GOD TALKS WITH JACOB AT BETHEL

Passage: Genesis 35:1-15

Key verse: 15

NIV

Jacob Returns to Bethel

35 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel(A) and settle there, and build an altar(B) there to God,(C) who appeared to you(D) when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”(E)

2 So Jacob said to his household(F) and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods(G) you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes.(H) 3 Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God,(I) who answered me in the day of my distress(J) and who has been with me wherever I have gone.(K)” 4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears,(L) and Jacob buried them under the oak(M) at Shechem.(N) 5 Then they set out, and the terror of God(O) fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.(P)

6 Jacob and all the people with him came to Luz(Q) (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan.(R) 7 There he built an altar,(S) and he called the place El Bethel,[a](T) because it was there that God revealed himself to him(U) when he was fleeing from his brother.(V)

8 Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse,(W) died and was buried under the oak(X) outside Bethel.(Y) So it was named Allon Bakuth.[b]

9 After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram,[c](Z) God appeared to him again and blessed him.(AA) 10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob,[d] but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.[e]”(AB) So he named him Israel.

11 And God said to him, “I am God Almighty[f];(AC) be fruitful and increase in number.(AD) A nation(AE) and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants.(AF) 12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.(AG)”(AH) 13 Then God went up from him(AI) at the place where he had talked with him.

14 Jacob set up a stone pillar(AJ) at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering(AK) on it; he also poured oil on it.(AL) 15 Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel.[g](AM)

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Footnotes
  1. Genesis 35:7 El Bethel means God of Bethel.
  2. Genesis 35:8 Allon Bakuth means oak of weeping.
  3. Genesis 35:9 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia; also in verse 26
  4. Genesis 35:10 Jacob means he grasps the heel, a Hebrew idiom for he deceives.
  5. Genesis 35:10 Israel probably means he struggles with God.
  6. Genesis 35:11 Hebrew El-Shaddai
  7. Genesis 35:15 Bethel means house of God.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

God Blesses and Renames Jacob

35 God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to (A)Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you (B)when you fled from your brother Esau.” 2 So Jacob said to his (C)household and to all who were with him, “Put away (D)the foreign gods that are among you and (E)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 (F)who answers me in the day of my distress and (G)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 (H)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 (I)Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him, 7 and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel,[a] because (J)there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother. 8 And (K)Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and she was buried under an oak below Bethel. So he called its name Allon-bacuth.[b]

9 God appeared[c] to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. 10 And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; (L)no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but (M)Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. 11 And God said to him, (N)“I am God Almighty:[d] be (O)fruitful and multiply. (P)A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body.[e] 12 (Q)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 Then God (R)went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. 14 And Jacob (S)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 (T)Bethel.

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Footnotes
  1. Genesis 35:7 El-bethel means God of Bethel
  2. Genesis 35:8 Allon-bacuth means oak of weeping
  3. Genesis 35:9 Or had appeared
  4. Genesis 35:11 Hebrew El Shaddai
  5. Genesis 35:11 Hebrew from your loins
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Get rid of the foreign gods (1-8)

God reminded Jacob of how God had met him at Bethel as he was fleeing from Esau in fear and distress. Now, God commanded Jacob to go back to Bethel and build an altar. It was time to fulfill his vow. Jacob remembered God's faithfulness; he repented and obeyed God. He got rid of all the foreign gods in his household. Even the godless Canaanites felt the terror of the holy God who was with Jacob.

2. El Bethel (9-15)

God met Jacob at Bethel and talked with him personally. He blessed him and renewed the Abrahamic covenant; he confirmed the change of his name from Jacob, the deceiver, to Israel, the man who struggled with God. Jacob had built an altar and called the place 'El Bethel.' He set up a stone pillar (as he had done when he made his vow). He would not forget Bethel, the place where he met God first and where he talked with God.

Prayer: Lord, help me to remember my Bethel, and to live in your presence all the days of my life.

One Word: Remember your Bethel; talk with God