Genesis 35:7

Jacob made his camp there and built a stone table called an altar so that he could burn an animal to show respect for God. Jacob changed the name of that place to El-Bethel, which means The God of God's house. Years before, God had met with him there when he was running away from his brother Esau. At that time he called the meeting place Bethel, but now it was called El-Bethel.

Barkly (portions)

In The King James Version

And he built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.

In Context

6Jacob and all the people with him got to a place called Luz. The other name for Luz is Bethel and it is in the country of Canaan.

8Many years before this time, when Jacob's mother Rebekah was a young girl, she had a woman named Deborah who looked after her. When Rebekah left her homeland and married Isaac, Deborah went with her to live in Canaan. But when Deborah was very old, she died. And someone buried her under the big tree just south of Bethel and from that time, that place was called You can cry under this tree.

Read all of Genesis 35

Cross References

Genesis 12:7Then the Lord visited Abram and made a strong promise to him. God said to Abram, “You are the first person in my new family. I promise that I will give this country to the family that comes from you.” The Lord had visited Abram and so Abram piled up some stones to make a special table called an altar. And then he burned some animals on that altar to show respect to the Lord.

Genesis 28:10This is the story of Jacob's trip. He left his home in Beersheba and started to go to Harran.

Genesis 28:22God Most Powerful, I have put this stone here as a sign that it is a special place. It will be a place where people can pray and show respect to you. I promise you, God Most Powerful, that when you give me anything, I will split it up into 10 parts and I will give you the first part.”

Genesis 31:13I am the God who spoke to you at Bethel, the place where you put up the stone and poured olive oil all over it. That was where you made a promise to me. Now I want you to leave this country and go back home to the country where you were born.’”

Matthew Henry on Genesis 35:7-16

Jacob's Arrival at Bethel. ( b. c. 1732.) 6 So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Beth-el, he and all the people that were with him. 7 And he built there an altar, and called the place El-Beth-el: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother. 8 But Deborah Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath Beth-el under an oak: and the name of it was called Allon-bachuth. 9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him.… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 35:7