CPCC Bible Study: Genesis 35 - 36

1
      Note: Time has passed since two of the boys slaughtered an entire village because of the act of one man. We don't know how much later it is, although by what we'll see in verse five, it probably wasn't long.
      Summary: God tells Jacob to go back to Bethel.

2
      'And Jacob says to his household, and all who were with him'
      "sur" (remove / take away / etc) the "'eleohe"(gods) "nekar" (strange / foreign (implies 'heathen / pagan')) "asher" (which / that) "tavek" (among / 'in the midst') of you, and "taher" (clean / purify) yourselves, and "chalaph" (change / renew) your "simlah" (garments / clothing) ...
      Analysis: This is an interesting passage. It implies that Jacob not only knows that some of the others have 'strange gods', but that he has been living with it for some time. Of course the most spectacular example is the gods of her father that Rachel stole and then sat on when she lied to her father. Again, that was some time ago, we don't know how long, but it would seem that Jacob became aware of them, and you'd think that even Jacob could figure out how they came to be there. As for the servants and herdsmen and the rest of them, they may have come into camp with their own 'strange gods', family idols and such.

3
      (Jacob continues his speech)... - 'let us' "qum" (arise / stand) and "alah" (ascend / go up to / climb) to "Bet'el" I will "asah" (make / accomplish) there a "mizbeach" (altar) to 'the' "'el" (Mighty 'One'), who "anah" (answered / responded / spoke) to me "yom" (day) of "tsarah" (distress / affliction / trouble), and "hayah" (comes / is with / is there / etc) me "derek" (journey / path) "asher" (which / that / etc) I "halak" (go / walked / etc).

4
      They "nathan" (gave) to Jacob "kal" (all / every) "'eleohe"(gods) "nekar" (strange ...) that were 'in' "yad" (hands (implies 'possession')) and the "nexem" (rings) that were in "ozen" (ears) and "taman" (hid / concealed / buried) them "tachath" (under / below) "elah" ('big tree') that was near Shechem.
      The reason they gave up the earrings is that many such items included talismans representing the various gods and their attributes. Some contained stones that represented the gods as well.
      It is telling that Jacob didn't destroy the items by smashing them or throwing them in a fire. Instead, he buried them in the ground, intact, where, somebody else could dig them up later, perhaps an archaeologist, see links below.

5
      They "nasa" (traveled / to journey / etc), and "hayah" (to be / exists / was) the "chittah (dismay / terror / fear) of "'Elohim" "al" (on / over / against / upon / etc) the "iyr" (town / city) "ahser" (that / which) were "sabib / sebibah) (around / vicinity / surrounding) them, and "lo" (not / no) "radaph" (chase / pursue) "achar" (after / behind / following) the sons of Jacob.
      Discussion. Word was out. While this may not have been the next day, it was shortly after the massacre. And nobody wanted to take their chances coming up against those guys.

6 - 7
      Summary: Jacob and Company arrive at Bethel, and the reason why he called it that is gone over, again. And, just in case we miss it, he's going to name it one more time later.

8
      Summary: Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, who is otherwise unnamed in the book, dies, and is buried at Bethel. When Rebekah moves down to marry Isaac, she does take her nurse with her, see 24 : 59, but the woman is not named there. They name the tree over her grave "Allon Bakuth" (Oak of Weeping).

9 - 10
      "way raah" (and was seen / appeared / saw) "'Elohim" (GOD) Yaaqob....
      Perhaps now is the time to point out something interesting. The last time we saw the exclusively Jewish name for GOD, "YHWH" (the Eternal GOD / CREATOR), was in verse nine of chapter 32. Since then, everybody, including Jacob, has been using "'Elohim" (Great GOD). Don't worry, YHWH reappears in 38. (all puns intended, don't try this at home, we are a professional)
      And appeared GOD to Jacob "od" (again / still), from "Padan Aram" (Syria) and "barek" (blessed) him, and said "'Elohim" to him, your "shem" (name) "Yaaqob" "lo" (not) (the clause repeats for emphasis), "Yisrael" "hayah" (to be / become / etc)....
      It hasn't been all that long since Jacob's wrestling opponent told him to change his name, but, evidently, other than an altar here or there, the idea didn't sink in.
      .... and it still doesn't, as we see in a moment.

11 - 13
      Summary: God repeats a command we saw early in Genesis "be fruitful, etc), then the promise of 'nations' and 'kings / royals' will come from you is restated. God tells him that He is giving him land the that he gave to Abe and Isaac, and your descendants. Then the Hebrew text specifies that 'Elohim "alah" (ascended / to go up / climb) "maqom" (place / location) where they'd talked.
      The word there that is translated as 'king' or 'royalty', "melek", is interesting because it CAN be interpreted in this context as also meaning The King of Kings besides just local rulers. ... ... Which, it does.

