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Genesis Chapter
Thirty-five
Genesis 35
Outlines
New King James Version
(NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 35
This
chapter gives an account of Jacob's going to Bethel
and building an altar
there by the order and direction of God
Genesis 35:1
where
Deborah
Rebekah's nurse
died and was buried
Genesis 35:8
and
where God appeared to Jacob
confirmed the new name of Israel he had given him
and renewed to him the promises of the multiplication of his seed
and of their
inheriting the land of Canaan
Genesis 35:9; all
which is gratefully acknowledged by Jacob
who erected a pillar in the place
and called it Bethel
in memory of God's gracious appearance to him there
Genesis 35:14; from
hence he journeyed towards his father's house
and on the way Rachel his wife
fell in travail
and bore him a son
and died
and was buried near Ephrath
Genesis 35:16; near
this place Reuben committed incest with Bilhah
Genesis 35:22
and
the names of the twelve sons of Jacob are given
Genesis 35:23; and
the chapter is closed with an account of Jacob's arrival at his father's house
of the death of Isaac
and of his burial at the direction of his two sons
Genesis 35:27.
Genesis 35:1. 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.”
YLT 1And God saith unto Jacob
`Rise
go up to Bethel
and dwell there
and make there an altar to God
who
appeared unto thee in thy fleeing from the face of Esau thy brother.'
And God said
unto Jacob
....
When he was in great
distress
on account of the slaughter of the Shechemites by his sons
not
knowing what step to take
or course to steer for the safety of him and his
family; then God
for his comfort and direction
appeared and spoke to him
either in a dream or vision
or by an impulse on his mind
or by an articulate
voice: perhaps this was the Son of God
the second Person
who might appear in
an human form
as he often did; since he afterwards speaks of God as of another
divine Person
distinct from him
even his divine Father:
arise
go up to
Bethel
and dwell there;
which is said to be twenty
eight miles from ShechemF18Bunting's Travels
p. 72. ; hither he is
bid to go in haste
and where
it is suggested
he would be safe
and where it
would be right and proper for him to dwell awhile:
and make there
an altar to God;
and offer sacrifice to
him
praise him for salvation and deliverance wrought
pray to him for present
and future mercies that were needful
and pay the vows he had there made
even
to that God:
that appeared
unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother;
who
resenting his getting
the birthright and blessing from him
threatened to kill him; which obliged him
to flee from his father's house
and go into Mesopotamia
and in his way
thither God appeared to him
at the place called by him from thence Bethel
and
gave him many precious promises; and Jacob there made a solemn vow
that if God
would be with him
and keep him
and give him food and raiment
and return him
to his father's house
the pillar that was then and there set up should be
God's house
as well as he should be his God. Jacob had now been nine or ten
years in the land of Canaan
and had all done for him he desired
and much more
abundantly
and yet had not been at Bethel to make good his vow
either through
forgetfulness or neglect; and therefore
as Jarchi thinks
was chastised for it
in the affair of Dinah; or rather
for one can hardly think so good a man could
forget
or would wilfully neglect such a vow as this
that he wanted
opportunity of going thither
or waited for a divine order
and now he had
both
which he readily embraced.
Genesis 35:2. 2 And
Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him
“Put away the
foreign gods that are among you
purify yourselves
and change your
garments.
YLT 2And Jacob saith unto his
household
and unto all who [are] with him
`Turn aside the gods of the
stranger which [are] in your midst
and cleanse yourselves
and change your
garments;
Then Jacob said
unto his household
....
His wives and children:
and to all that
were with him;
his menservants and
maidservants
and such as remained with him of the captives of Shechem
who
might choose to continue with him:
put away the
strange gods that are among you;
meaning not the teraphim
or images of Laban's
which Rachel had stolen from him; for it can hardly be
thought that these should be retained so many years in Jacob's family
and used
in an idolatrous manner; but rather such as might be among the Canaanitish
servants that had been lately taken into Jacob's service
or that were among
the captives of Shechem
or taken along with the spoil of that city; and so the
Targum of Jonathan calls them the idols of the people
which they brought from
the idols' temple at Shechem; and the words may be rendered
"the gods of
the strangers"F19את אלהי הנכר "deos
alenigenarum"
Pagninus; "alienigenae"
Montanus
Schmidt;
"alieni populi"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator.
