Genesis 35

Jacob Returns to Bethel

1God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make there an altar to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 2Then Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments. 3Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” 4So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their hands and the rings that were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the oak that was near Shechem.

5And they journeyed, and a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. 6Thus Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. 7And he built there an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother.

Deborah Dies

8And Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak. So its name was called Allon-bacuth.

God Renews the Covenant

9God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram and blessed him. 10And God said to him,
“Your name is Jacob;
no longer shall your name be called Jacob,
but Israel shall be your name.”
So he called his name Israel.

11And God said to him,
“I am God Almighty.
Be fruitful and multiply.
A nation and a company of nations shall come from you,
and kings shall come forth from your body. 12The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac
I will give to you,
and I will give the land to your offspring after you.” 13Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him.

14And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering upon it and poured oil on it. 15So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.

The Birth of Benjamin and the Death of Rachel

16Then they journeyed from Bethel. When there was still some distance to go before reaching Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and her labor was difficult. 17And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for you have another son.” 18And as her soul was departing, for she was dying, she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. 19So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20And Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb. It is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb to this day.

Reuben’s Sin

21Then Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. 22And while Israel was dwelling in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it.

The Sons of Jacob

23The sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 25The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant: Dan and Naphtali. 26The 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

27And Jacob came to Isaac his father at Mamre, at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. 28Now the days of Isaac were one hundred eighty years. 29And Isaac breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And Esau and Jacob his sons buried him.