Bible Chapter Summary
Genesis 35 Summary
Jacob Renewed at Bethel; Deaths and Sons
God commands Jacob to return to Bethel, where Jacob calls his household to put away their foreign gods and earrings before journeying there to build an altar. At Bethel, God reaffirms Jacob's new name Israel and renews the Abrahamic covenant of fruitfulness, nationhood, and the land promise, after which Jacob erects a stone pillar and pours offerings upon it. Departing from Bethel, Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin and is buried on the road to Ephrath (Bethlehem), while Jacob's twelve sons are enumerated and Reuben's sin with Bilhah is recorded. The chapter closes with Jacob's arrival at Hebron to his father Isaac, whose death at 180 years of age and burial by Esau and Jacob are reported.
Key themes
Key verses
Genesis 35:1
“And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth-el, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.”
Genesis 35:10
“And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.”
Genesis 35:11
“And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;”
Genesis 35:19
“And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem.”
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