that is
of the
Shechemites
who were Heathens and aliens
strangers to the true God
the
knowledge and worship of him:
and be clean;
either by abstaining from
their wives
as some interpret it
from Exodus 19:10; or
rather by washing their bodies
as Aben Ezra gives the sense of it; their hands
were full of the blood of the Shechemites
and needed to be washed and
purified
as the Targum of Jonathan has it
from the pollutions of the slain
before they went to Bethel
the house of God; and these outward ablutions and
purifications were significative of inward cleansing by the grace of God
and
of outward reformation of life and manners; see Isaiah 1:15
and change your
garments:
which might be stained
with blood
and therefore not fit to appear in before God
or were old and worn
out
or sordid apparel: changing and washing of garments were also emblems of
renewing of the mind
and cleansing of the soul
and of the change of heart and
life
as well as of pleasure
delight
and cheerfulness in appearing before
God.
Genesis 35:3. 3 Then
let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God
who
answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I
have gone.”
YLT 3and we rise
and go up to
Bethel
and I make there an altar to God
who is answering me in the day of my
distress
and is with me in the way that I have gone.'
And let us
arise and go up to Bethel
....
Thus prepared and purged
their tents clear of idols
their bodies washed with pure water
and their
garments new
neat
and clean; all symbolical of inward purity
and of freedom
from idolatry and evil works
as became those who go to the house of God
and
are his worshippers
see Hebrews 10:22.
I will make
there an altar unto God;
as he has directed
and
sacrifice to him
and worship him
and give the tenth unto him
and so make it
a Bethel
an house of God indeed
as he had vowed
Genesis 28:22
who answered me
in the day of my distress;
on account of his brother
Esau
from whose wrath he fled:
and was with me
in the way which I went;
from his father's house to
Padanaram; in which journey he was alone and destitute
and exposed to many
difficulties and dangers
but God was with him
and preserved him
and directed
and brought him to Laban's house in safety.
Genesis 35:4. 4 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.
YLT 4And they give unto Jacob
all the gods of the stranger that [are] in their hand
and the rings that [are]
in their ears
and Jacob hideth them under the oak which [is] by Shechem;
They gave unto
Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hands
....
Whether in the hands of
his servants or of the captives taken at Shechem
or in the hands of his sons
who had them along with the spoil they took there; so the Targum of
Jonathan
"they delivered
into the hand of Jacob all the idols of the
people which were in their hands
which they had took of the idols of
Shechem:"
and all
their earrings which were in their ears;
not the earrings that
women wore in common
such as Abraham's servant gave to Rebekah
and which
Jacob's wives might wear
for such were not unlawful; but either which were
worn in the ears of the strange gods or idols; for such used
it seems
according to some writers
to be decorated and ornamented after that manner; or
rather in the ears of the idolaters themselves
worn by them in a superstitious
way
having the images of these idols on them: so the Targum of
Jonathan
"and the earrings which were in the ears of the inhabitants of
the city of Shechem
in which were formed the likeness of their idols:"
and Jacob hid
them under the oak which was by Shechem;
that is
the idols
which
after he had broke to pieces
perhaps
he dug a hole under an oak
and there
buried them
that they might be no more made use of in an idolatrous way; and
he chose to put them under an oak
because it is a tree which often stands many
years before it is cut down
and besides was used for religious purposes
and
had in great veneration
and therefore seldom felled. Those idols seem not to
be made of anything valuable
perhaps of wood or stone
for had they been of
gold or silver
Jacob would doubtless have melted them
and converted them to
other uses
and not have buried them under ground. The JewsF20Shalshalet
Hakabala
fol. 3. 2. say
that the idol Jacob hid under the oak was in the form
of a dove
which the Samaritans after some time found
and set it on the top of
Mount Gerizim. Some take this oak to be the same with that mentioned in Joshua 24:26; but
of that there can be no certainty
since Jacob
as it is highly probable
laid
these images alone
and never intended any should know anything of them where
they were.
Genesis 35:5. 5 And
they journeyed
and the terror of God was upon the cities that were all
around them
and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.
YLT 5and they journey
and the
terror of God is on the cities which [are] round about them
and they have not
pursued after the sons of Jacob.
And they
journeyed
....
