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Genesis 35
Expanded Bible
Genesis 35
Expanded Bible
Jacob in Bethel
35 God said to Jacob, “·Go [L Rise up and go up] to the city of Bethel [12:8] and live there. Make an altar to the God who appeared to you there when you were ·running away [fleeing] from your brother Esau [28:1–22].”
2 So Jacob said to his ·family [household] and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods you have, and ·make yourselves clean [purify yourselves], and change your clothes. 3 We will ·leave here and go [L rise up and go up] to Bethel. There I will build an altar to God, who ·has helped [L answered] me ·during my time of trouble [L in the day of my distress]. He has been with me [C an indication of a covenant relationship] everywhere I have gone.” 4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods ·they had [in their possession; L in their hands], and the earrings ·they were wearing [L on their ears], and he hid them under the ·great tree [L oak; or terebinth; 12:6] near the town of Shechem. 5 Then Jacob and his sons left there. But ·God caused the people in the nearby cities to be afraid [L the terror of God was on the surrounding cities], so they did not ·follow [pursue] them. 6 And Jacob and all the people who were with him went to Luz, which is now called Bethel, in the land of Canaan. 7 There Jacob built an altar and named the place ·Bethel, after God [El-Bethel; or “God of Bethel”], because God had appeared to him there when he was ·running [fleeing] from his brother.
8 Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak tree at Bethel, so they named that place ·Oak of Crying [L Allon-bacuth].
Jacob’s New Name
9 When Jacob came back from ·northwestern Mesopotamia [L Paddan-aram], God appeared to him again and blessed him. 10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but you will not be called Jacob any longer. Your new name will be Israel.” So he called him Israel [32:28]. 11 God said to him, “I am ·God Almighty [L El Shaddai]. ·Have many children [L Be fruitful] and ·grow in number [L multiply; 1:22] as a nation. ·You will be the ancestor of many nations [L A company/assembly of nations will come from you] and kings [L will spring from your loins]. 12 The same land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you and your ·descendants [L seed; 12:2].” 13 Then God ·left him [L went up from him in the place where he spoke with him]. 14 Jacob set up a ·stone on edge [L pillar, a stone pillar] in that place where God had talked to him, and he poured a drink offering and olive oil on it to make it special for God. 15 And Jacob named the place Bethel [C “house of God”].
Rachel Dies Giving Birth
16 ·Jacob and his group [L They] ·left [departed from] Bethel. ·Before they came to [or While still some distance from] Ephrath [C near Bethlehem four miles south of Jerusalem; 35:19], Rachel began giving birth to her baby [L and had hard labor], 17 but she was having ·much trouble [hard labor]. When ·Rachel’s nurse [L the midwife] saw this, she said, “Don’t be afraid, Rachel. You are giving birth to another son.” 18 Rachel gave birth to the son, but she herself died. As she lay dying, she named the boy ·Son of My Suffering [Ben-oni], but Jacob called him Benjamin [C “son of my right hand/the south”].
19 Rachel was buried on the road to Ephrath, ·a district of [or which is] Bethlehem, 20 and Jacob set up a pillar on her grave. It is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. 21 Then Israel [C Jacob’s new name] continued his journey and ·camped [L pitched his tent] just south of ·Migdal Eder [or the tower of Eder; C Eder means “the flock”; perhaps located near Jerusalem; Mic. 4:8].
22 While Israel was there, Reuben ·had sexual relations [L lay] with Israel’s ·slave woman [concubine] Bilhah, and Israel heard about it [49:3–4].
The Family of Israel
Jacob had twelve sons. 23 He had six sons by his wife Leah: Reuben, his ·first son [firstborn], then Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
24 He had two sons by his wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
25 He had two sons by Rachel’s slave girl Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali.
26 And he had two sons by Leah’s slave girl Zilpah: Gad and Asher.
These are Jacob’s sons who were born in ·northwestern Mesopotamia [L Paddan-aram].
27 Jacob went to his father Isaac at Mamre near Hebron [13:18; 18:1; 23:17–18; 25:9], where Abraham and Isaac had ·lived [sojourned; lived as an alien]. 28 Isaac lived one hundred eighty years. 29 So Isaac breathed his last breath and died [L and was gathered to his people/relatives; 25:8] when he was very old [L and full of days], and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Genesis 35
Christian Standard Bible
Genesis 35
Christian Standard Bible
Return to Bethel
35 God said to Jacob, “Get up! Go to Bethel and settle there.(A) Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”(B)
2 So Jacob said to his family and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you.(C) Purify yourselves and change your clothes.(D) 3 We must get up and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to the God who answered me in my day of distress.(E) He has been with me everywhere I have gone.”(F)
4 Then they gave Jacob all their foreign gods and their earrings, and Jacob hid them under the oak near Shechem. 5 When they set out, a terror from God came over the cities around them, and they did not pursue Jacob’s sons.(G) 6 So Jacob and all who were with him came to Luz (that is, Bethel(H)) in the land of Canaan. 7 Jacob built an altar there and called the place El-bethel[a] because it was there that God had revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother.
