Genesis 35

Genesis 35 General Notes

Special concepts in this chapter

Name change

In Scripture, a change in name always occurs at a highly significant point in a person's life. The return of Jacob to Canaan was a significant event in the history of the Hebrew people.

Covenant

The covenant God made with Abraham is repeated here. It indicates that all of Jacob's descendants will inherit the promises of this covenant. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#covenant and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#inherit and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#promise)

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Genesis 35:1

go up to Bethel

The phrase "go up" is used because Bethel is higher in elevation than Shechem.

dwell there

"live there"

Build an altar there to God

God speaks about himself in the third person. Alternate translation: "Build an altar there to me, your God" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-123person)

Genesis 35:2

said to his household

"said to his family"

Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you

"Throw away your idols" or "Get rid of your false gods"

purify yourselves, and change your clothes

This was the custom of cleansing oneself morally and physically before going to worship God.

change your clothes

Putting on a new clothes was a sign that they had made themselves clean before approaching God. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-symaction)

Genesis 35:3

in the day of my distress

"in the time of my distress" or "when I was in trouble"

Genesis 35:4

So they gave

"so everyone in Jacob's household gave" or "so all of his family and servants gave"

that were in their hand

Here "in their hand" stands for what they own. Alternate translation: "that were in their possession" or "that they had" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)

the rings that were in their ears

"their earrings." Possible meanings are 1) the gold in the earrings could have been used to make more idols or 2) they took these earrings from the city of Shechem after they attacked it and killed all the people. The earrings would have reminded them of their sin.

Genesis 35:5

God made panic to fall on the cities

God causing the people of the cities to be afraid of Jacob and his family is spoken of as if panic were an object that fell on the cities. The abstract noun "panic" can be stated as "afraid." Alternate translation: "God made the people in the surrounding cities afraid of Jacob and those with him" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns)

on the cities

Here "cities" stands for the people who live in the cities. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)

the sons of Jacob

It is implied that no one attacked anyone in Jacob's family. But two of the sons, Simeon and Levi had attacked the Canaanites relatives of Shechem after he seized and slept with Jacob's daughter. Jacob was afraid they would seek revenge in Genesis 34:30. Alternate translation: "Jacob's family" or "Jacob's household" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

Genesis 35:6

Luz

This is the name of a city. See how you translated this in Genesis 28:19. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Genesis 35:7

El Bethel

Translators may add a footnote that says: "The name El Bethel means 'God of Bethel.'" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

there God had revealed himself to him

"there God made himself known to Jacob"

Genesis 35:8

Deborah

This is the name of a woman. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Rebekah's nurse

A nurse is a woman who takes care of another woman's child. The nurse was highly honored and important to the family.

She was buried down from Bethel

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "They buried her down from Bethel" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)

down from Bethel

The phrase "down from" is used because they buried her in a place that was lower in elevation than Bethel.

Allon Bakuth

Translators may add a footnote that says: "The name Allon Bakuth means 'Oak tree where there is weeping.'" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Genesis 35:9

When Jacob came from Paddan Aram

It can be made explicit that they were in Bethel. Alternate translation: "After Jacob left Paddan Aram, and while he was in Bethel" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

blessed

Here "bless" means to pronounce a formal blessing on someone and to cause good things to happen to that person.

Genesis 35:10

but your name will no longer be called Jacob

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "but your name will no longer be Jacob" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)

Genesis 35:11

God said to him

"God said to Jacob"

Be fruitful and multiply

God told Jacob to produce children so that there would be many of them. The word "multiply" explains how he was to be "fruitful." See how you translated this in Genesis 1:22. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-doublet and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)

A nation and a company of nations will come from you

Here "nation" and "nations" refer to Jacob's descendants who will establish these nations. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)

Genesis 35:12

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Genesis 35:13

God went up from him

Here "went up" is used because where God dwells is typically thought of as being up or above the world. Alternate translation: "God left him"

Genesis 35:14

pillar

This is a memorial pillar which was simply a large stone or boulder set up on its end.

He poured out a drink offering over it and poured oil on it

This is a sign that he is dedicating the pillar to God. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-symaction)

Genesis 35:15

Bethel

Translators may also add a footnote that says "The name Bethel means 'house of God.'"

Genesis 35:16

Ephrath

This is another name for the town of Bethlehem.

She had hard labor

"She was having a very difficult time giving birth to the child"

Genesis 35:17

While she was in hardest labor

"When the labor pain was at its worst"

midwife

a person who helps a woman when she is giving birth to a child

Genesis 35:18

As she was dying, with her dying breath

A "dying breath" is a person's last breath before he or she dies. Alternate translation: "Just before she died, as she was taking her last breath" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)

Ben-Oni

Translator may add a footnote that says "The name Ben-Oni means 'son of my sorrow.'" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Benjamin

Translator may add a footnote that says "The name Benjamin means 'son of the right hand.'" The phrase "right hand" indicates a place of special favor.

Genesis 35:19

was buried

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "they buried her" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)

on the way

"alongside the road"

Genesis 35:20

It is the marker of Rachel's grave to this day

"It marks Rachel's grave still to this day"

to this day

"up to the present time." This means to the time that the author was writing this.

Genesis 35:21

Israel traveled on

It is implied that Israel's family and servants are with him. The full meaning of this information can be made explicit. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

the watchtower of the flock

Some English translations understand this phrase as a proper name, either "Migdal Eder" or "the tower of Eder."

Genesis 35:22

lay with

This is a euphemism. Alternate translation: "had sexual relations with" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-euphemism)

Bilhah

This is the name of Rachel's female servant. See how you translated this name in Genesis 29:29. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Now Jacob had twelve sons

This sentence begins a new paragraph, which continues into the following verses.

twelve sons

"12 sons" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-numbers)

Genesis 35:23

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Genesis 35:24

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Genesis 35:25

Bilhah

This is the name of Rachel's female servant. See how you translated this name in Genesis 29:29. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Genesis 35:26

Zilpah

This is the name of Leah's female servant. See how you translated this name in Genesis 29:24. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

who were born to him in Paddan Aram

It is implied that this does not include Benjamin who was born in the land of Canaan near Bethlehem. It only mentions Paddan Aram since that is where most of them were born. The full meaning of this can be made explicit. Alternate translation: "who were born to him in Paddan Aram, except Benjamin who was born in the land of Canaan" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

Genesis 35:27

Jacob came to Isaac

Here "came" can be stated as "went." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-go)

Mamre

This was another name for the city of Hebron. It may have been named after Mamre, the friend of Abraham who lived there. See how you translated this in Genesis 13:18. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Kiriath Arba

This is the name of a city. See how you translated this in Genesis 23:2. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Genesis 35:28

one hundred eighty years

"180 years" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-numbers)

Genesis 35:29

Isaac breathed his last and died

"Isaac took his last breath and died." The phrases "breathed his last" and "died" mean basically the same thing. See how you translated a similar phrase in Genesis 25:8. Alternate translation: "Isaac died" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-doublet)

breathed his last

This is a polite way of saying a person died. See how you translated this in Genesis 25:8. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-euphemism)

was gathered to his ancestors

This means that after Isaac died, his soul went to the same place as his relatives who died before him. This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "he joined his family members who had already died" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)

an old man full of days

The phrases "old man" and "full of days" mean basically the same thing. They emphasize that Isaac lived a very long time. Alternate translation: "after he had lived a very long time and was very old" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-doublet)