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Genesis 35
1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel (= house of GOD), and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.
2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:
If you remember from the last chapter, Simeon and Levi had just wiped out a whole city of Hivites (those from the offspring of the fallen angels and kenites) because Shechem who was Hamor's (the leader's) son, raped Dinah their sister and then tried to have the whole city intermix with Israel's (Jacob's) family, whereby they could receive some of their wealth, which also would have corrupted that perfect bloodline in which CHRIST would come through. Simeon and Levi knew if they could outsmart these men of the city into circumcising themselves, that they would be too sore to fight back and so it was; they wiped them out and then brought with them some of these Hivite's supplies on the journey back, along with their women and children to use as servants. Now Israel (Jacob) has noticed that some of the supplies they brought back consist of strange gods (idols) and he wants them to have no part in it, especially as they are on their way to Bethel (= house of GOD), where Israel (Jacob) had went, and vowed to GOD, when he fled from Esau (Genesis 28:19). Though they were to change their garments, this also has a symbolic meaning as well to us today, as we change our garments (letting go of our old sinful ways) and wash ourselves in the blood of the LAMB (JESUS CHRIST), cleansing ourselves from the ways of the world, and by doing so, that is what ultimately makes up our new garments, made of fine linen, with our righteous acts (Revelation 19:8).
3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.
And indeed, our FATHER was with Israel (Jacob) when he was in his distress and fleeing from Esau (Genesis 28), who wanted to murder him.
4 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.
5 And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
And the reason these people did not pursue is because it was GOD who was protecting Israel's (Jacob's) family.
6 So Jacob came to Luz (= almond tree), which is in the land of Canaan (= lowland), that is, Bethel (= house of GOD), he and all the people that were with him.
7 And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel (= GOD of the House of GOD): because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.
8 But Deborah (= bee), Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth (= oak of weeping).
9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram (= field), and blessed him.
10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob (heel holder, supplanter), but Israel (= GOD prevails or the prince that prevails with GOD) shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.
Here we see GOD reaffirms Jacob's name change.
11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins (and from Judah [Jacob's son] would come the king-line, in which eventually would come our LORD JESUS CHRIST);
And from Israel (Jacob) would eventually come the United States of America which is the super power of all super power nations, as they are the most blessed nation amongst the world, where the majority of GOD's people (CHRISTians) dwell. Notice also "a company of nations" is mentioned too; this applies to all other nations of CHRISTians today whether or not they are from the offspring of Israel (Jacob). See also: Galatians 3:29.
12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.
13 And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.
14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.
15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel (= house of GOD).
16 And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath (= fruitfulness): and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.
17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.
18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni (= son of my sorrow): but his father called him Benjamin (= son of the right hand).
19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem (= house of bread, the same place CHRIST was eventually born in, who is our BREAD of LIFE).
20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave (= sepulcher [qᵉbûwrâh in Hebrew, not Sheol]): that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.
21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar (= tower of a flock, which is around 1,000 paces from Bethlehem).
22 And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
Perhaps this moral decay could have been influenced from being around the Hivites?
23 The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:
24 The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:
25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:
26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid: Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram.
27 And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron (= alliance), where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.
28 And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years (= 180 years).
29 And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:
If you remember from the last chapter, Simeon and Levi had just wiped out a whole city of Hivites (those from the offspring of the fallen angels and kenites) because Shechem who was Hamor's (the leader's) son, raped Dinah their sister and then tried to have the whole city intermix with Israel's (Jacob's) family, whereby they could receive some of their wealth, which also would have corrupted that perfect bloodline in which CHRIST would come through. Simeon and Levi knew if they could outsmart these men of the city into circumcising themselves, that they would be too sore to fight back and so it was; they wiped them out and then brought with them some of these Hivite's supplies on the journey back, along with their women and children to use as servants. Now Israel (Jacob) has noticed that some of the supplies they brought back consist of strange gods (idols) and he wants them to have no part in it, especially as they are on their way to Bethel (= house of GOD), where Israel (Jacob) had went, and vowed to GOD, when he fled from Esau (Genesis 28:19). Though they were to change their garments, this also has a symbolic meaning as well to us today, as we change our garments (letting go of our old sinful ways) and wash ourselves in the blood of the LAMB (JESUS CHRIST), cleansing ourselves from the ways of the world, and by doing so, that is what ultimately makes up our new garments, made of fine linen, with our righteous acts (Revelation 19:8).
3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.
And indeed, our FATHER was with Israel (Jacob) when he was in his distress and fleeing from Esau (Genesis 28), who wanted to murder him.
4 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.
5 And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
And the reason these people did not pursue is because it was GOD who was protecting Israel's (Jacob's) family.
6 So Jacob came to Luz (= almond tree), which is in the land of Canaan (= lowland), that is, Bethel (= house of GOD), he and all the people that were with him.
7 And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel (= GOD of the House of GOD): because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.
8 But Deborah (= bee), Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth (= oak of weeping).
9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram (= field), and blessed him.
10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob (heel holder, supplanter), but Israel (= GOD prevails or the prince that prevails with GOD) shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.
Here we see GOD reaffirms Jacob's name change.
11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins (and from Judah [Jacob's son] would come the king-line, in which eventually would come our LORD JESUS CHRIST);
And from Israel (Jacob) would eventually come the United States of America which is the super power of all super power nations, as they are the most blessed nation amongst the world, where the majority of GOD's people (CHRISTians) dwell. Notice also "a company of nations" is mentioned too; this applies to all other nations of CHRISTians today whether or not they are from the offspring of Israel (Jacob). See also: Galatians 3:29.
12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.
13 And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.
14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.
15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel (= house of GOD).
16 And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath (= fruitfulness): and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.
17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.
18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni (= son of my sorrow): but his father called him Benjamin (= son of the right hand).
19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem (= house of bread, the same place CHRIST was eventually born in, who is our BREAD of LIFE).
20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave (= sepulcher [qᵉbûwrâh in Hebrew, not Sheol]): that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.
21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar (= tower of a flock, which is around 1,000 paces from Bethlehem).
22 And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
Perhaps this moral decay could have been influenced from being around the Hivites?
23 The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:
24 The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:
25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:
26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid: Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram.
27 And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron (= alliance), where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.
28 And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years (= 180 years).
29 And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.