purify yourselves, and put on fresh clothes. ​
3
We're going to move on and go up to Beit-El. There I will build an altar to God, who answered me when I was in such distress and stayed with me wherever I went."
4
They gave Ya'akov all the foreign gods in their possession and the earrings they were wearing, and Ya'akov buried them under the pistachio tree near Sh'khem. ​
5
While they were traveling, a terror from God fell upon the cities around them, so that none of them pursued the sons of Ya'akov. ​
6
Ya'akov and all the people with him arrived at Luz (that is, Beit-El) in the land of Kena'an.
7
He built there an altar and called the place El-Beit-El [God of Beit-El], because it was there that God was revealed to him, at the time when he was fleeing from his brother. ​
8
Then D'vorah, Rivkah's nurse, died. She was buried below Beit-El under the oak, which was given the name Alon-Bakhut [oak of weeping]. ​

God Renews the Covenant and Renames Israel

9
After Ya'akov arrived from Paddan-Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. ​
10
God said to him, "Your name is Ya'akov, but you will be called Ya'akov no longer; your name will be Isra'el."Thus he named him Isra'el.
11
God further said to him, "I am El Shaddai. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation, indeed a group of nations, will come from you; kings will be descended from you. ​
12
Moreover, the land which I gave to Avraham and Yitz'chak I will give to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after you."
13
Then God went up from him there where he had spoken with him.
14
Ya'akov set up a standing-stone in the place where he had spoken with him, a stone pillar. Then he poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it.
15
Ya'akov called the place where God spoke with him Beit-El.

The Death of Rachel

16
Then they traveled on from Beit-El, and while there was still some distance to go before arriving in Efrat, Rachel went into labor, and she had great difficulty with it.
17
While she was undergoing this hard labor, the midwife said to her, "Don't worry, this is also a son for you."
18
But she died in childbirth. As she was dying she named her son Ben-Oni [son of my grief], but his father called him Binyamin [son of the right hand, son of the south]. ​
19
So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Efrat (that is, Beit-Lechem). ​
20
Ya'akov set up a standing-stone on her grave; it is the stand-ing-stone of Rachel's grave to this day.

Reuben's Sin and the Twelve Sons of Jacob

21
Isra'el continued his travels and pitched his tent on the other side of Migdal-'Eder.
22
It was while Isra'el was living in that land that Re'uven went and slept with Bilhah his father's concubine, and Isra'el heard about it. Ya'akov had twelve sons. ​
23
The sons of Le'ah were Re'uven Ya'akov's firstborn, Shim'on, Levi, Y'hudah, Yissakhar and Z'vulun.
24
The sons of Rachel were Yosef and Binyamin.
25
The sons of Bilhah Rachel's slave-girl were Dan and Naftali.
26
And the sons of Zilpah Le'ah's slave-girl were Gad and Asher. These were Ya'akov's sons, born to him in Paddan-Aram.

The Death and Burial of Isaac

27
Ya'akov came home to his father Yitz'chak at Mamre, near Kiryat-Arba (also known as Hevron), where Avraham and Yitz'chak had lived as foreigners. ​
28
Yitz'chak lived to be 180 years old.
29
Then he breathed his last, died and was gathered to his people, an old man full of years; and his sons 'Esav and Ya'akov buried him. ​

Study Notes for Genesis 35

Verse 1

God commands Jacob to return to Bethel, the site of his original covenant dream (Gen 28:10-22), to fulfill the vow he made there. This move is necessary to establish the sanctity of his household after the violence at Shechem.

Verse 2

Jacob demands religious purification, indicating that his household, including those acquired in Padan-aram or Shechem, still harbored idols (likely including Rachel's stolen teraphim). This act of cleansing is required before approaching the holy ground of Bethel.

Verse 4

By burying the idols and the pagan earrings (often used as amulets) under the oak, Jacob performs a decisive act of separation, symbolically abandoning foreign worship before receiving renewed covenant blessings.

Verse 5

The 'terror of God' refers to a divinely instilled fear that prevented the neighboring Canaanite tribes from pursuing Jacob's family in retaliation for the massacre of the Shechemites (Gen 34).

Verse 7

Jacob names the altar Elbethel ('God of Bethel'), commemorating the specific manifestation of God at this location, emphasizing that the God who appeared to him in distress is sovereign and present.

Verse 8

The death of Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, is noted to mark the passing of the older generation and to reinforce the historical reality of the journey. Allonbachuth means 'Oak of Weeping,' highlighting the mourning period.

Verse 9

This appearance solidifies the covenant promises made to Abraham and Isaac. God formally confirms the name Israel, which Jacob had received during his wrestling match at Penuel (Gen 32:28).

Verse 11

God identifies himself as El Shaddai ('God Almighty'), the title associated with the covenant promise of fertility and multiplication. The promise includes descendants forming 'a nation and a company of nations' (referencing the twelve tribes and future kings).

Verse 18

Rachel names her son Benoni ('Son of my sorrow') reflecting her dying pain, but Jacob immediately renames him Benjamin ('Son of the right hand'), suggesting blessing, strength, and favor.

Verse 19

Rachel's death near Ephrath (later identified as Bethlehem) is a tragic climax to Jacob's journey, marking the end of the matriarchal line. Her burial site became a significant landmark in Israelite tradition.

Verse 22

Reuben’s act of sleeping with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, was an act of usurpation, challenging Jacob’s authority and claiming the rights of the firstborn. This sin later cost Reuben his birthright (Gen 49:3-4).

Verse 27

Jacob finally returns to Mamre/Hebron, where his parents resided. This reunion is the last recorded moment of the patriarchs together before Isaac’s death.

Verse 29

Isaac dies at 180 years old, having lived the longest of the three patriarchs. The joint burial by Esau and Jacob indicates a final, peaceful reconciliation between the brothers, fulfilling the promise that he would be 'gathered unto his people.'

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