English Standard Version
Genesis 35:4
4So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.
Genesis 35:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.
- New International Version (NIV)So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem.
- New Living Translation (NLT)So they gave Jacob all their pagan idols and earrings, and he buried them under the great tree near Shechem.
Context of Genesis 35:4
2So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments. 3Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone." So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem. 5And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. 6And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him,
Read all of Genesis 35Genesis 35:4 word by word
וַיִּתְּנ֣וּ אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֗ב אֵ֣ת כָּל־אֱלֹהֵ֤י הַנֵּכָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיָדָ֔ם וְאֶת־הַנְּזָמִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּאָזְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּטְמֹ֤ן אֹתָם֙ יַעֲקֹ֔ב תַּ֥חַת הָאֵלָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עִם־שְׁכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they gaveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- unto Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- all the strangeנֵכָרnêkâr · foreignH5236
- godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- in their handיָדyâd · hand: themselvesH3027
- earringsנֶ֫זֶםnezem · ringH5141
- in their earsאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · earH241
- hidטָמַןţâman · to hideH2934
- them under the oakאֵלָה'êlâh · oakH424
- by Shechemשְׁכֶםshekem · ShechemH7927
Cross-references for Genesis 35:4
- Exodus 32:2So Aaron said to them, "Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."
- Judges 8:24And Gideon said to them, "Let me make a request of you: every one of you give me the earrings from his spoil." (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
- Hosea 2:13And I will punish her for the feast days of the Baals when she burned offerings to them and adorned herself with her ring and jewelry, and went after her lovers and forgot me, declares the Lord.
- Exodus 32:20He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it.
- Deuteronomy 7:5But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire.
- Isaiah 2:20In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats,
- Isaiah 30:22Then you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated metal images. You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, "Be gone!"
- Joshua 24:25So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem.
- Judges 9:6And all the leaders of Shechem came together, and all Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem.
Commentaries on Genesis 35:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4And - ear-rings which were in their ears - Whether these rings were in the ears of the gods, or in those of Jacob's family, we may rest assured that they were not mere ornaments, but served for superstitious purposes. Ear-rings were certainly worn as amulets and charms, first consecrated to some god, or formed under some constellation, on which magical characters and images were drawn. A very ancient and beautiful one of this kind brought from Egypt, cut…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-29Verses 1-29 - The Death of Isaac 8. דברה deborâh Deborah, “bee.” בּכוּת אלּון 'alôn -bākût Allon-bakuth, “oak of weeping.” 16. כברה kı̂brâh “length stretch.” A certain but unknown distance, a stadium or furlong (Josephus) a hippodrome (Septuagint) which was somewhat longer, a mile (Kimchi). אפרת 'ephrâth Ephrath, “fruitful or ashy.” 18. בן־אוני ben -'ônı̂y Ben-oni, “son of my pain.” בנימין bı̂nyāmı̂yn Binjamin, “son of the right hand.” 19. לחם בית…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-4Jacob vowed to fully devote himself to the Lord (28:20–22). To establish this devotion, his family had to get rid of all pagan idols and stop worshiping other gods. God allows no rivals. Only the Lord could be their God (compare Joshua 5:1–9).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods ... and earrings--Strange gods, the "seraphim" (compare Ge 31:30), as well, perhaps, as other idols acquired among the Shechemite spoil--earrings of various forms, sizes, and materials, which are universally worn in the East, and, then as now, connected with incantation and idolatry (compare Ho 2:13). The decided tone which Jacob now assumed was the probable cause of the alacrity with which those favorite…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 35:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 35
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries