Genesis 35

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.”

1And God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there, and make there an altar to God who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”

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.

2And Jacob said to his house and to all who were with him, “Remove the foreign gods that are in your midst, and 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.”

3And let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and has been with me in the way that I have gone.”

4So they gave Jacob all their foreign gods and all their earrings, and Jacob buried them under the oak near Shechem.

4And they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their hands, and the rings that were in their ears. And Jacob hid them under the oak that was by Shechem.

5As they set out, a terror from God fell over the surrounding cities, so that they did not pursue Jacob’s sons.

5And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.

6So Jacob and everyone with him arrived in Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan.

6And Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan—that is, Bethel—he and all the people who were with him.

7There Jacob built an altar, and he called that place El-bethel, because it was there that God had revealed Himself to Jacob as he fled from his brother.

7And he built there an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from the face of his brother.

8Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak below Bethel. So Jacob named it Allon-bacuth.

8And Deborah, nurse of Rebekah, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak, and he called its name Allon-bachuth.

9After Jacob had returned from Paddan-aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him.

9And God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram, and He blessed him.

10And God said to him, “Though your name is Jacob, you will no longer be called Jacob. Instead, your name will be Israel.” So God named him Israel.

10And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but rather Israel shall be your name.” And He called his name Israel.

11And God told him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation—even a company of nations—shall come from you, and kings shall descend from you.

11And God said to him, “I am El-Shaddai. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and an assembly of nations shall be from you, and kings will come from your loins.

12The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.”

12And the land that I gave to Abraham and to Isaac, I give to you. And to your seed after you I will give the land.”

13Then God went up from the place where He had spoken with him.

13And God went up from him in the place where He had spoken with him.

14So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where God had spoken with him—a stone marker—and he poured out a drink offering on it and anointed it with oil.

14And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He had spoken with him—a pillar of stone. And he poured on it a drink offering, and he poured on it oil.

15Jacob called the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.

15And Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.

Benjamin Born, Rachel Dies

16Later, they set out from Bethel, and while they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult.

16And they journeyed from Bethel, and there was still some distance of land to go to Ephrathah, and Rachel gave birth, and she had great difficulty in giving birth.

17During her severe labor, the midwife said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you are having another son.”

17And it came to pass, when she having difficulty in giving birth, that the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for also this is a son for you.”

18And with her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni. But his father called him Benjamin.

18And it came to pass, as her soul was departing—for she died—that she called his name Ben-oni. And his father called him Benjamin.

19So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).

19And Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrathah, that is, Bethlehem.

20Jacob set up a pillar on her grave; it marks Rachel’s tomb to this day.

20And Jacob set up a pillar over her grave; that is the pillar of the grave of Rachel to this day.

The Sons of Jacob

21Israel again set out and pitched his tent beyond the Tower of Eder.

21And Israel journeyed, and he pitched his tent beyond the Tower of Eder.

22While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it.

Jacob had twelve sons:

22And it came to pass while Israel was dwelling in the land, that Reuben went in and lay with Bilhah, concubine of his father, and Israel heard of it. And the sons of Jacob were two and ten:

23The sons of Leah were Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.

23The sons of Leah: Reuben, firstborn of Jacob and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun;

24The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.

24the sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin;

25The sons of Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali.

25and the sons of Bilhah, maidservant of Rachel: Dan and Naphtali;

26And the sons of Leah’s maidservant Zilpah were Gad and Asher.

These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

26and the sons of Zilpah, maidservant of Leah: Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

The Death of Isaac

27Jacob returned to his father Isaac at Mamre, near Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed.

27And Jacob came to Isaac his father at Mamre, near Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned there.

28And Isaac lived 180 years.

28And the days of Isaac were a hundred years and eighty years.

29Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

29And Isaac expired and he died, and he was gathered to his people, old and full of days; and Esau and Jacob his sons buried him.