Jacob and his family
with
all that were with them
from Shechem to Bethel:
and the terror
of God was upon the cities that were round about them;
an exceeding great panic
seized the inhabitants of the cities of the land of Canaan
all about Shechem
which was from God himself impressing it on their minds
through what the sons
of Jacob had done to that city:
and they did
not pursue after the sons of Jacob;
as it might have been
thought they would
and take revenge on them for their ill usage of the
inhabitants of a neighbouring city; but instead of this
they were afraid they
should be used in the same manner; wherefore Jacob and his family journeyed in
safety
and came to Bethel in peace.
Genesis 35:6. 6 So
Jacob came to Luz (that is
Bethel)
which is in the land of
Canaan
he and all the people who were with him.
YLT 6And Jacob cometh in to Luz
which [is] in the land of Canaan (it [is] Bethel)
he and all the people who
[are] with him
So Jacob came
to Luz
which is in the land of Canaan
that is Bethel
....
The place Jacob had called
Bethel
when he was there before
was formerly called Luz
Genesis 28:19; and
is here said to be in the land of Canaan
that is
in that part of the land
which was inhabited by those who were properly called Canaanites
to
distinguish it from another Luz
which was in the land of the Hittites; Judges 1:26
he and all the
people that were with him;
wives
children
servants
or whoever else came from Shechem
these all came safe to Luz without any
molestation or loss.
Genesis 35:7. 7 And
he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel
[a] because
there God appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother.
YLT 7and he buildeth there an
altar
and proclaimeth at the place the God of Bethel: for there had God been
revealed unto him
in his fleeing from the face of his brother.
And he built
there an altar
....
As he was bid to do
and
as he promised he would
Genesis 35:1
and called the
place Elbethel;
the God of Bethel; a title
which God takes to himself
Genesis 31:13; or
rather the sense is
that he called the place with respect God
or because of
his appearance to him there
Bethel
confirming the name he had before given
it
Genesis 36:19; see Genesis 35:15; as
the following reason shows:
because there
God appeared;
or the divine Persons
for
both words are plural that are used; the Targum of Jonathan has it
the angels
of God
and so Aben Ezra interprets it; but here
no doubt
the divine Being is
meant
who appeared
unto him;
to Jacob in this place
as
he went to Mesopotamia
and comforted and encouraged him with many promises:
when he fled
from the face of his brother;
his brother Esau
who was
wroth with him
and sought to take away his life
and therefore was forced to
flee for it.
Genesis 35:8. 8 Now
Deborah
Rebekah’s nurse
died
and she was buried below Bethel under the
terebinth tree. So the name of it was called Allon Bachuth.[b]
YLT 8And Deborah
Rebekah's
nurse
dieth
and she is buried at the lower part of Bethel
under the oak
and
he calleth its name `Oak of weeping.'
But Deborah
Rebekah's nurse
died
....
That is
when
and quickly
after they were come to Bethel; a nurse of Rebekah's came with her to Canaan
when she married Isaac
and is generally thought to be this Deborah
which is
not improbable
Genesis 24:59
though she might have more nurses than one
as great personages sometimes have
and then it will not be so difficult to answer the objection made here; that
Rebekah's nurse
whom Jacob is supposed to leave in Canaan when he went to
Padanaram
should now be in his family when he returned from hence; since the
reply would be
that that nurse and this Deborah were not the same; but
supposing them to be the same
which is most likely
this is accounted for
several ways: according to Jarchi
who had it from an ancient writer of theirsF21R.
Moses Hadarsan.
Rebekah sent her to fetch Jacob home
according to her
promise
Genesis 27:45; but
it is not very probable that she should send a woman
and one so ancient
on
such an errand: rather
this nurse of hers
after she had accompanied her to
Canaan
and stayed awhile with her there
returned to Haran again
and being
very useful in Jacob's large family
and having a great respect for them
returned again with them
and which she might choose in hopes of seeing Rebekah
once more
whom she had a strong affection for; or
when Jacob was come into
the land of Canaan to Shechem
he might send for her from Hebron to be
assisting in his family; or going to visit his parents
which he might do before
he went with his whole family to them
might bring her with him to Shechem
who
travelling with him to Bethel died there: her name signifies a bee
as JosephusF23Antiqu.
