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Genesis 35 · Berean Standard Bible

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¹Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” ²So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your garments. ³Then let us arise and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to God, who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.” ⁴So they gave Jacob all their foreign gods and all their earrings, and Jacob buried them under the oak near Shechem. ⁵As they set out, a terror from God fell over the surrounding cities, so that they did not pursue Jacob’s sons. ⁶So Jacob and everyone with him arrived in Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan. ⁷There Jacob built an altar, and he called that place El-bethel, because it was there that God had revealed Himself to Jacob as he fled from his brother. ⁸Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak below Bethel. So Jacob named it Allon-bachuth. ⁹After Jacob had returned from Paddan-aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. ¹⁰And God said to him, “Though your name is Jacob, you will no longer be called Jacob. Instead, your name will be Israel.” So God named him Israel. ¹¹And God told him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation—even a company of nations—shall come from you, and kings shall descend from you. ¹²The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.” ¹³Then God went up from the place where He had spoken with him. ¹⁴So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where God had spoken with him—a stone marker—and he poured out a drink offering on it and anointed it with oil. ¹⁵Jacob called the place where God had spoken with him Bethel. ¹⁶Later, they set out from Bethel, and while they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult. ¹⁷During her severe labor, the midwife said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you are having another son.” ¹⁸And with her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni. But his father called him Benjamin. ¹⁹So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). ²⁰Jacob set up a pillar on her grave; it marks Rachel’s tomb to this day. ²¹Israel again set out and pitched his tent beyond the Tower of Eder. ²²While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons: ²³The sons of Leah were Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. ²⁴The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. ²⁵The sons of Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali. ²⁶And the sons of Leah’s maidservant Zilpah were Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan-aram. ²⁷Jacob returned to his father Isaac at Mamre, near Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. ²⁸And Isaac lived 180 years. ²⁹Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Berean Standard Bible · public domain. More versions and languages in the Reading Plan.

Genesis

Genesis 35

The Covenant Renewed, Loss, and Legacy of Israel

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Objective

To reveal God’s reaffirmation of His covenant with Jacob—now Israel—amidst moments of cleansing, divine blessing, personal loss, and the unfolding of the twelve tribes, emphasizing God’s faithfulness and the shaping of His chosen people.

Overview

Genesis 35 unfolds as a pivotal chapter where God commands Jacob to return to Bethel to renew his commitment and worship, leading to a cleansing from idolatry and the building of an altar. God reaffirms Jacob’s new name, Israel, and renews the promise of multiplication and inheritance. The chapter also marks the sorrowful death of Rachel in childbirth, the establishment of tribal identities through Jacob’s sons, and the death of Isaac, closing a generational chapter in God’s unfolding plan.

Detailed Analysis

Event Description

God commands Jacob to arise and go to Bethel, the place of his earlier encounter, instructing him to dwell there and build an altar. Jacob responds by purging his household of foreign gods, cleansing themselves, and changing garments, symbolizing a break from past idolatry. They journey under God's protecting terror, arriving at Bethel where Jacob erects an altar and calls the place El-bethel, recalling God's presence in his distress.

Central Themes

Renewal of covenant relationship

purification from idolatry

obedience to divine command

God’s protective presence.

Cultural & Historical Context

Bethel was a sacred site associated with divine revelation and covenant. Removing foreign gods reflects the ancient Near Eastern context where household idols were common, yet Yahweh demands exclusive worship. The altar signifies restored fellowship and worship in God’s presence.

Key Verse

Genesis 35:1

Vivid Artistic Descriptions

Divine Command and Purification at Bethel

A dawn-lit hill at Bethel, where a solemn Jacob stands surrounded by his household. They cast idols and earrings into shadow beneath an ancient oak, their garments changed to pure white, as a radiant light from heaven bathes the altar stone, symbolizing cleansing and divine presence.

God’s Blessing and the Renaming of Jacob

Under a vast starry sky, Jacob kneels beside a rugged stone pillar, pouring oil and wine as a fragrant smoke rises. Above him, a luminous figure speaks, and a new name, Israel, glows in the air, signifying transformation and covenantal blessing.

Rachel’s Death and the Cost of Promise

A somber twilight scene by a lonely roadside near Bethlehem, where Rachel lies in labor, her face pale but resolute. A midwife comforts her gently. Nearby, a small infant wrapped in swaddling cloth is named Benjamin, while a solitary stone pillar marks the place of Rachel’s grave, bathed in soft moonlight.

The Twelve Tribes and Family Tensions

A family tableau under a sprawling tent: twelve boys of varying ages and temperaments gather, some close, some distant. In the background, a shadowed figure of Reuben looks downcast, hinting at brokenness amid the emerging tribal unity.

Isaac’s Death and the Passing of the Patriarchal Torch

An aged Isaac reclines peacefully in a sunlit tent near Hebron, his sons Esau and Jacob standing solemnly by his side. The scene conveys dignity, reconciliation, and the solemn passage of blessing from one generation to the next.

Song

Genesis 35 Song

Verse 1:

Arise, O Jacob, to Bethel go, Where once the Lord did meet your soul; Put away the gods that bind and blind, Cleanse your heart, your garments fold.

Verse 2:

Beneath the oak, the idols lie, The past is buried, the altar stands high; A new name given, a future bright, In God’s own hand, our hope and light.

Chorus:

El Shaddai, God Almighty, Bless us with Your covenant sure; From Jacob to Israel, Your promise endures, A nation, a company, forevermore.

Bridge:

Rachel’s pain, a mother’s cry, Life and death in Bethlehem’s sky; Through sorrow’s veil, Your blessings flow, In every loss, Your grace we know.

Final Chorus:

El Shaddai, God Almighty, Bless us with Your covenant sure; From Jacob to Israel, Your promise endures, A nation, a company, forevermore.

Practical Application

Personal Life

Examine and remove any idols or distractions hindering your worship and relationship with God.

Embrace the new identity God gives you in Christ, leaving behind old patterns and names.

Trust God’s promises even amid personal loss and hardship.

Community & Society

Encourage communal purity and renewal by turning away from false gods and practices.

Support one another through grief and celebrate God’s faithfulness together.

Recognize the importance of family and community reconciliation as part of God’s plan.

Global Perspective

Promote awareness of God’s covenant faithfulness across nations and cultures.

Advocate for honoring God’s design for family and community unity worldwide.

Remember that God’s promises extend beyond borders, calling for fruitfulness and multiplication of His kingdom.

Conclusion

Genesis 35 stands as a testament to God’s unwavering faithfulness amid human frailty. Jacob’s journey to Bethel marks a sacred renewal—purification, worship, and divine blessing. The renaming to Israel signals transformation and covenant identity. Yet, the chapter does not shy from sorrow: Rachel’s death reminds us of the cost intertwined with blessing. The emergence of the twelve sons lays the foundation for Israel’s tribes, while Isaac’s peaceful death closes a patriarchal chapter with reconciliation. Through all, God’s promises endure, shaping a people destined for His purposes.