Genesis 35: Back to Bethel, and the deaths of Rachel and Isaac
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What happens?
God sends Jacob back to Bethel. Jacob's household gives up its foreign gods, and at Bethel God appears to him again, calls him Israel, and blesses him. On the journey Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin, and at the end of the chapter Isaac dies and Esau and Jacob bury him.
Who is speaking?
God speaks in 4 of the 29 verses: he sends Jacob to Bethel, gives him the name Israel, and blesses him as God Almighty. Jacob and the midwife also speak. When Jacob names the place "Bethel" (verse 15), that name is Jacob's word, not God's, so it is not gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1God 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.”God speaks
In plain English: God said to Jacob, "Get up, go up to Bethel, and live there. Build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were running away from your brother Esau."
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2Then 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.
In plain English: Then Jacob said to his household and to everyone with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods you have among you. Make yourselves clean, and change your clothes.
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3Let’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.”
In plain English: Let's get up and go to Bethel. There I will build an altar to God, who answered me when I was in trouble and has been with me on the way I have gone."
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4They 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.
In plain English: They gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had, and the rings in their ears. Jacob hid them under the oak near Shechem.
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5They traveled, and a terror of God was on the cities that were around them, and they didn’t pursue the sons of Jacob.
In plain English: As they traveled, a terror of God fell on the towns around them, and no one chased Jacob's sons.
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6So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him.
In plain English: So Jacob, and all the people with him, came to Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan.
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7He 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.
In plain English: He built an altar there and named the place El Beth El, because it was there that God was revealed to him (or: heavenly beings were revealed to him) when he was running away from his brother.
Good to know: El Beth El means "God of Bethel", and Bethel means "house of God". Jacob first gave the place that name in , when it was still called Luz.
The Hebrew words: In "God was revealed to him", the word "was revealed" is written for more than one ("they were revealed"), next to Elohim, the word for God that looks like "gods".
What changes: Read as God alone, as in this Bible, it means God showed himself to Jacob there. Some readers take it to include the angels Jacob saw on the stairway at Bethel ().
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8Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; and its name was called Allon Bacuth.
In plain English: Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died. She was buried below Bethel, under the oak, and it was named Allon Bacuth.
Good to know: Allon Bacuth means "oak of weeping". Rebekah's nurse first appears, without her name, when Rebekah leaves home to marry Isaac ().
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9God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan Aram, and blessed him.
In plain English: When Jacob came back from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him.
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10God 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.God speaks
In plain English: God said to him, "Your name is Jacob. You will not be called Jacob any longer: your name will be Israel." So he named him Israel.
Good to know: Jacob was first given the name Israel by the man who wrestled with him (). Here God gives him the name. After this the text uses both names: Israel in , Jacob in .
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11God 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.God speaks
In plain English: God said to him, "I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your own body.
The Hebrew words: "God Almighty" is El Shaddai. God first calls himself this in , speaking to Abraham. This Bible says "Almighty" in all 48 verses that use Shaddai.
Good to know: "Be fruitful and multiply" are the words God spoke to the first people () and to Noah ().
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12The 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.”God speaks
In plain English: The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after you."
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13God went up from him in the place where he spoke with him.
In plain English: Then God went up from him at the place where he had spoken with him.
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14Jacob 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.
In plain English: Jacob set up a pillar at the place where God had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured a drink offering on it, and poured oil on it.
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15Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him “Bethel”.
In plain English: Jacob named the place where God had spoken with him "Bethel".
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16They traveled from Bethel. There was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and Rachel travailed. She had hard labor.
In plain English: They traveled on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and her labor was hard.
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17When she was in hard labor, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for now you will have another son.”
In plain English: During her hard labor, the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid, because you are having another son."
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18As her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin.
In plain English: As her life was leaving her (for she died), she named him Benoni. But his father named him Benjamin.
The Hebrew words: Benoni is Ben-oni. The dictionary gives "son of my sorrow". But the same Hebrew letters, oni, mean "my strength" in , so the name can also be read "son of my strength". Benjamin is Binyamin, "son of the right hand" (the same word can also mean "the south").
What changes: Read as "son of my sorrow", Rachel names the boy for her pain as she dies. Read as "son of my strength", she calls the child her strength. Either way, his father renames him Benjamin.
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19Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem).
In plain English: Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
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20Jacob set up a pillar on her grave. The same is the Pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day.
In plain English: Jacob set up a pillar over her grave. It is still the pillar of Rachel's grave today.
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21Israel traveled, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Eder.
In plain English: Israel traveled on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.
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22While 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.
In plain English: While Israel was living in that land, Reuben went and slept with Bilhah, his father's concubine, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons.
Good to know: Jacob speaks of this near the end of his life, when he tells Reuben, "you went up to your father's bed" ().
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23The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
In plain English: The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob's firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
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24The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
In plain English: The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
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25The sons of Bilhah (Rachel’s servant): Dan and Naphtali.
In plain English: The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's servant: Dan and Naphtali.
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26The sons of Zilpah (Leah’s servant): Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.
In plain English: The sons of Zilpah, Leah's servant: Gad and Asher. These are Jacob's sons, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.
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27Jacob came to Isaac his father, to Mamre, to Kiriath Arba (which is Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac lived as foreigners.
In plain English: Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had lived as foreigners.
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28The days of Isaac were one hundred eighty years.
In plain English: Isaac lived one hundred and eighty years.
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29Isaac gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him.
In plain English: Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
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