l. 5. c. 5. sect. 2. observes:
and she was
buried beneath Bethel;
at the bottom of the hill
or mountain on which Bethel stood:
under an oak;
of which there were many
about Bethel
1 Kings 13:14 2 Kings 2:23; and
it was not unusual to bury the dead under trees
see 1 Samuel 31:13
and the name of
it was called Allonbachuth;
the oak of weeping
because of the weeping and mourning of Jacob's family at her death
she being a
good woman
an ancient servant
and in great esteem with them. The Jews have a
tradition that the occasion of this weeping
or at least of the increase of it
was
that Jacob at this time had the news of the death of Rebekah his mother;
so the Targum of Jonathan
"there tidings were brought to Jacob of the
death of Rebekah his mother
and he called the name of it another weeping;'and
so Jarchi.
Genesis 35:9. 9 Then
God appeared to Jacob again
when he came from Padan Aram
and blessed him.
YLT 9And God appeareth unto
Jacob again
in his coming from Padan-Aram
and blesseth him;
And God
appeared unto Jacob again
....
At Bethel
as he had at
Shechem
when he bid him go thither
Genesis 35:1; or
rather as he had at the brook Jabbok
where he said to him the same things as
here
Genesis 32:24
though Jarchi interprets it of his appearing again to him at the same place at
Bethel
where he had appeared to him the first time
at his going to Haran
and
now a second time:
when he came
out of Padanaram;
or returned from thence:
and blessed him;
with the same blessings as
before
renewing and confirming them. Jarchi says
with the blessing of
mourners
because of the death of his mother
and her nurse.
Genesis 35:10. 10 And
God said to him
“Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called
Jacob anymore
but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel.
YLT 10and God saith to him
`Thy
name [is] Jacob: thy name is no more called Jacob
but Israel is thy name;' and
He calleth his name Israel.
And God said
unto him
thy name is Jacob
....
Which his parents gave him
at his birth
and by
which he had been always called:
thy name shall
not be called any more Jacob
but Israel shall be thy name;
not Jacob only
as Aben
Ezra and Ben Melech interpret it
but Israel also
and that more commonly and
frequently
and not only he himself personally
but his posterity also:
and he called
his name Israel;
confirmed the name he had
before given him
Genesis 32:28; and
by this confirmation of it signifying
that as he had prevailed over his
brother Esau
and escaped his hands
so he should prevail over all that rose up
against him
and opposed him
even as he had power with God
and prevailed:
though some think this name was only promised him before
but now actually
given him; but then they take the angel that appeared wrestling with him in the
likeness of a man to be a created angel
and that what he promised in the name
of God was now made
good by God himself; there is great reason to believe that
that angel was the increased one
the Son of God
as here also.
Genesis 35:11. 11 Also God said to him: “I am
God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall
proceed from you
and kings shall come from your body.
YLT 11And God saith to him
`I
[am] God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply
a nation and an assembly of
nations is from thee
and kings from thy loins go out;
And God said
unto him
I am God Almighty
....
And so able to protect and
defend him
and to fulfil all promises made to him
and to supply him with
everything he wanted; being
as some choose to render the word
"God all
sufficient"
having a sufficiency of all good things in him to communicate
to his people:
be fruitful and
multiply;
which carries in it a
promise or prophecy that he should increase and multiply
though not he himself
personally
he having but one son born after this
yet in his posterity:
a nation
and a
company of nations
shall be of thee;
the nation of Israel
called so after his name
and the twelve tribes
which were as so many nations
of which the above nation consisted:
and kings shall
come out of thy loins;
as Saul
David
Solomon
and
many others
who were kings of Israel and of Judah
and especially the
King Messiah; yea
all his posterity were kings and priests
or a kingdom of
priests
Exodus 19:6.
Genesis 35:12. 12 The
land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants
after you I give this land.”
YLT 12and the land which I have
given to Abraham and to Isaac -- to thee I give it
yea to thy seed after thee
I give the land.'
And the land
which I gave Abraham and Isaac
to thee will I give it
....
Meaning the land of
Canaan
which
as he had by promise given it to his grandfather
and father
so
he would give it to him; thus renewing the grant of it for his comfort
and the
encouragement of his faith
when he had been in danger of being destroyed by
the inhabitants of it
and was obliged to remove from one part of it to
another:
and to thy seed
after thee will I give the land;
and not only make a grant
of it to them
but put them into the possession of it
as in process of time he
did.
