Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Genesis 35
Genesis 35:2-3So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone."
Jacob takes spiritual leadership, understanding that approaching God requires his family to get rid of their foreign gods and purify themselves. This act shows that worship is an internal turning back to God alone, not an external ritual.Genesis 35:10-11And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body.
God meets Jacob and powerfully reaffirms his new identity as Israel, reminding him of the covenant promises of descendants and land. This is a foundational moment, securing Jacob's role as the father of the nation God is building.Genesis 35:18-19And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem),
This passage captures the bittersweet reality of life, as the joy of a new son, Benjamin, is immediately overshadowed by the tragedy of Rachel's death. It illustrates that following God does not grant immunity from pain and loss.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Call to Leave Crisis and Return to Covenant
This chapter opens in the tense aftermath of the massacre at Shechem, detailed in Genesis 34. Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, have enacted a brutal revenge, making the family feared and hated by their Canaanite neighbors. It is in this climate of danger and moral compromise that God intervenes. He doesn't address the violence directly but instead calls Jacob away from this place of crisis and back to Bethel, the 'house of God,' where Jacob first encountered God decades earlier when fleeing from his brother Esau.
A Journey of Purification, Promise, and Pain
The journey to Bethel becomes a pilgrimage of spiritual house-cleaning and remembrance. Jacob commands his family to put away their foreign idols, a clear sign that they had accumulated pagan influences. The trip is marked by key life events that shape the future of Israel: God blesses and renames Jacob, Rachel gives birth to Benjamin and dies, Reuben commits a terrible sin, and finally, Jacob is reunited with his aging father, Isaac, just before his death. This chapter ties up loose ends from Jacob's past and sets the stage for the next generation.
From Purification to Promise and Pain
Genesis 35 follows Jacob's family as they journey from the compromised land of Shechem back to Bethel, a place of divine promise. The narrative is a powerful blend of spiritual highs and devastating lows. It begins with God's direct command, leading to an act of communal purification, and moves through a divine encounter, a heartbreaking death, a shocking sin, and a final family reunion.
The Return to Bethel (Genesis 35:1-7)
1 God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau."
2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments.
3 Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone."
4 So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.
5 And 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.
6 And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him,
7 And he built there an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother.
Commentary:
God calls Jacob back to Bethel, and Jacob leads his family in putting away their idols to worship God faithfully.
Related Verse Analysis
A Death, a Blessing, and a New Name (Genesis 35:8-15)
8 And Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and she was buried under an oak below Bethel. So he called its name Allon-bacuth.
9 God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram and blessed him.
10 And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel.
11 And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body.
12 And the land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.
13 And God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him.
14 And Jacob set 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.
15 So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.
Commentary:
After a family death, God appears to Jacob, reaffirms his name as Israel, and renews the covenant promises of descendants and land.
Related Verse Analysis
The Pain of Birth, Death, and Sin (Genesis 35:16-22)
16 Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor.
17 And when she was in her hard labor, the midwife said to her, "Do not fear, for you have another son."
18 And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
19 So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem),
20 And Jacob set up a pillar over her grave. It is the pillar of Rachel's tomb, which is there to this day.
21 Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.
22 While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine. And Israel heard of it.
Commentary:
Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin, and Jacob's firstborn son, Reuben, commits a terrible sin against his father.
The Twelve Sons and a Father's Farewell (Genesis 35:23-29)
23 The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob's firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
24 the sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's servant, were Dan and Naphtali.
26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah's maidservant: Gad and Asher.
27 And Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned.
28 And the days of Isaac were a hundred and eighty years.
29 And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Commentary:
The twelve sons of Israel are listed, and Jacob reunites with his father Isaac, who then dies and is buried by Jacob and Esau.
Core Truths in a Journey of Faith
God's Unfailing Faithfulness
Despite Jacob's flawed character and his family's deep dysfunction, God remains faithful to His promises. He brings Jacob safely back to the land, reaffirms the covenant, and continues to build a nation through him, showing that His plan depends on His character, not human perfection.
The Necessity of Purification
Before Jacob's family can properly worship at Bethel, they must first get rid of their idols. This demonstrates a timeless spiritual principle: a true relationship with God requires a deliberate turning away from anything that competes for our devotion. Worship is about cleansing our hearts, not merely showing up.
Blessing and Sorrow Coexist
This chapter powerfully illustrates that a life of faith is not free from pain. The joy of Benjamin's birth is forever tied to the tragedy of Rachel's death. This reminds us that God's presence doesn't eliminate hardship, but He walks with us through it, weaving both joy and sorrow into His larger story.