8 Deborah, the one who had nursed and raised Rebekah,[b](I) died and was buried under the oak south of Bethel. So Jacob named it Allon-bacuth.[c]
9 God appeared to Jacob again after he returned from Paddan-aram, and he blessed him. 10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; you will no longer be named Jacob, but your name will be Israel.”(J) So he named him Israel. 11 God also said to him, “I am God Almighty.(K) Be fruitful and multiply.(L) A nation, indeed an assembly of nations, will come from you,(M) and kings will descend from you.[d](N) 12 I will give to you the land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac.(O) And I will give the land to your future descendants.” 13 Then God withdrew[e](P) from him at the place where he had spoken to him.
14 Jacob 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.(Q) 15 Jacob named the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.
Rachel’s Death
16 They set out from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult. 17 During her difficult labor, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you have another son.”(R) 18 With her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni,[f] but his father called him Benjamin.[g] 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem(S)). 20 Jacob set up a marker on her grave; it is the marker at Rachel’s grave still today.
Israel’s Sons
21 Israel set out again and pitched his tent beyond the Tower of Eder.[h] 22 While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it.(T)
Jacob had twelve sons:(U)
23 Leah’s sons were Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn),
Simeon, Levi, Judah,
Issachar, and Zebulun.
24 Rachel’s sons were
Joseph and Benjamin.
25 The sons of Rachel’s slave Bilhah
were Dan and Naphtali.
26 The sons of Leah’s slave Zilpah
were Gad and Asher.
These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan-aram.
Isaac’s Death
27 Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre(V) in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron(W)), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. 28 Isaac lived 180 years. 29 He took his last breath and died, and was gathered to his people,(X) old and full of days. His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Genesis 35
New International Version
Genesis 35
New International Version
Jacob Returns to Bethel
35 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel(A) and settle there, and build an altar(B) there to God,(C) who appeared to you(D) when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”(E)
2 So Jacob said to his household(F) and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods(G) you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes.(H) 3 Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God,(I) who answered me in the day of my distress(J) and who has been with me wherever I have gone.(K)” 4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears,(L) and Jacob buried them under the oak(M) at Shechem.(N) 5 Then they set out, and the terror of God(O) fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.(P)
6 Jacob and all the people with him came to Luz(Q) (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan.(R) 7 There he built an altar,(S) and he called the place El Bethel,[a](T) because it was there that God revealed himself to him(U) when he was fleeing from his brother.(V)
8 Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse,(W) died and was buried under the oak(X) outside Bethel.(Y) So it was named Allon Bakuth.[b]
9 After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram,[c](Z) God appeared to him again and blessed him.(AA) 10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob,[d] but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.[e]”(AB) So he named him Israel.
11 And God said to him, “I am God Almighty[f];(AC) be fruitful and increase in number.(AD) A nation(AE) and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants.(AF) 12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.(AG)”(AH) 13 Then God went up from him(AI) at the place where he had talked with him.
14 Jacob set up a stone pillar(AJ) at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering(AK) on it; he also poured oil on it.(AL) 15 Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel.[g](AM)
The Deaths of Rachel and Isaac(AN)
16 Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath,(AO) Rachel(AP) began to give birth and had great difficulty. 17 And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife(AQ) said to her, “Don’t despair, for you have another son.”(AR) 18 As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni.[h](AS) But his father named him Benjamin.[i](AT)
19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath(AU) (that is, Bethlehem(AV)). 20 Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day(AW) that pillar marks Rachel’s tomb.(AX)
21 Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder.(AY) 22 While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine(AZ) Bilhah,(BA) and Israel heard of it.
Jacob had twelve sons:
23 The sons of Leah:(BB)
Reuben the firstborn(BC) of Jacob,
Simeon, Levi, Judah,(BD) Issachar and Zebulun.(BE)
24 The sons of Rachel:
25 The sons of Rachel’s servant Bilhah:(BH)
Dan and Naphtali.(BI)
26 The sons of Leah’s servant Zilpah:(BJ)
These were the sons of Jacob,(BM) who were born to him in Paddan Aram.(BN)
27 Jacob came home to his father Isaac(BO) in Mamre,(BP) near Kiriath Arba(BQ) (that is, Hebron),(BR) where Abraham and Isaac had stayed.(BS) 28 Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years.(BT) 29 Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people,(BU) old and full of years.(BV) And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.(BW)
Footnotes
- Genesis 35:7 El Bethel means God of Bethel.
- Genesis 35:8 Allon Bakuth means oak of weeping.
- Genesis 35:9 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia; also in verse 26
- Genesis 35:10 Jacob means he grasps the heel, a Hebrew idiom for he deceives.
- Genesis 35:10 Israel probably means he struggles with God.
- Genesis 35:11 Hebrew El-Shaddai
- Genesis 35:15 Bethel means house of God.
- Genesis 35:18 Ben-Oni means son of my trouble.
- Genesis 35:18 Benjamin means son of my right hand.
Expanded Bible (EXB)
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Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.