Genesis 35
Return to Bethel
1God said to Jacob, “Get up! Go to Bethel and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”23So Jacob said to his family and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your clothes.45We must get up and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to the God who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me everywhere I have gone.”6
7Then they gave Jacob all their foreign gods and their earrings, and Jacob hid them under the oak near Shechem.89When they set out, a terror from God came over the cities around them, and they did not pursue Jacob’s sons.1011So Jacob and all who were with him came to Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan.1213Jacob built an altar there and called the place El-bethel because it was there that God had revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother.14
15Deborah, the one who had nursed and raised Rebekah, died and was buried under the oak south of Bethel. So Jacob named it Allon-bacuth.16
17God appeared to Jacob again after he returned from Paddan-aram, and he blessed him.1819God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; you will no longer be named Jacob, but your name will be Israel.” So he named him Israel.2021God also said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation, indeed an assembly of nations, will come from you, and kings will descend from you.2223I will give to you the land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac. And I will give the land to your future descendants.”2425Then God withdrew from him at the place where he had spoken to him.26
27Jacob set up a marker at the place where he had spoken to him — a stone marker. He poured a drink offering on it and poured oil on it.2829Jacob named the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.30
Rachel’s Death
31They set out from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult.3233During her difficult labor, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you have another son.”3435With her last breath — for she was dying — she named him Ben-oni, but his father called him Benjamin.3637So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).3839Jacob set up a marker on her grave; it is the marker at Rachel’s grave still today.40Israel’s Sons
41Israel set out again and pitched his tent beyond the Tower of Eder.4243While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons:4445Leah’s sons were Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.46
47Rachel’s sons were Joseph and Benjamin.48
49The sons of Rachel’s slave Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali.50
51The sons of Leah’s slave Zilpah were Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan-aram.52