Chapter 35
Verses 1-29: God Blesses Jacob at Bethel
- God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make there an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”
- 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 us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to God, who answered 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 which they had and the rings that were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.
- 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.
- So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him,
- and he built there an altar and called the place El-Bethel, because there God had revealed Himself to him when he fled from his brother.
- And Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried under an oak below Bethel. So he called its name Allon-bacuth.
- God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him.
- God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel.
- And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall spring from you.
- The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.”
- Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him.
- Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken 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 had spoken with him, Bethel.
- Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and she had hard labor.
- And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for you have another son.”
- As her soul was departing (for she died), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
- So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem),
- and Jacob set up a pillar over her grave. It is the pillar of Rachel’s grave, which is there to this day.
- Israel journeyed on and pitched 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, and 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.
- Then Jacob came to Isaac his father at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned.
- Now the days of Isaac were 180 years.
- And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Interpretation: Chapter 35 narrates significant events in Jacob’s life, including God’s command to return to Bethel, the purification and renunciation of foreign gods by his household, and the reaffirmation of the covenant blessings and the renaming of Jacob as Israel. This chapter also records the poignant moments of Rachel’s death in childbirth and the burial of Isaac. The narrative emphasizes themes of transformation, renewal, and the continuation of the Abrahamic covenant through Jacob’s lineage. The acts of building altars and setting up pillars signify Jacob’s deepening relationship with God and his commitment to the covenant. These events mark pivotal moments in the formation of the Israelite identity and the ancestral legacy.
One Response
Genesis 35:1-3 – Return to Bethel
Verses 1-3 recount God instructing Jacob to return to Bethel and build an altar. Jacob tells his household to purify themselves and change their garments, marking a renewal of commitment to God. Kabbalistically, this purification process symbolizes a return to Kedushah (holiness), removing Klipot (impurities) that obscure the divine light. Quantum mechanically, this directive and the family’s compliance can be seen as resetting their quantum state, aligning their intentions and actions with divine will, and thereby influencing the potential outcomes of their journey.
Genesis 35:4-5 – Departure from Shechem
Verses 4-5 describe Jacob burying the foreign gods his family had and their departure from Shechem, surrounded by a divine terror that protects them from being pursued. Kabbalistically, the burying of foreign gods is an act of Teshuvah (repentance), moving from Tumah (spiritual impurity) to Taharah (purity). Quantum mechanically, this action and the subsequent divine protection can be likened to a wave function collapse, where eliminating potential sources of spiritual interference ensures a safe transition to a new phase of their journey.
Genesis 35:6-7 – Building an Altar in Bethel
Verses 6-7 show Jacob building an altar in Bethel, as commanded by God, naming the place El-Bethel because God appeared to him there. Kabbalistically, the building of the altar and the name El-Bethel represent the Sefirah of Yesod, foundation, reinforcing the connection between heaven and earth. Quantum mechanically, this act of establishing a physical space for worship creates a fixed point in the quantum field, a place of coherence between the material and spiritual worlds.
Genesis 35:8-15 – Deaths and God’s Blessing
The narrative recounts the death of Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, and God appearing again to bless Jacob, reaffirming his new name, Israel, and the covenant. Kabbalistically, these events are enveloped in Binah, understanding, and Gevurah, strength or judgment, reflecting the cycle of life and death and the enduring nature of the covenant. Quantum mechanically, God’s blessing and the reaffirmation of Jacob’s name can be seen as a significant measurement, reinforcing the trajectory of Jacob’s destiny and that of his descendants within the cosmic quantum landscape.
Genesis 35:16-20 – The Birth of Benjamin and Rachel’s Death
Verses 16-20 detail the birth of Benjamin and the death of Rachel. Kabbalistically, Rachel’s death during childbirth and the naming of Benjamin are tied to Din, judgment, and Rachamim, mercy, reflecting the profound mysteries of life, loss, and the continuation of the covenant. Quantum mechanically, these poignant family events mark a profound shift in the family’s dynamics, analogous to a quantum leap, where each event alters the state of the family’s collective narrative.
Genesis 35:21-29 – Reuben’s Sin and Isaac’s Death
The chapter concludes with Reuben’s sin against his father, the listing of Jacob’s sons, and the death of Isaac. Kabbalistically, these events continue to weave the themes of Tikkun (repair) and Shevirah (breaking), illustrating the complex interplay of human actions within the divine plan. Quantum mechanically, the concluding verses represent the ongoing evolution of the family’s quantum state, with each action and outcome contributing to the unfolding narrative of the Jewish people.