Genesis 35:13. 13 Then
God went up from him in the place where He talked with him.
YLT 13And God goeth up from him
in the place where He hath spoken with him.
And God went up
from him
....
Or "from above"
himF24מעליו "desuper eum"
Montanus. ; by this it seems that there was a visible appearance of the glory
of the Lord
as Onkelos
or of the Shechinah
as Jonathan; even of the Son of
God in an human form
who either appeared just above him
or on the same spot
with him
conversing with him as above related; and when he had done
ascended
in a visible manner from him
till he disappeared:
in the place
where he talked with him;
whether it was over him
or by him; thence he removed from him
and ceased talking with him; for
communion with a divine Person is not constant and uninterrupted in the present
state.
Genesis 35:14. 14 So
Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him
a pillar of stone;
and he poured a drink offering on it
and he poured oil on it.
YLT 14And Jacob setteth up a
standing pillar in the place where He hath spoken with him
a standing pillar
of stone
and he poureth on it an oblation
and he poureth on it oil;
And Jacob set
up a pillar in the place where he talked with him
....
He had set up a pillar in
this place before he went to Padanaram
Genesis 28:18; and
some
think this pillar is here referred to
and render the words
"had
set up a pillar"F25ויצב
"erexerat"
Vatablus; "et statuerat"
Piscator; so Aben
Ezra. ; but as that was done thirty years ago
it is very likely it was
demolished by the Heathens before this time
or was fallen to ruin
wherefore
this must be at least a renewal or reparation of it: though it rather seems to
be another pillar
and quite a new one
being set up in that very spot of
ground
over or on which God had been talking with him: and the following
account of it seems to confirm the same:
even a pillar of stone;
made of several stones
hewed and polished
and well put together; whereas the former was but a single
stone
rude and unpolished
though it is probable it was one of these:
and he poured a
drink offering thereon;
of wine
of which drink
offerings under the law were
thereby consecrating it to the worship and
service of God. Aben Ezra says it was either of water or of wine
with which he
washed it
and after that poured oil on it; and the Targum of Jonathan says
he
poured a drink offering of wine
and a drink offering of water:
and he poured
oil thereon;
as he did before; See Gill
on Genesis 28:18.
Genesis 35:15. 15 And
Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him
Bethel.
YLT 15and Jacob calleth the name
of the place where God spake with him Bethel.
And Jacob
called the name of the place where God spake with him
Bethel.
He confirmed the name he
had before given it
when he went to Mesopotamia
and now upon his return
renews and establishes it; or he gave this name more especially to that
particular spot where God conversed with him
and on which he erected a pillar
and consecrated it to religious worship
and so made it God's house
as he
promised he would
Genesis 28:22
both
building an altar for sacrifice
and setting up a pillar
which was beginning
an house for God.
Genesis 35:16. 16 Then
they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to
Ephrath
Rachel labored in childbirth
and she had hard labor.
YLT 16And they journey from
Bethel
and there is yet a kibrath of land before entering Ephratha
and Rachel
beareth
and is sharply pained in her bearing;
And they
journeyed from Bethel
....
Jacob and his family; how
long they stayed there is not certain
some say four monthsF26Shalshalet
Hakabala
fol. 5. 1. ; hence they removed towards Bethlehem
which was twelve
miles from BethelF1Bunting's Travels
p. 72.
in their way to
Hebron:
and there was
but a little way to come to Ephrath;
or Bethlehem
as it was
also called
Genesis 35:19; a
mile off of it
according to the Targums of Onkelos and Jerusalem; or about a
mile
as Saadiah Gaon; for it was not a precise exact mile
but something less
than a mile
as Ben Melech observes; and so Benjamin of Tudela
who was on the
spot
saysF2Itinerar. p. 47.
that Rachel's grave is about half a
mile from Bethlehem. Ben Gersom thinks the word here used signifies cultivated
land
and that the sense is
that there were only fields
vineyards
and
gardens to go through to the city
see Genesis 48:7
and Rachel
travailed
and she had hard labour;
the time of childbirth was
come
and which came suddenly upon her
as travail does
even while journeying
which obliged them to stop; and her pains came upon her
and these very sharp
and severe
so that she had a difficult time of it: pains and sorrow in
childbearing are the fruit of sin
and more or less attend all in such a
circumstance; but
in some
labour is more painful than in others
and more at
one time than at another
and is the most painful in women than in other
creatures.
