05.040. Chapter 35

Genesis 35:1-29 This chapter opens with God’s command to Jacob to fulfill the vow made about 30 years earlier (Genesis 28:20-22). The Lord used the tragic events of the previous chapter to prepare the patriarch to do it. Notice that the Lord is referred to about 20 times in this chapter, in contrast, to no references in Genesis 34:1-31. Before obeying God’s command to return to Bethel, Jacob first ordered his family to put away the foreign household gods and to put on clean clothes (Genesis 35:3-4). As soon as they did this, they became a terror to their heathen neighbors (Genesis 35:5). It was appropriate that Jacob should build an altar at Bethel and worship the God who had protected him from his brother, Esau (Genesis 35:6-7). Once again God stated that Jacob’s name was now Israel (Genesis 35:10) and renewed the covenant He had made with Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 35:11-13). The patriarch marked the sacred spot with a pillar and once again named the place Bethel (Genesis 35:14-15). As Jacob’s family journeyed south from Bethel, Rachel died in childbirth. She had named the child Benoni (“son of my sorrow”), but Jacob named this twelfth son Benjamin (“son of my right hand”) (Genesis 35:16-18). These two names pre-picture the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. Rachel’s tomb may still be seen on the road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. Why was she not buried with Abraham, Sarah, and Rebekah in the cave of Hebron? Perhaps it was because she had brought idols into the family (Genesis 31:19). A brief mention is made of Reuben’s sin with his father’s concubine (Genesis 35:22), a sin by which he forfeited the birthright (49:3, 4). The last sentence in Genesis 35:22 begins a new paragraph: “Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.” The next two verses list the 12 sons. Though it says in Genesis 35:26 that these sons were born to Jacob in Paddan-aram, Benjamin (Genesis 35:24) is excepted. He was born in Canaan (Genesis 35:16-19).

Jacob returned to Hebron in time to see his father, Isaac, before he died (Genesis 35:27-29). His mother, Rebekah, had died some years earlier. Three funerals are recorded in this chapter: that of Deborah, the nurse of Rebekah (Genesis 35:8); of Rachel (Genesis 35:19); and of Isaac (Genesis 35:29).