This chapter gives an account of Jacob’s going to Bethel, and building an altar there by the order and direction of God, Gen. 35:1–7, where Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried, Gen.

And God said unto Jacob When he was in great distress, on account of the slaughter of the Shechemites by his sons, not knowing what step to take, or course to steer for the safety of him and his family; then God, for his comfort and direction, appeared and spoke to him, either in a dream or vision,…

Then Jacob said unto his household His wives and children; and to all that were with him; his menservants and maidservants, and such as remained with him of the captives of Shechem, who might choose to continue with him: put away the strange gods that are among you; meaning not the teraphim or…

And let us arise and go up to Bethel Thus prepared and purged, their tents clear of idols, their bodies washed with pure water, and their garments new, neat, and clean; all symbolical of inward purity, and of freedom from idolatry and evil works, as became those who go to the house of God, and are…

They gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hands Whether in the hands of his servants or of the captives taken at Shechem, or in the hands of his sons, who had them along with the spoil they took there; so the Targum of Jonathan, “they delivered, into the hand of Jacob all the…

And they journeyed Jacob and his family, with all that were with them, from Shechem to Bethel: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them; an exceeding great panic seized the inhabitants of the cities of the land of Canaan, all about Shechem, which was from God himself…

So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is Bethel The place Jacob had called Bethel, when he was there before, was formerly called Luz, ; and is here said to be in the land of Canaan, that is, in that part of the land which was inhabited by those who were properly called…

And he built there an altar As he was bid to do, and as he promised he would, (Gen. 35:1, Gen. 35:3) ; and called the place Elbethel; the God of Bethel; a title which God takes to himself, ; or rather the sense is, that he called the place with respect God, or because of his appearance to him…

But Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died That is, when, and quickly after they were come to Bethel; a nurse of Rebekah’s came with her to Canaan, when she married Isaac, and is generally thought to be this Deborah, which is not improbable, , though she might have more nurses than one, as great personages…

And God appeared unto Jacob again At Bethel, as he had at Shechem, when he bid him go thither, ; or rather as he had at the brook Jabbok, where he said to him the same things as here, (Gen. 32:24, Gen.

And God said unto him, thy name is Jacob Which his parents gave him at his birth, and by, which he had been always called: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name; not Jacob only, as Aben Ezra and Ben Melech interpret it, but Israel also, and that more commonly and…

And God said unto him, I am God Almighty And so able to protect and defend him, and to fulfil all promises made to him, and to supply him with everything he wanted; being, as some choose to render the word, “God all sufficient”, having a sufficiency of all good things in him to communicate to his…

And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee will I give it Meaning the land of Canaan, which, as he had by promise given it to his grandfather, and father, so he would give it to him; thus renewing the grant of it for his comfort, and the encouragement of his faith, when he had been in…

And God went up from him Or “from above” him [[22]]; by this it seems that there was a visible appearance of the glory of the Lord, as Onkelos, or of the Shechinah, as Jonathan; even of the Son of God in an human form, who either appeared just above him, or on the same spot with him, conversing…

And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him He had set up a pillar in this place before he went to Padanaram, ; and some, think this pillar is here referred to, and render the words, “had set up a pillar” [[23]]; but as that was done thirty years ago, it is very likely it was…

And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel. ] He confirmed the name he had before given it, when he went to Mesopotamia, and now upon his return renews and establishes it; or he gave this name more especially to that particular spot where God conversed with him, and on…

And they journeyed from Bethel Jacob and his family; how long they stayed there is not certain, some say four months [[24]]; hence they removed towards Bethlehem, which was twelve miles from Bethel [[0]], in their way to Hebron: and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath; or Bethlehem, as it…

And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour In the midst of it, and at the worst: that the midwife said unto her, fear not; for Rachel big with child, it was necessary to take a midwife with them in the journey; and perhaps this might be one that was always kept in the family, and had been…

And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, for she died In childbirth; she had most passionately desired children, without which she could not live with ease and peace of mind, and now she dies by having one; see ; and by this account of her death it appears, that death is the separation…

And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. Hence called Bethlehem Ephratah, ; with great pertinency is Rachel represented as if risen from her grave, and weeping for her children, when the children of Bethlehem, and thereabout, were slain by Herod, she being buried…

And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave A sepulchral monument erected in memory of her; this according to Benjamin of Tudela 5: was made of twelve stones, according to the number of the sons of Jacob, and over it was a vault or roof, supported by four pillars: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave…

And Israel journeyed Having stayed near Bethlehem, as it is said, about two months [[7]]; this is the first time Jacob is by Moses called Israel, after this name, was given him; the reason of which the Jews say is, because he bore the death of Rachel with so much patience: and spread his tent…

And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land In that part of it near Bethlehem: that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; his concubine wife; she was the maid that Rachel gave him, and this added to his affliction, and made it double, to lose Rachel by death, and to have…

The sons of Leah Jacob’s first wife, which are six, and are reckoned in order, according to their birth, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun.

The sons of Rachel Then Rachel’s, Jacob’s next wife, though in right his first and only one, who had two children, Joseph and Benjamin.

And the sons of Bilhah Then Bilhah’s sons, who was Rachel’s handmaid, and these were two, Dan and Naphtali.

And the sons of Zilpah And lastly, the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, which were two also, Gad and Asher; it is added, these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram, all excepting Benjamin; and because they were by far the greater part, even all but one, that were born there,…

And Jacob came unto Isaac his father No mention being made of his mother, it is very probable she was dead; and Isaac being alone, and very old, and the time of his death drawing nigh, he might send for Jacob to come with his family, and be with him; for it can hardly be thought that this was the…

And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years. ] He lived, forty years after he had made his will, and blessed his two sons. Jacob was now one hundred and twenty years of age, being born when his father was sixty; and Joseph was now twenty nine years of age, so that Isaac lived twelve…

And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died According to an Arabic writer [[10]], he died at the end of the year 3,668, in the month Jiar, when Jacob was one hundred and twenty years old, and his children buried him in the cave in which Abraham was buried, in the city Chabil: According to Ussher this at…