God's New Revelations

The First Book of Moses: Genesis

Unlocked Dynamic Bible :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 35 -

1
Some time later, God said to Jacob, “Go up to the city of Bethel and live there. Build an altar to worship me, God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your older brother Esau.”
2
So Jacob said to his household and to all the others who were with him, “Get rid of the idols you brought from the land of Mesopotamia. Also, bathe yourselves and put on clean clothes.
3
Then we will get ready and go up to Bethel. There I will build an altar to worship God. He is the one who helped me at the time when I was greatly distressed and afraid, and he has been with me wherever I have gone.”
4
So they gave to Jacob all the idols that they had brought, and all their earrings. Jacob buried them in the ground under the big oak tree that was near the city of Shechem.
5
As they prepared to leave there, God caused the people who lived in the cities around them to be very afraid of Jacob’s family, so that they did not pursue them.
6
Jacob and all those who were with him went to Luz, which is now called Bethel, in Canaan land.
7
There he built an altar. He named the place El Bethel, which means “God of Bethel,” because it was there that God revealed himself to Jacob when he was fleeing from his older brother Esau.
8
Deborah, who had taken care of Isaac’s wife Rebekah when Rebekah was a small girl, was now very old. She died and was buried under an oak tree south of Bethel. So they named that place Allon Bakuth, which means “oak of weeping.”
9
After Jacob and his family returned from Paddan Aram, while they were still at Bethel, God appeared to Jacob again and blessed him.
10
God said to him again, “Your name will no longer be Jacob. It will be Israel.” So Jacob was then called “Israel.”
11
Then God said to him, “I am God Almighty. Produce many children. Your descendants will become many nations, and some of your descendants will be kings.
12
The land that I promised to give to Abraham and Isaac, I will give to you. I will also give it to your descendants.”
13
When God finished talking there with Jacob, he left him.
14
Jacob set up a large stone at the place where God had talked with him. He poured some wine and some olive oil on it to dedicate it to God.
15
Jacob named that place Bethel, which means “house of God,” because God had spoken to him there.

Benjamin Born, Rachel Dies

16
Jacob and his family left Bethel and traveled south toward Ephrath town. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to have severe childbirth pains.
17
When her pain was the most severe, the midwife said to Rachel, “Do not be afraid, because now you have given birth to another son!”
18
But she was dying, and with her last breath she said, “Name him Ben-Oni,” which means “son of my sorrow,” but his father named him Benjamin, which means “son of my right hand.”
19
After Rachel died, she was buried alongside the road to Ephrath, which is now called Bethlehem.
20
Jacob set up a large stone over her grave, and it is still there, showing where Rachel’s grave is.

The Sons of Jacob

(1 Chronicles 2:1–2)
21
Jacob, whose new name was Israel, continued traveling with his family, and he set up his tents on the south side of the watchtower at Eder.
22
While they were living in that area, Jacob’s son Reuben slept with Bilhah, one of his father’s concubines. Someone told Jacob about it, and it made him very angry. Now Jacob had twelve sons.
23
The sons of Leah were Reuben, who was Jacob’s oldest son, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulon.
24
The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.
25
The sons of Rachel’s female slave Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali.
26
The sons of Leah’s female slave Zilpah were Gad and Asher. All those sons of Jacob, except Benjamin, were born while he was living in Paddan Aram.

The Death of Isaac

27
Jacob went back home to see his father Isaac at Mamre, which is also named Kiriath Arba, and which is now named Hebron. Isaac’s father Abraham had also lived there.
28
Isaac lived until he was 180 years old.
29
He was very old when he died and went to join his ancestors who had died previously. His sons Esau and Jacob buried his body.
1
God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and live there. Make there an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”
2
Then Jacob said to his household, and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments.
3
Let’s arise, and go up to Bethel. I will make there an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me on the way which I went.”
4
They gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the rings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.
5
They traveled, and a terror of God was on the cities that were around them, and they didn’t pursue the sons of Jacob.
6
So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him.
7
He built an altar there, and called the place El Beth El; because there God was revealed to him, when he fled from the face of his brother.
8
Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; and its name was called Allon Bacuth.
9
God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan Aram, and blessed him.
10
God said to him, “Your name is Jacob. Your name shall not be Jacob any more, but your name will be Israel.” He named him Israel.
11
God said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations will be from you, and kings will come out of your body.
12
The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, and to your offspring after you I will give the land.”
13
God went up from him in the place where he spoke with him.
14
Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he spoke with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it, and poured oil on it.
15
Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with himBethel”.

Benjamin Born, Rachel Dies

16
They traveled from Bethel. There was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and Rachel travailed. She had hard labor.
17
When she was in hard labor, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for now you will have another son.”
18
As her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Benoni,(a) but his father named him Benjamin.(b)
19
Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem).
20
Jacob set up a pillar on her grave. The same is the Pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day.

The Sons of Jacob

(1 Chronicles 2:1–2)
21
Israel traveled, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Eder.
22
While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
23
The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
24
The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
25
The sons of Bilhah (Rachel’s servant): Dan and Naphtali.
26
The sons of Zilpah (Leah’s servant): Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.

The Death of Isaac

27
Jacob came to Isaac his father, to Mamre, to Kiriath Arba (which is Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac lived as foreigners.
28
The days of Isaac were one hundred eighty years.
29
Isaac gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him.

Footnotes

(a)35:18 “Benoni” means “son of my trouble”.
(b)35:18 “Benjamin” means “son of my right hand”.