Genesis 35:17. 17 Now
it came to pass
when she was in hard labor
that the midwife said to her
“Do
not fear; you will have this son also.”
YLT 17and it cometh to pass
in
her being sharply pained in her bearing
that the midwife saith to her
`Fear
not
for this also [is] a son for thee.'
And it came to
pass
when she was in hard labour
....
In the midst of it
and at
the worst:
that the
midwife said unto her
fear not;
for Rachel big with child
it was necessary to take a midwife with them in the journey; and perhaps this
might be one that was always kept in the family
and had been assisting to all
Jacob's wives and concubines at their labours; and this seems probable from
what follows
since she not only bids her be of good courage
and not fear
comforting her under her pains
giving her hopes they would soon be over
and
that she would have a safe delivery
and do well: but this she assures her of:
thou shalt have
this son also;
as she had one before
at
whose birth she said
"the Lord shall add to me another son"; and
therefore called his name Joseph
Genesis 30:24; this
the midwife remembered
and endeavours to comfort her with the accomplishment
of it.
Genesis 35:18. 18 And
so it was
as her soul was departing (for she died)
that she called his name
Ben-Oni;[c] but his
father called him Benjamin.[d]
YLT 18And it cometh to pass in
the going out of her soul (for she died)
that she calleth his name Ben-Oni;
and his father called him Benjamin;
And it came to
pass
as her soul was in departing
for she died
....
In childbirth; she had
most passionately desired children
without which she could not live with ease
and peace of mind
and now she dies by having one; see Genesis 30:1; and
by this account of her death it appears
that death is the separation and
disunion of soul and body; that at death the soul departs from the body; that
the soul does not die with it
but goes elsewhere
and lives in a separate
state
and never dies; it goes into another world
a world of spirits
even
unto God that gave it
Ecclesiastes 12:7
that she called
his name Benoni;
which signifies "the
son of my sorrow"
having borne and brought him forth in sorrow
and now
about to leave him as soon as born
which might increase her sorrow; or
"the son
of my mourning"; as Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom interpret it;
or "the son of my strength"
all her strength being exhausted in
bringing him forth:
but his father
called him Benjamin;
that is
"the son of
the right hand"
being as dear to him
and as beloved by him as his right
hand; or who would be as the right hand to him
his staff and support in his
old age; or else as being the son of her who was as his right hand
dear and
assisting to him. Some render it
"the son of days"
or years
that
is
the son of his old age
as he is called
Genesis 44:20;
Jarchi and Ben Gerson interpret it
"the son of the south"; the right
hand being put for the south; and they think this son was so called
because he
only was born in the land of Canaan
which lay
they say
to the south with
respect to Mesopotamia
where the rest were born; but be the etymology of the
word as it will
the change of the name seems to be made by Jacob
because that
which Rachel gave her son would have perpetually put Jacob in mind of the
sorrow of his beloved Rachel
and therefore gave him a name more pleasant and
agreeable. The Jews sayF3Shalshalet Hakabala
fol. 4. 1. he was born
the eleventh of October
and lived one hundred and eleven years.
Genesis 35:19. 19 So
Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is
Bethlehem).
YLT 19and Rachel dieth
and is
buried in the way to Ephratha
which [is] Bethlehem
And Rachel
died
and was buried in the way to Ephrath
which is Bethlehem.
Hence called Bethlehem
Ephratah
Micah 5:2; with
great pertinency is Rachel represented as if risen from her grave
and weeping
for her children
when the children of Bethlehem
and thereabout
were slain by
Herod
she being buried so near that place
Matthew 2:16; at
what age she died is not said. Polyhistor
out of DemetriusF4Apnd
Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 21. p. 424.
reports
that she died after
Jacob had lived with her twenty three years.
Genesis 35:20. 20 And
Jacob set a pillar on her grave
which is the pillar of Rachel’s grave
to this day.
YLT 20and Jacob setteth up a
standing pillar over her grave; which [is] the standing pillar of Rachel's
grave unto this day.
And Jacob set a
pillar upon her grave
....