14 - 15
      Summary and analysis: Jacob sets up another standing stone, and poured a drink offering and oil on it, and then he names it Bethel.
      The drink offering comes up again in Exodus, see chapter 29 and 30. And is later prescribed in Leviticus 23. If you remember chapter 28 Jacob poured on on the stone he'd slept on. Annointing oil is mentioned in Exodus 25 and then is discussed heavily in Exodus 27 and following. Also, this place has been Bethel since his ladder dream in 28.

16 - 18
      Summary: They leave Bethel and travel a short distance toward "Ephrath / Ephrathah" (the ancient name of Bethlehem, means 'fruitful'), but the trip is rough on Rachel because she is in active labor. The midwife tries to comfort her by telling her 'it's a boy'. As she dies she names the baby "Ben-oni" (son of my sorrow) but "ab" (father) named him "Binyamin" (Benjamin, son of the right hand).
      Note: we haven't seen Rachel since she and Joseph bowed before Esau in 33. So we didn't even know she was pregnant. As the midwife knew it was a boy before he arrived, and the labor was difficult, it is assumed that Ben was born breach.

19 - 20
      Summary: Rachel is buried along the road to Bethlehem. Jacob, it is still using his original name, sets up another standing stone, that, according to the text, is still there.
      Note: Her older sister outlives her by several years, which we'll see in chapter 49.

21
      "way nasa" (and traveled / journeyed) "Yisrael", and "natah" (spread / extend / etc) his "ohel" (tent / tents) "haleah" (beyond / further) "migdal-eder" (tower of the flock)
      And Now, just like that, Jacob changes his name. ... and then changes back, stand by.
      This is a known location in modern Israel, and there is an ancient watch tower there, although the present tower has been rebuilt several times for various reasons... including earthquake damage, and may or may not be the same one that was there when Jacob/Israel was there. There are old photos of the 'tourist location' tower in ruins from early in the twentieth century, and there were/are other towers built in the area for the same purpose over the years. They were to help keep watch over, and possibly inspect, the sheep used in the temple. The tower is mentioned in Micah 4 : 8 and 5 : 3 in relation to the birth of the Messiah. Which also explains why the site is now a stop for tour buses, and we couldn't find a good, objective, link to hard information about it. See below.

22
      Summary: At some point during all this, Reuben, the oldest son, has sex with Bilhah, who was Rachel's handmaiden, and Israel heard about it. And Jacob had twelve sons.
      That's all it says in this verse. And, yes, it uses both names for the same guy.

23 - 26
      Summary: A rundown of the twelve sons, and who was born to which woman.
      Dinah is not mentioned. She is not named again until chapter 46.

27 - 29
      Summary: Jacob, he's back to his old name for the time being, comes to Isaac, his "ab" (father) at "Mamre" (another name for Hebron), near "qiryath arba" (city of four giants) where Abraham and Isaac had lived. Isaac lived to be 180 years old, and he was 'gathered to his people' and Esau and Jacob buried him.
      The text does not specify, here, where he was buried. Later we find out it was in the same cave with Abraham and Sarah, and Isaac's wife, Rebekah.

- end 35 -

Chapter 36

      Summary: the Toledoth of Esau. AND. the Toledoth of Esau's descendants.

      Of note is a passage in verses 6 and 7 which is an echo of what happened with Abram and Lot in Chapter 13. Which is the passage the explains how Esau ended up in Edom. The land south and east of what became Israel.

      Most of the people listed are never mentioned again.

      Having said that, beginning at verse 20 the text talks about some of the tribes and peoples that came from the five sons of Esau. And some of those are mentioned later in the text. Especially in books like Chronicles and in various passages in the Minor Prophets, where one or another is condemned.

      Beginning in 31 part of the promise to Isaac that his offspring will rule comes true, and we see a list of the kings of Edom from the line of Esau.

- end 36 -

References and links: Outside links will open in new tab/window.
The Interlinear: Hebrew - English https://biblehub.com/interlinear/genesis/35.htm

the Good News Translation https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2035&version=GNT

"This type of figurine known as an eye idol, made of stone and having incised eyes, has been excavated at Tell Brak where thousands were found in a building now called the Eye Temple." https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/324155 Tell Barak is located not far from what would have been Rachel's home in what is now Eastern Syria.

And a Earring, Sumerian, ca. 2600 2500 BCE https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/322907

Migdal Eder https://promisedlandministries.wordpress.com/2022/01/01/migdal-eder-the-anointed-one-of-israel/

The Tower of the Flock https://bethariel.ca/the-tower-of-the-flock/

Edom:
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/edom

https://bibleatlas.org/edom.htm

The Genesis Study Index Page

NOTE: The Bible Study Lesson presented above is posted as a reference document to begin a conversation of the topic. And that's it. Please accept it at such.

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