God’s Word Translation
Genesis 35:1
1Then God said to Jacob, “Go to Bethel and live there. Make an altar there. I am the God who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”
Genesis 35:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth–el, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.
- New International Version (NIV)Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”
Context of Genesis 35:1
Then God said to Jacob, “Go to Bethel and live there. Make an altar there. I am the God who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.” 2So Jacob said to his family and those who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods which you have, wash yourselves until you are ritually clean, and change your clothes. 3Then let’s go to Bethel. I will make an altar there to God, who answered me when I was troubled and who has been with me wherever I’ve gone.”
Read all of Genesis 35Genesis 35:1 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֔ב ק֛וּם עֲלֵ֥ה בֵֽית־אֵ֖ל וְשֶׁב־שָׁ֑ם וַעֲשֵׂה־שָׁ֣ם מִזְבֵּ֔חַ לָאֵל֙ הַנִּרְאֶ֣ה אֵלֶ֔יךָ בְּבָרְחֲךָ֔ מִפְּנֵ֖י עֵשָׂ֥ו אָחִֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- Ariseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- go upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- to Beth–elבֵּֽיתְ־אֵלbêyth-'êl · BethelH1008
- and dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- there: and makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- there an altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
- unto Godאֵל'êl · GodH410
- that appearedרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- unto thee when thou fleddestבָּרַחbârach · to fleeH1272
- from the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- of Esauעֵשָׂו‛êώâv · EsauH6215
- thy brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
Cross-references for Genesis 35:1
- Genesis 22:14Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide. It is still said today, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
- Deuteronomy 32:36The Lord will judge his people and have compassion on his servants when he sees that their strength is gone and that no one is left, neither slaves nor free people.
- Psalms 46:1God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
- Psalms 91:15When you call to me, I will answer you. I will be with you when you are in trouble. I will save you and honor you.
- Genesis 35:7He built an altar there and called that place El Bethel [God of the House of God]. That’s where God had revealed himself to Jacob when he was fleeing from his brother.
- Genesis 12:8He moved on to the hills east of Bethel, and he put up his tent—with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. He also built an altar to the Lord there and worshiped the Lord.
- Genesis 13:3He traveled from place to place. He went from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the area between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been originally,
- Genesis 28:10Jacob left Beersheba and traveled toward Haran.
- Genesis 31:3Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your ancestors and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
- Psalms 47:4He chooses our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. Selah
- Ecclesiastes 5:4When you make a promise to God, don’t be slow to keep it because God doesn’t like fools. Keep your promise.
- Hosea 12:4He struggled with the Messenger and won. Jacob cried and pleaded with him. Jacob found him at Bethel, and he talked with him there.
- Nahum 1:15There on the mountains are the feet of a messenger who announces the good news: “All is well!” Celebrate your festivals, Judah! Keep your vows! This wickedness will never pass your way again. It will be completely removed.
- Genesis 16:8He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s slave, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She answered, “I’m running away from my owner Sarai.”
- Genesis 27:41So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing that his father had given him. Esau said to himself, “The time to mourn for my father is near. Then I’ll kill my brother Jacob.”
- Exodus 2:15When Pharaoh heard what Moses had done, he tried to have him killed. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian. One day, while Moses was sitting by a well,
Commentaries on Genesis 35:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Arise, go up to Beth-el - The transaction that had lately taken place rendered it unsafe for Jacob to dwell any longer at the city of Shechem; and it seems that while he was reflecting on the horrible act of Simeon and Levi, and not knowing what to do, God graciously appeared to him, and commanded him to go up to Beth-el, build an altar there, and thus perform the vow he had made, Genesis 28:20, Genesis 28:22.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
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1God commands Jacob to go to Beth-el, He puts away idols from his family. (1-5) Jacob builds an altar, Death of Deborah, God blesses Jacob. (6-15) Death of Rachel. (16-20) Reuben's crime, The death of Isaac. (21-29) Verses 1-5 Beth-el was forgotten. But as many as God loves, he will remind of neglected duties, one way or other, by conscience or by providences. When we have vowed a vow to God, it is best not to defer the payment of it; yet better late than…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-7Jacob returned to Bethel, about 24 kilometers (15 miles) south of Shechem, to fulfill the vows he made there (28:20–22).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-151. God said unto Jacob, Arise, &c.--This command was given seasonably in point of time and tenderly in respect of language. The disgraceful and perilous events that had recently taken place in the patriarch's family must have produced in him a strong desire to remove without delay from the vicinity of Shechem. Borne down by an overwhelming sense of the criminality of his two sons--of the offense they had given to God and the dishonor they had brought on…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 35:1
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
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