Genesis 35:1-29

  • Jacob gets rid of foreign gods (1-4)

  • Jacob returns to Bethel (5-15)

  • Benjamin’s birth; Rachel’s death (16-20)

  • Israel’s 12 sons (21-26)

  • Isaac’s death (27-29)

35  After that God said to Jacob: “Rise, go up to Bethʹel+ and dwell there, and make an altar there to the true God, who appeared to you when you were running away from Eʹsau your brother.”+ 2  Then Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him: “Get rid of the foreign gods that are in your midst,+ and cleanse yourselves and change your garments, 3  and let us rise and go up to Bethʹel. There I will make an altar to the true God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever* I have gone.”+ 4  So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the earrings that were in their ears, and Jacob buried* them under the big tree that was close to Sheʹchem. 5  When they traveled on, the terror of God struck the cities around them, so they did not chase after the sons of Jacob. 6  Jacob eventually came to Luz,+ that is, Bethʹel, in the land of Caʹnaan, he and all the people with him. 7  There he built an altar and called the place El-bethʹel,* because there the true God had revealed himself to him when he had run away from his brother.+ 8  Later Debʹo·rah,+ Re·bekʹah’s nurse, died and was buried at the foot of Bethʹel under an oak. So he named it Alʹlon-bacʹuth.* 9  God appeared to Jacob once again while he was coming from Padʹdan-aʹram and blessed him. 10  God said to him: “Your name is Jacob.+ Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel will be your name.” And he began to call him Israel.+ 11  God further said to him: “I am God Almighty.+ Be fruitful and become many. Nations and a congregation of nations will come from you,+ and kings will descend from you.*+ 12  As for the land that I have given to Abraham and to Isaac, to you I will give it, and to your offspring* after you I will give the land.”+ 13  Then God went up from him at the place where he had spoken with him. 14  So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone, and he poured a drink offering on it and poured oil on it.+ 15  And Jacob continued to call the place where God had spoken with him Bethʹel.+ 16  Then they pulled away from Bethʹel. And while they were still some distance from Ephʹrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was very difficult. 17  But while she was struggling to deliver the child, the midwife said to her: “Do not be afraid, for you will have this son also.”+ 18  Just as her life was slipping away* (for she was dying), she named him Ben-oʹni,* but his father called him Benjamin.*+ 19  So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephʹrath, that is, Bethʹle·hem.+ 20  Jacob set up a pillar over her grave; it is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. 21  After that Israel pulled away and pitched his tent a distance beyond the tower of Eʹder. 22  Once while Israel was dwelling in that land, Reuʹben went and lay down with Bilʹhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard about it.+ So there were 12 sons of Jacob. 23  The sons by Leʹah were Jacob’s firstborn Reuʹben,+ then Simʹe·on, Leʹvi, Judah, Isʹsa·char, and Zebʹu·lun. 24  The sons by Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. 25  And the sons by Bilʹhah, Rachel’s servant, were Dan and Naphʹta·li. 26  And the sons by Zilʹpah, Leʹah’s servant, were Gad and Ashʹer. These are Jacob’s sons, who were born to him in Padʹdan-aʹram. 27  Jacob eventually came to where his father Isaac was at Mamʹre,+ to Kirʹi·ath-arʹba, that is, Hebʹron, where Abraham and also Isaac had resided as foreigners.+ 28  Isaac lived to be 180 years old.+ 29  Then Isaac breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people,* after a long and satisfying life;* and his sons Eʹsau and Jacob buried him.+

Footnotes

Or “in the way.”
Or “hid.”
Meaning “God of Bethel.”
Meaning “Oak of Weeping.”
Lit., “come out of your loins.”
Lit., “seed.”
Or “her soul was going out.”
Meaning “Son of My Mourning.”
Meaning “Son of the Right Hand.”
This is a poetic expression for death.
Lit., “old and full of days.”