Genesis 35:2

Verse

So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your garments.

American Standard Version (1901)

Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the foreign gods that are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your garments:

Bible in Basic English

Then Jacob said to all his people, Put away the strange gods which are among you, and make yourselves clean, and put on a change of clothing:

Douay-Rheims 1899

And Jacob having called together all his household, said: Cast away the strange gods that are among you, and be cleansed and change your garments.

Free Bible Version

So Jacob told his family and everyone who was with him, “Get rid of the pagan idols you have with you. Purify yourselves and change your clothes.

Geneva Bible 1599

Then saide Iaakob vnto his houshold and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and clense your selues, and change your garments:

King James (Authorized) Version

Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

One Unity Resource Bible

Then Jacob [Supplanter] said to his household, and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign deities that are among you, purify yourselves, change your garments.

Translation for Translators

So Jacob said to his household and to all the others who were with him, “Get rid of the idols you brought from Mesopotamia. Also, bathe yourselves and put on clean clothes.

Unlocked Literal Bible

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 clothes.

Noah Webster Bible

Then Jacob said to his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

World English Bible

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.

Young's Literal Translation

And Jacob saith unto his household, and unto all who [are] with him, 'Turn aside the gods of the stranger which [are] in your midst, and cleanse yourselves, and change your garments;

Context

Jacob Returns to Bethel

¹Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”²So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your garments.³Then let us arise and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to God, who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.”

Summary

In Genesis 35:2, Jacob instructs his household to get rid of their foreign gods, purify themselves, and change their clothes before going to Bethel to build an altar to God. This verse highlights the importance of spiritual cleansing and dedication to God before approaching Him in worship. Jacob's actions demonstrate the need for repentance, holiness, and reverence in our relationship with the Lord. By removing idols and consecrating themselves, Jacob's household prepares to seek God's presence and offer Him sincere worship at Bethel.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Put away the strange gods - אלהי הנכר elohey hannechar, the gods of the foreigners, which were among them. Jacob's servants were all Syrians, and no doubt were addicted less or more to idolatry and superstition. These gods might belong to them, or, as some have conjectured, they were the teraphim which Rachel stole; but these have already been supposed to be astrological tables, or something of this kind, called by Laban his gods, because by them he supposed he could predict future events, and that they referred to certain astral and planetary intelligences, by whose influences sublunary things were regulated. But it is more natural to suppose that these gods found now in Jacob's family were images of silver, gold, or curious workmanship, which were found among the spoils of the city of Shechem. Lest these should become incitements to idolatry, Jacob orders them to be put away. Be clean, and change your garments - Personal or outward purification, as emblematical of the sanctification of the soul, has been in use among all the true worshippers of God from the beginning of the world. In many cases the law of Moses more solemnly enjoined rites and ceremonies which had been in use from the earliest ages. "A Hindoo considers those clothes defiled in which he has been employed in business, and always changes them before eating and worship." - Ward.

John Gill Bible Commentary

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 images of Laban's, which Rachel had stolen from him; for it can hardly be thought that these should be retained so many years in Jacob's family, and used in an idolatrous manner; but rather such as might be among the Canaanitish servants that had been lately taken into Jacob's service, or that were among the captives of Shechem, or taken along with the spoil of that city; and so the Targum of Jonathan calls them the idols of the people, which they brought from the idols' temple at Shechem; and the words may be rendered, "the gods of the strangers" (s), that is, of the Shechemites, who were Heathens and aliens, strangers to the true God, the knowledge and worship of him: and be clean; either by abstaining from their wives, as some interpret it, from Exo 19:10; or rather by washing their bodies, as Aben Ezra gives the sense of it; their hands were full of the blood of the Shechemites, and needed to be washed and purified, as the Targum of Jonathan has it, from the pollutions of the slain, before they went to Bethel, the house of God; and these outward ablutions and purifications were significative of inward cleansing by the grace of God, and of outward reformation of life and manners; see Isa 1:15, and change your garments: which might be stained with blood, and therefore not fit to appear in before God, or were old and worn out, or sordid apparel: changing and washing of garments were also emblems of renewing of the mind, and cleansing of the soul, and of the change of heart and life, as well as of pleasure, delight, and cheerfulness in appearing before God. (s) "deos alenigenarum", Pagninus; "alienigenae", Montanus, Schmidt; "alieni populi", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Genesis 35:2

Jacob Returns to Bethel

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your garments.

American Standard Version (1901)

Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the foreign gods that are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your garments:

Bible in Basic English

Then Jacob said to all his people, Put away the strange gods which are among you, and make yourselves clean, and put on a change of clothing:

Douay-Rheims 1899

And Jacob having called together all his household, said: Cast away the strange gods that are among you, and be cleansed and change your garments.

Free Bible Version

So Jacob told his family and everyone who was with him, “Get rid of the pagan idols you have with you. Purify yourselves and change your clothes.

Geneva Bible 1599

Then saide Iaakob vnto his houshold and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and clense your selues, and change your garments:

King James (Authorized) Version

Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

One Unity Resource Bible

Then Jacob [Supplanter] said to his household, and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign deities that are among you, purify yourselves, change your garments.

Translation for Translators

So Jacob said to his household and to all the others who were with him, “Get rid of the idols you brought from Mesopotamia. Also, bathe yourselves and put on clean clothes.

Unlocked Literal Bible

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 clothes.

Noah Webster Bible

Then Jacob said to his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

World English Bible

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.

Young's Literal Translation

And Jacob saith unto his household, and unto all who [are] with him, 'Turn aside the gods of the stranger which [are] in your midst, and cleanse yourselves, and change your garments;

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Genesis 35:2

Verse

Context

Jacob Returns to Bethel

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Genesis 35:2

Jacob Returns to Bethel

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes