Genesis Chapter 35

At a Glance

  • Genesis 35 marks a decisive turning point in Jacob’s family life and in the theological arc of Genesis.
  • Historical & Literary Context.
  • Genesis 35 sits after the events of 32–33, in which Jacob wrestles with fear and receives a new identity.
  • - Covenant renewal: Removing foreign gods and returning to exclusive worship of Yahweh.
  • - Identity transformation: Jacob’s name change to Israel marks a shift from personal survival to national vocation.

Chapter Overview

Genesis 35 marks a decisive turning point in Jacob’s family life and in the theological arc of Genesis. God speaks to Jacob, commissioning him to rise and go to Bethel, the place of his first encounter with God, where the Lord appeared and promised blessing. He is instructed to purify his household, removing the foreign gods and changing their garments—a call to covenant renewal and to distinguish the people of God from the surrounding nations. The chapter records the purification of Jacob’s household, the burial of Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, and the reaffirmation of God’s blessing: Jacob’s name is changed from Jacob to Israel, signifying the birth of a new national identity. God’s promise expands: a nation and a company of nations will come from him, kings will descend from his loins, and the land promises to Abraham and Isaac are reconfirmed. The narrative then describes the setting up of an altar at Bethel and the naming of Elbethel—the “God of Bethel.” This is not merely a personal spiritual revival but a reorientation of the entire family toward covenant faithfulness. The chapter ends with a clarified sense of destiny: Israel’s people are being formed, marked by divine encounter, worship, and a reaffirmed mission.

Historical & Literary Context

Genesis 35 sits after the events of 32–33, in which Jacob wrestles with fear and receives a new identity. The Bethel motif recurs as a reminder of covenant promises and divine presence. The narrative belongs to the priestly strand in Genesis, emphasizing cultic purity, proper worship, and continuity of blessing. The change of name from Jacob to Israel is a watershed in biblical theology, signaling the emergence of a people with a distinct mission under divine authority. The chapter is thus crucial in the transition from individual patriarch to the collective people Israel, with a renewed emphasis on faithfulness, purity, and divine blessing.

Key Themes

- Covenant renewal: Removing foreign gods and returning to exclusive worship of Yahweh.

- Identity transformation: Jacob’s name change to Israel marks a shift from personal survival to national vocation.

- Worship and holiness: Bethel as the center of divine encounter and faithful worship; the re-dedication of life to God.

- Divine blessing and inheritance: Reaffirmation of land, descendants, and kingship in a renewed covenant framework.

- Household ethics and leadership: The purification of the family and governance under God.

Modern Application

Genesis 35 invites contemporary readers to a renewal of devotion and integrity in daily life. It speaks to churches and families about prioritizing exclusive devotion to God and removing idols—whether they are material attachments, misdirected loyalties, or compromised values. The call to renewal and fresh obedience echoes in personal spiritual disciplines, communal worship, and leadership ethics. The name-change motif challenges individuals to consider their own identity in light of God’s calling: who are we becoming as participants in God’s mission? Bethel’s altar invites believers to cultivate a worship that shapes daily practice, not merely Sunday ritual. The chapter also reassures that God remains faithful to his promises, even through previous failures, transforming individuals and communities toward a clarified and hopeful future.

- Genesis 28:10-22 (Bethel encounter; divine encounter and promise)

- Genesis 17:5 (name change implications)

- Joshua 5:9-12 (reckoning of idols; covenant renewal)

- Exodus 3:12 (God’s presence with his people)

- Moses (leader faithful to covenant renewal and holiness)

- Jesus (interprets true worship and identity in the Kingdom)

- Paul (theology of identity in Christ-like language and mission)

Chapter Text

1

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.

2

Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

3

And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.

4

And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.

5

And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.

6

So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him.

7

And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: 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 Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth.

9

And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.

10

And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.

11

And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

12

And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.

13

And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.

14

And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.

15

And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel.

16

And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.

17

And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.

18

And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.

19

And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.

20

And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day.

21

And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar.

22

And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:

23

The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:

24

The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:

25

And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:

26

And the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram.

27

And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.

28

And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.

29

And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Discuss This Chapter with Biblical Personas

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