The First Book of Moses: Genesis

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 35 -

About this time, God said to Jacob, “Arise and go up to Bethel, and live there, and make an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”

In truth, Jacob, having called together all his house, said: “Cast away the foreign gods that are in your midst and be cleansed, and also change your garments.

Arise, and let us go up to Bethel, so that we may make an altar there to God, who heeded me in the day of my tribulation, and who accompanied me on my journey.”

Therefore, they gave him all the foreign gods which they had, and the earrings which were in their ears. And then he buried them under the terebinth tree, which is beyond the city of Shechem.

And when they had set out, the terror of God invaded all the surrounding cities, and they dared not pursue them as they withdrew.

And so, Jacob arrived at Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, also named Bethel: he and all the people with him.

And he built an altar there, and he called the name of that place, ‘House of God.’ For there, God appeared to him when he fled from his brother.

About the same time, Deborah, the nurse of Rebekah, died, and she was buried at the base of Bethel, under an oak tree. And the name of that place was called, ‘Oak of Weeping.’(a)

Then God appeared again to Jacob, after he returned from Mesopotamia of Syria, and he blessed him,

saying: “You will no longer be called Jacob, for your name shall be Israel.” And he called him Israel,(b)

and he said to him: “I am Almighty God: increase and multiply. Tribes and peoples of nations will be from you, and kings will go forth from your loins.

And the land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give to you, and to your offspring after you.”

And he withdrew from him.

In truth, he set up a monument of stone, in the place where God had spoken to him, pouring out libations over it, and pouring oil,

and he called the name of that place, ‘Bethel.’

Benjamin Born, Rachel Dies

Then, departing from there, he arrived in springtime at the land that leads to Ephrath. And there, when Rachel was giving birth,

because it was a difficult birth, she began to be in danger. And the midwife said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you will have this son also.”

Then, when her life was departing because of the pain, and death was now imminent, she called the name of her son Benoni, that is, the son of my pain. Yet truly, his father called him Benjamin, that is, the son of the right hand.

And so Rachel died, and she was buried in the way that leads to Ephrath: this place is Bethlehem.

And Jacob erected a monument over her sepulcher. This is the monument to Rachel’s tomb, even to the present day.

The Sons of Jacob

(1 Chronicles 2:1–2)

Departing from there, he pitched his tent beyond the Tower of the Flock.

And when he was living in that region, Reuben went out, and he slept with Bilhah the concubine of his father, which was not such a small matter as to be hidden from him. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.(c)

The sons of Leah: Reuben the first born, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun.

The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.

The sons of Bilhah, handmaid of Rachel: Dan and Naphtali.

The sons of Zilpah, handmaid of Leah: Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Mesopotamia of Syria.

The Death of Isaac

And then he went to his father Isaac in Mamre, the city of Arba: this place is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.

And the days of Isaac were completed: one hundred and eighty years.

And being consumed by old age, he died. And he was placed with his people, being old and full of days. And his sons, Esau and Jacob, buried him.

Footnotes

(a)35:8 Cities were generally built on high ground, so Deborah was buried on the outskirts of the city, at its roots or base.(Conte)

(b)35:10 Israel:This name signifies one that prevails with God.(Challoner)

(c)35:22 The concubine:She was his lawful wife; but, according to the style of the Hebrews, is called concubine, because of her servile extraction.(Challoner)

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.”

Then 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.

Let’s arise, and go up to Bethel. I will make there an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me on the way which I went.”

They gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the rings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.

They traveled, and a terror of God was on the cities that were around them, and they didn’t pursue the sons of Jacob.

So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him.

He built an altar there, and called the place El Beth El; because there God was revealed to him, when he fled from the face of his brother.

Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; and its name was called Allon Bacuth.

God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan Aram, and blessed him.

God said to him, “Your name is Jacob. Your name shall not be Jacob any more, but your name will be Israel.” He named him Israel.

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.

The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, and to your offspring after you I will give the land.”

God went up from him in the place where he spoke with him.

Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he spoke with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it, and poured oil on it.

Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him “Bethel”.

Benjamin Born, Rachel Dies

They traveled from Bethel. There was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and Rachel travailed. She had hard labor.

When she was in hard labor, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for now you will have another son.”

As her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Benoni,(a) but his father named him Benjamin.(b)

Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem).

Jacob set up a pillar on her grave. The same is the Pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day.

The Sons of Jacob

(1 Chronicles 2:1–2)

Israel traveled, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Eder.

While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.

The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.

The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.

The sons of Bilhah (Rachel’s servant): Dan and Naphtali.

The sons of Zilpah (Leah’s servant): Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.

The Death of Isaac

Jacob came to Isaac his father, to Mamre, to Kiriath Arba (which is Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac lived as foreigners.

The days of Isaac were one hundred eighty years.

Isaac gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him.

Footnotes

(a)35:18 “Benoni” means “son of my trouble”.

(b)35:18 “Benjamin” means “son of my right hand”.