Thursday, January 29, 2015

Genesis 35: Back to Bethel

In chapter 35, Israel visits some of the places that he knew when he was just known as Jacob, returning to the sites we read about earlier in Genesis.

At the beginning of this chapter, God calls Israel to return to the place where he dreamed of a ladder reaching up to heaven.  This is Bethel, where Jacob first encountered God and received the covenant promise made to his ancestors.  Appropriately enough, Bethel means "house of God."

At Bethel, God renews His covenant with Israel/Jacob.  In response, Israel builds an altar and pours out a drink offering and oil upon it.

Israel continues on, journeying "beyond the tower of Eder."  Along the way, tragedy and family troubles continue to plague him.  Even though Israel has just once again received the promise of blessing from God, his beloved Rachel dies in childbirth.  The child she called "son of my sorrow" is re-named "son of my right hand," or Benjamin, by Israel.  Benjamin is his 12th, and youngest, son.  Rachel is buried near modern-day Bethlehem, the first time in scripture that we hear of this town.  When Reuben, Israel's oldest, has relations with his father's concubine, Bilhah, his dad hears of it.  Still, Israel travels on.

By the end of Genesis 35, Israel has returned to his father Isaac, who dies at the age of 180.  Oddly enough, Isaac had expected to die several decades earlier (Genesis 27:1-2)  Israel and his brother Esau, together again - and for the last time in scripture - bury their father.

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