Genesis 35: Jacob Returns to Bethel and Rachel Dies

Pentateuch

Jul 28

Short answer: Genesis 35 recounts God's command for Jacob to return to Bethel, where he purifies his household and builds an altar. God renews the promise of descendants and land, Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin, and Isaac dies and is buried by his sons.

What Genesis 35 says

The chapter opens with God speaking to Jacob, directing him to go up to Bethel and live there, and to make an altar to the God who appeared to him when he fled from Esau. Jacob responds by instructing his household and all who were with him to put away foreign gods, purify themselves, and change their garments. They surrender the foreign gods and earrings, which Jacob hides under the oak near Shechem. As they travel, a terror of God falls on the surrounding cities, preventing pursuit. Jacob arrives at Luz, also called Bethel, in Canaan, and builds an altar, naming the place El Beth El because God had revealed himself there when Jacob fled from his brother. Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, dies and is buried below Bethel under an oak called Allon Bacuth.

God appears to Jacob again after his return from Paddan Aram and blesses him. God tells him that his name will no longer be Jacob but Israel. God declares himself God Almighty and commands Jacob to be fruitful and multiply, promising that a nation and a company of nations will come from him, and kings will come from his body. The land given to Abraham and Isaac is promised to Jacob and his offspring. God then goes up from him, and Jacob sets up a stone pillar, pours a drink offering and oil on it, and names the place Bethel. They journey from Bethel, and as they near Ephrath, Rachel goes into hard labor. The midwife reassures her that she will have another son. As her soul departs, she names him Benoni, but Jacob names him Benjamin. Rachel dies and is buried on the way to Ephrath, also called Bethlehem, and Jacob sets up a pillar on her grave, which remains to this day.

Israel travels on and spreads his tent beyond the tower of Eder. While living in that land, Reuben lies with Bilhah, his father's concubine, and Israel hears of it. The text then lists the twelve sons of Jacob: the sons of Leah are Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; the sons of Rachel are Joseph and Benjamin; the sons of Bilhah are Dan and Naphtali; and the sons of Zilpah are Gad and Asher. These were born to him in Paddan Aram. Jacob comes to Isaac his father at Mamre, to Kiriath Arba, also called Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac had lived as foreigners. Isaac lives one hundred eighty years, gives up his spirit, dies, and is gathered to his people, old and full of days. His sons Esau and Jacob bury him.

The chapter closes with the death and burial of Isaac, marking the passing of the patriarchal generation. Jacob's return to Bethel and the renewal of the covenant promise underscore God's faithfulness across generations. The listing of Jacob's twelve sons signals the emergence of the tribes of Israel, even as the narrative includes moral failure and grief. The burial of Isaac by both Esau and Jacob shows a moment of unity amid the family's fractured history. The chapter does not dwell on Isaac's life but simply records his age and peaceful death, emphasizing the continuation of God's plan through Jacob and his descendants.

Verses that carry the chapter

“God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and live there. Make there an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.” (Genesis 35:1)” (Genesis 35:1) — God's direct command to Jacob to return to Bethel and build an altar marks a decisive moment of obedience and worship, recalling God's earlier appearance during Jacob's flight.
“God said to him, “Your name is Jacob. Your name shall not be Jacob any more, but your name will be Israel.” (Genesis 35:10) He named him Israel.” (Genesis 35:10) — God reaffirms Jacob's new name, Israel, signifying a permanent change in identity and a deepened covenant relationship.
“God said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations will be from you, and kings will come out of your body.” (Genesis 35:11) — The promise of fruitfulness, nations, and kings echoes the Abrahamic covenant and assures Jacob of God's ongoing blessing.
“As her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin.” (Genesis 35:18) — Rachel's naming of her son Benoni and Jacob's renaming him Benjamin captures the sorrow and hope intertwined in this moment of death and birth.

Gospel connection

Genesis 35 shows God's faithfulness in renewing his covenant with Jacob, promising that kings would come from his line. This points forward to the ultimate King, Jesus Christ, who fulfills the promise of a nation and company of nations. The purification of Jacob's household and the putting away of foreign gods prefigure the call to holiness and the cleansing from sin that Christ accomplishes. Rachel's death in childbirth and the naming of Benjamin, meaning son of my right hand, foreshadow the grief and hope that surround the coming of the Savior. Isaac's death and burial mark the passing of the old generation, yet God's promise continues, ultimately leading to the birth of Jesus, the son of Abraham and David, in Bethlehem, the very place associated with Rachel's grave.

Application

This chapter invites readers to examine their own lives for foreign gods, anything that competes with wholehearted devotion to God. Jacob's call to purify and change garments is a call to repentance and renewal. The journey to Bethel reminds us that God often calls us back to the place where we first encountered him, to remember his faithfulness. Rachel's painful death and the naming of Benjamin challenge us to trust God even in sorrow, recognizing that he is present in both life and death. The listing of the twelve sons and the burial of Isaac show that God works through flawed families and across generations. Readers are encouraged to respond with obedience, worship, and a willingness to let go of anything that hinders their walk with God.

Biblical fidelity check

The chapter does not explain why God chose Bethel or why Jacob hid the foreign gods under an oak. It does not state the age of Rachel at death, nor does it describe the nature of Reuben's sin beyond the bare fact. It does not record any words of Isaac before his death, nor does it mention Esau's feelings at the burial. The text is silent on the spiritual state of the household members who gave up their gods, and it does not elaborate on the terror of God that fell on the cities. It also does not specify how much time passed between the events, nor does it give the location of the tower of Eder beyond its name.

Questions for study

Why do you think God commanded Jacob to return to Bethel specifically, and what does that place represent in Jacob's life?
What does Jacob's instruction to put away foreign gods and purify themselves teach us about preparing to worship God?
How does the renewal of the covenant promise in verses 11 and 12 connect to God's earlier promises to Abraham and Isaac?
What can we learn from Jacob's response to Rachel's death and the naming of Benjamin?
Why is the listing of the twelve sons significant in the story of Israel, and what does it reveal about God's work through imperfect people?

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FAQ

Why did Jacob hide the foreign gods under an oak near Shechem?

The text does not explain his reasoning, but it shows a decisive removal of idols from the community, likely to prevent them from being recovered or used again.

What is the significance of Jacob's name being changed to Israel?

The name change confirms the new identity God had earlier given him, marking him as the patriarch of a nation and reinforcing the covenant promise.

How old was Isaac when he died, and who buried him?

Isaac lived one hundred eighty years, and both Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him.

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