Genesis 35:1

Then God said to Jacob, “Leave this place, and go to that special place called Bethel. Remember, a long time ago, you ran away from your brother Esau, and you went to that place, and I came to you there. Now I want you to go and live in that place, and I want you to pile up stones there, to make a special table. Then I want you to burn animals on that special table, to show respect to me, because I am God.”

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

And 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.

In Context

2So Jacob talked to his family, and to all the other people that were in his camp. He said, “We are going to leave this place and go to the place called Bethel. I’m going to make a special table there, so that I can burn animals to show respect to God. You know, God is the one that helped me every time I got trouble, and he stayed with me wherever I went.” Jacob kept on talking to his mob. He said, “Some of you mob have little statues with you, that came from other countries. Some people think that those statues are gods that have power. You mob have to get rid of those statues. Then you all have to wash your bodies and put on clean clothes, because we are going to a special place to show respect to God.”

Read all of Genesis 35

Cross References

Genesis 12:8Later on, Abram and his mob left Shekem, and they went south to the hill country that was on the east side of a town called Bethel, and they camped between Bethel and another town called Ayi. Bethel was to the west of his camp and Ayi was to the east. Then Abram piled up stones there to make another special table, and he burned animals on it to show respect to God. He prayed to God, and he called God by his special name Yahweh.

Genesis 16:8He said, “Hagar, you belong to Sarai, so why are you sitting out here in the desert? Where are you going?” Hagar said, “I’m running away from my boss Sarai. She is too hard on me.”

Genesis 27:41Esau was really angry, because Jacob tricked their father, and their father made Jacob the next leader for their family. So Esau hated Jacob. And Esau said to himself, “My father is going to die soon. When he dies, we will all cry for a time, and then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

Genesis 28:13Then Jacob saw God standing near him. And God talked to Jacob. He said, “I am God, my name is Yahweh. I am the one that looked after your grand-father Abraham and your father Isaac. I’m making you a promise about this country where you are sleeping right now. I will give all this country to you and to the people that will be born into your family later on.

Genesis 29:1Then Jacob left that place, and he kept on walking towards the east, until he got to Paddan Aram country.

Genesis 31:13I am God. A long time ago, I came to you at the place called Bethel. That’s the place where you poured olive oil on top of a stone to show that it was a special place, and you made promises to me. Now leave this country straight away, and go back to your home country.”’”

Matthew Henry on Genesis 35:1

In this chapter we have three communions and three funerals. I. Three communions between God and Jacob. 1. God ordered Jacob to Beth-el; and, in obedience to that order, he purged his house of idols, and prepared for that journey, ver. 1-5 . 2. Jacob built an altar at Beth-el, to the honour of God that had appeared to him, and in performance of his vow, ver. 6, 7 . 3. God appeared to him again, and confirmed the change of his name and covenant with him ( ver. 9-13 ), of which appearance Jacob made a grateful… Read the whole commentary →

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