A sepulchral monument
erected in memory of her; this according to Benjamin of TudelaF5ltinerar.
p. 47. was made of twelve stones
according to the number of the sons of Jacob
and over it was a vault or roof
supported by four pillars:
that is
the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day;
it continued to the times
of Moses
the writer of this history
and to the times of Samuel
as appears
from 1 Samuel 10:2; and
even travellers of late times affirm it to be seen still
to the north of
Bethlehem
on the right hand of the way as you go from Bethlehem to Jerusalem;
but the present sepulchral monument
as Mr. Maundrel saysF6Journey
from Aleppo
&c. p. 87.
can be none of that which Jacob erected
for it
appears plainly to be a modern Turkish structure. Near the grave are found some
little black stones
which strangers pick up
and are fancied to be helpful to
women
to give them an easier birth
the same the above traveller says resemble
peas. The Jews that pass by it were used to engrave their names on the stones
of the pillarsF7Benjamin. Itinerar. ib. Adrichom. Theatrum Terrae
Sanct. p. 19. Bunting's Travels
p. 75. .
Genesis 35:21. 21 Then Israel journeyed and
pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.
YLT 21And Israel journeyeth
and
stretcheth out his tent beyond the tower of Edar;
And Israel
journeyed
....
Having stayed near
Bethlehem
as it is said
about two monthsF8Shalshalet Hakabala
fol. 5. 2. ; this is the first time Jacob is by Moses called Israel
after this
name
was given him; the reason of which the Jews say is
because he bore the
death of Rachel with so much patience:
and spread his
tent beyond the tower of Eder;
which was a place of
pasturage
and fit for his flocks
see Micah 4:8; it was
about a mile from Bethlehem to the southF9Bunting's Travels
p. 76.
and is supposed to be the place where the shepherds were watching their
flocks
when the angel reported to them the birth of Christ
Luke 2:8; pretty
remarkable are the words added here in the Targum of Jonathan
"the place
from whence the King Messiah will be revealed in the end of days.'
Genesis 35:22. 22 And
it happened
when Israel dwelt in that land
that Reuben went and lay with
Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard about it. Now the sons
of Jacob were twelve:
YLT 22and it cometh to pass in
Israel's dwelling in that land
that Reuben goeth
and lieth with Bilhah his
father's concubine; and Israel heareth.
And it came to
pass
when Israel dwelt in that land
....
In that part of it near
Bethlehem:
that Reuben
went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine;
his concubine wife; she
was the maid that Rachel gave him
and this added to his affliction
and made
it double
to lose Rachel by death
and to have her favourite maid
his
concubine
defiled by his own son
and whom it is highly probable he abstained
from hereafter. This
though a very heinous sin of his son's
yet might be
suffered as a chastisement to Jacob
for making use of concubines:
and Israel
heard it;
though the crime was
committed secretly
and was thought it would have been concealed
but by some
means or other Jacob heard of it
and no doubt severely reproved his son for
it; and though nothing is here related
as said by him on this occasion
it is
certain it gave him great offence
grief and trouble
and he remembered it to
his dying day
and took away the birthright from Reuben on account of it
Genesis 49:3; an
empty space here follows in the original text
and a pause in it
denoting
perhaps the amazement Jacob was filled with when he heard it; and the great
grief of his heart
which was such
that he was not able to speak a word; the
Septuagint version fills up the space by adding
"and it appeared evil in
his sight":
now the sons of
Jacob were twelve;
who were the heads of
twelve tribes
Benjamin the last being born
and Jacob having afterwards no
more children
they were all reckoned up under their respective mothers
excepting Dinah
a daughter
from whom there was no tribe
in the following
verses.
Genesis 35:23. 23 the
sons of Leah were Reuben
Jacob’s firstborn
and Simeon
Levi
Judah
Issachar
and Zebulun;
YLT 23And the sons of Jacob are
twelve. Sons of Leah: Jacob's first-born Reuben
and Simeon
and Levi
and
Judah
and Issachar
and Zebulun.
The sons of
Leah
....
Jacob's first wife
which
are six
and are reckoned in order
according to their birth
Reuben
Simeon
Levi
Judah
Issachar
Zebulun.
Genesis 35:24. 24 the
sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin;
YLT 24Sons of Rachel: Joseph and
Benjamin.
The sons of
Rachel
....
Then Rachel's
Jacob's
next wife
though in right his first and only one
who had two children
Joseph
and Benjamin.