Identity Found in God's Call
God once again calls Jacob 'Israel,' cementing a new identity based on divine purpose, not past failings. Jacob's story moves from that of a 'deceiver' to the father of a nation. This highlights that our true identity is given to us by God and is rooted in His promises for our future.
Living Out the Lessons of Bethel
This is a call to take an honest look at your own life and identify what you give ultimate value to. In Genesis 35:2-4, Jacob's family had to physically give up their idols. For you, this might mean turning away from the pursuit of wealth, approval, or comfort as your primary source of security and making a conscious choice to put God first.
This teaches that your identity is not defined by your past mistakes or your old self. Just as God gave Jacob a new name tied to a new purpose (Genesis 35:10), He offers you a new identity based on His grace and calling. You are who God says you are, not who your past says you are.
Genesis 35 reminds you that joy and pain are often intertwined in a life of faith. When you experience loss, like Jacob did with Rachel (Genesis 35:19), you can still hold on to God's promises. It's okay to grieve deeply while also trusting that God is still faithful and at work, just as He was in bringing forth Benjamin, the 'son of his right hand.'
God's Faithfulness in a Messy Life
Genesis 35 demonstrates that God's redemptive plan moves forward through the messy, complicated reality of human life. He calls his people out of compromise, invites them into purity, and reaffirms His promises, not because they are perfect, but because He is faithful. The message is that our journey with God will be marked by both divine encounters and deep sorrows, but through it all, He is shaping us and building His family.
What This Means for Us Today
God's command to Jacob to 'Arise, go up to Bethel' is an invitation that echoes through time. It calls us to leave the places of compromise in our lives, to intentionally purify our hearts, and to return to the place of our first encounter with God's grace. This chapter invites us to build new altars of worship in our lives today, not merely to remember God's past faithfulness.
- What 'foreign gods' or attachments do you need to leave behind to move forward with God?
- How can you commemorate God's faithfulness in your life, much like Jacob set up a pillar?
- In moments of sorrow, how can you find hope in God's ongoing promises, as Jacob did?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter details the violent events at Shechem, which created the dangerous situation that prompted God's call for Jacob to leave.
Following the focus on Jacob's line, this chapter provides the genealogy of his brother Esau, showing how God's promise to make two nations from them was being fulfilled.
Connections Across Scripture
This is the original story of Jacob's dream at Bethel, where he first met God and made the vow that he finally fulfills in Genesis 35.
Centuries later, Joshua issues a similar call for Israel to throw away their foreign gods and choose to serve the Lord, echoing Jacob's leadership.
This verse speaks of becoming a 'new creation' in Christ, which connects to the theme of God giving Jacob a new name and identity.
Theological Themes
The prophet Hosea reflects on Jacob's life, specifically his striving with God and his encounter at Bethel, urging Israel to return to God with justice and love.
Discussion Questions
- God called Jacob to return to Bethel, a place of a significant past encounter with Him. What are the 'Bethels' in your own life - places or moments of clear connection with God - and what would it look like to 'return' to them in remembrance and worship?
- Jacob's family had to bury their idols before they could properly worship God. What modern-day 'idols' (things that compete for our ultimate loyalty, like security, success, or relationships) might we need to 'bury' to follow God more fully?
- This chapter holds immense blessing and deep tragedy side-by-side. How does seeing both God's covenant renewal and Rachel's death in the same story affect your understanding of God's presence in times of suffering?
Glossary
places
Bethel
Meaning 'house of God,' this was the place where Jacob had a vision of a ladder to heaven and first encountered God personally.
Shechem
A city in Canaan where Jacob's family settled for a time and where the violent actions of his sons took place.
Ephrath (Bethlehem)
The ancient name for the town of Bethlehem, where Rachel was buried and where King David and later Jesus would be born.
Hebron
A significant city in southern Canaan where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all lived and were eventually buried.
language
figures
Jacob (Israel)
The patriarch whose name was changed to Israel by God and from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.
Rachel
Jacob's most loved wife, mother of Joseph and Benjamin, who died tragically in childbirth.
Isaac
The son of Abraham and father of Jacob and Esau, who passed on the covenant promise to Jacob.
Reuben
Jacob's firstborn son, who forfeited his birthright after sleeping with his father's concubine, Bilhah.
Deborah
The nurse of Jacob's mother, Rebekah, who was a beloved member of the household.