The Law · Chapter 35 of 50

Genesis 35

God calls Jacob back to Bethel, and he purges his household of idols before building an altar there. God reaffirms his name as Israel and renews the covenant promises of nations and land. On the journey Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin near Bethlehem, Reuben sins against his father, and finally aged Isaac dies and is buried by Esau and Jacob together.

What happens in Genesis 35

God tells Jacob to go up to Bethel and build an altar where he first appeared to him. Jacob commands his household to put away their foreign gods, purify themselves, and change garments, and he buries the idols and earrings under an oak. As they journey, the terror of God protects them from pursuit. At Bethel Jacob builds an altar and God appears again, confirming the name Israel and declaring himself God Almighty, promising fruitfulness, a company of nations, kings, and the land.

Jacob sets up a stone pillar with oil and a drink offering. Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, dies and is buried. Near Ephrath, Rachel dies in hard labor bearing a son she names Benoni, but Jacob calls him Benjamin. Reuben lies with Bilhah. The twelve sons are listed. Finally Jacob returns to Isaac at Hebron, and Isaac dies, buried by both his sons.

Genesis 35 in context

After the bloodshed at Shechem left Jacob's family endangered and defiled, God's command to return to Bethel is a call to consecration and a fresh start. Bethel is where Jacob first met God in a dream while fleeing Esau.

Now, decades later, he returns as Israel to renew the vow he once made. The chapter gathers births and deaths across generations, closing one era as the family of promise takes fuller shape.

Main themes of Genesis 35

Genesis 35 (KJV)

1And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. 2Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: 3And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. 4And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. 5And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. 6So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him. 7And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother. 8But Deborah Rebekah’s nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth. 9And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him. 10And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. 11And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; 12And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land. 13And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. 14And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. 15And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel. 16And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. 17And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. 18And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. 19And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. 20And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day. 21And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar. 22And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: 23The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun: 24The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin: 25And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali: 26And the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram. 27And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned. 28And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years. 29And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Verses to carry from Genesis 35

“Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:”Genesis 35:2

“And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.”Genesis 35:10

“And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.”Genesis 35:19

Reflection

God's call to Jacob is also a call to us, arise, go to Bethel, and put away whatever competes for your heart. Renewal begins by burying the idols and returning to the place we first met God. Even when the road home passes through graves, his promises hold. Come back, be cleansed, and worship again.

A prayer from Genesis 35