Genesis 35:25. 25 the
sons of Bilhah
Rachel’s maidservant
were Dan and Naphtali;
YLT 25And sons of Bilhah
Rachel's maid-servant: Dan and Naphtali.
And the sons of
Bilhah
....
Then Bilhah's sons
who
was Rachel's handmaid
and these were two
Dan and Naphtali.
Genesis 35:26. 26 and
the sons of Zilpah
Leah’s maidservant
were Gad and Asher. These were
the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan Aram.
YLT 26And sons of Zilpah
Leah's
maid-servant: Gad and Asher. These [are] sons of Jacob
who have been born to
him in Padan-Aram.
And the sons of
Zilpah
....
And lastly
the sons of
Zilpah
Leah's handmaid
which were two also
Gad and Asher; it is added:
these are
the sons of Jacob
which were born to him in Padanaram
all excepting Benjamin;
and because they were by far the greater part
even all but one
that were born
there
this is said in general; and there having been given in the context such
a particular account of the birth of Benjamin
and of the place of it
them was
no need for the historian particularly to except him
since the reader would be
in no danger of being led into a mistake.
Genesis 35:27. 27 Then
Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre
or Kirjath Arba[e] (that is
Hebron)
where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt.
YLT 27And Jacob cometh unto Isaac
his father
at Mamre
the city of Arba (which [is] Hebron)
where Abraham and
Isaac have sojourned.
And Jacob came
unto Isaac his father
....
No mention being made of
his mother
it is very probable she was dead; and Isaac being alone
and very
old
and the time of his death drawing nigh
he might send for Jacob to come
with his family
and be with him; for it can hardly be thought that this was
the first time of Jacob's visiting his father since he came into the land
of
Canaan
which must be about ten years; but as yet he had not come with his
family to him
and in order to abide with him:
unto Mamre
unto the city of Arbah
which is Hebron;
Mamre was a plain
so
called from the name of a man
a friend and confederate of Abraham
Genesis 13:18;
where
or near to which
stood a city
called Kirjath Arbah
or the city of the
four
Arbah and his three sons; so that it might be called Tetrapolls
and was
later called Hebron:
where Abraham
and Isaac sojourned;
lived good part of their
days
see Genesis 13:18; it
was about twenty miles from Bethlehem
and the tower of EderF11Bunting's
Travels
p. 72.
where Jacob was last.
Genesis 35:28. 28 Now
the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years.
YLT 28And the days of Isaac are a
hundred and eighty years
And the days of
Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.
He lived
forty years
after he had made his will
and blessed his two sons. Jacob was now one hundred
and twenty years of age
being born when his father was sixty; and Joseph was
now twenty nine years of age
so that Isaac lived twelve years after the
selling of Joseph into Egypt; he was five years older than his father Abraham
was when he died.
Genesis 35:29. 29 So
Isaac breathed his last and died
and was gathered to his people
being
old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
YLT 29and Isaac expireth
and
dieth
and is gathered unto his people
aged and satisfied with days; and bury
him do Esau and Jacob his sons.
And Isaac gave
up the ghost
and died
....
According to an Arabic
writerF12Elmacin. p. 26. apud Hottinger. Smegma Orient. p. 341.
he
died at the end of the year 3
668
in the month Jiar
when Jacob was one
hundred and twenty years old
and his children buried him in the cave in which
Abraham was buried
in the city Chabil: According to Ussher this at about 1
716
B.C.
and was
gathered unto his people;
his soul was gathered to
the righteous
his body was laid where Abraham and Sarah were buried:
being old
and full of days;
the number of which is
observed in Genesis 35:28
and his sons
Esau and Jacob buried him;
in the cave of Machpelah
near Mamre
where he lived and died
and where his parents had been buried
and
Rebekah his wife. Esau very probably was sent for upon his father's death
or a
little before it. This shows that there was a reconciliation between Jacob and
Esau
and that it continued; and that Jacob did not decline the visit of him at
Seir
nor in a clandestine manner took his journey another way
and avoided
going thither on his invitation.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New
King James Version (NKJV)
a.
Genesis 35:7
Literally God of the House of God
b.
Genesis 35:8
Literally Terebinth of Weeping
c.Genesis 35:18
Literally Son of My Sorrow
d.
Genesis 35:18
Literally Son of the Right Hand
e.
Genesis 35:27
Literally Town of Arba