Genesis 35 – The Death of Rachel
Vs. 1-4 Returning to Bethel
Jacob and his clan have been living in the area around Shechem. The previous chapter described a serious division that occurred between Jacob’s clan and the residents of Shechem. In light of this, God directs Jacob to return to Bethel, the place where Jacob first encountered the presence and the promise of God in a dream (28:10-17). To others, the location was known as Luz. To Jacob, it was nothing short of the “House of the Lord.”
What is described here may surprise us. To all of his household—wives, children, servants—Jacob gives instruction to dispose of all items associated with the worship of other deities. It is easy for us to read the text and presume they were already monotheists. This text is a reminder that their knowledge of God (or gods) was being refined. When Jacob was in Haran, still serving in the household of Laban, the Lord appeared to Jacob and identified Himself as “the God of Bethel” (31:13), reminding Jacob of his previous encounter. Jacob was learning that this God who had been appearing to him was not one of many deities, a god of one certain people group or a god of one particular region. No, the God who was appearing to Jacob was God of all. Jacob now has the motivation and obligation to honor the Lord by leading his household to rid themselves of other deities. Doing so involved more than tossing any idolatrous statues or similar items. Even the garments they wore (v. 2) and their jewelry (v. 4) sometimes were connected to the worship of the many deities known to the different people groups.
Verse 4, in some translations, says that Jacob took the idolatrous articles and “hid” them under an oak tree. What this could give us is the impression Jacob intended to return and dig them up some day. If this were the case, Jacob’s commitment to the Lord could certainly be called into question. However, this may not be the case. The Hebrew word means “to bury,” which could signify an extra measure of permanence in their disposal. Jacob did not merely cast the items aside and leave them for someone else to take. He put them out of sight and, effectively, out of commission. Such a measure is admirable, and suggests to us that Jacob is mindful of how his well-being is not simply a personal matter, but affected by the faith and behavior of those in his household.
Returning to Bethel was an opportunity for Jacob to make good on a vow he had previously made. After the Lord’s appearance to Jacob at Bethel, Jacob promised his allegiance to the Lord contingent on his safe journey to Haran and return to Isaac’s house (28:20-22). As promised, God was faithful to be with Jacob in all his journey. Now it was Jacob’s turn to fulfill what he had promised. God was giving him that opportunity in sending Jacob back to Bethel.
Verse 5 offers a word of commentary regarding the Lord’s protection of Jacob. Given the violence rendered to the Shechemites, Jacob had feared the collective retaliation of other people groups in the region. To protect His chosen servant, God gave the people of the region a spirit of fear regarding Jacob’s clan. Their travel to Bethel was completed in safety. Upon arrival, Jacob built an altar dedicated to the Lord.
The section ends by telling us that Rebekah’s nurse died and was buried there. Although she is not previously named, the writer probably wants us to understand Deborah as the same nurse who went with Rebekah when she left Haran to be married to Isaac (24:58-59). To us, Deborah does not seem to be a key character in the story. It is obvious, though, that her place in the household of Isaac was significant enough to make her memory important.
Vs. 9-15 Confirmation of Names
Names are a central theme of these verses. First, we are reminded of Jacob’s new name. As one who has wrestled with God, he (and his descendants in the faith) would be known as Israel. The passage also points us toward the name by which God reveals Himself. God tells Jacob here, “I am God Almighty” (v. 11). The Hebrew is familiar to us: El Shaddai (see 17:1). God, who would not give Jacob His name when wrestling at Peniel, here gives His name voluntarily. Lastly, we are again told of the name Jacob gave to the location. For him and his descendants, the place could hardly be known as anything other than Bethel. To call it anything else would seem to be forgetting the marvelous works of Him who appeared to Jacob and made such wonderful promises.
Speaking of promises, these are reiterated to Jacob in this passage. God gives the command “be fruitful and multiply.” While Jacob has already made his own contribution to this effort, the charge surely applies to Jacob’s descendants as well. Why? Because “a nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come forth from you” (v. 11). God also reaffirms the promise of land in verse 12. The fulfillment of these promises will take time—a long, long time. Looking back, we are able to see a picture more expansive than what Jacob might have comprehended. It would take a few generations to get to people like Joshua, who would lead the people in settling the land. It would take more generations to get to kings like Saul, David and Solomon. It would take centuries more before arriving at the apex of God’s purpose for having a people of promise in a land of promise, namely the bringing forth of a child of promise who would be the Savior of the world. It is hard to imagine that Jacob could have known all that God had in mind.
Vs. 16-21 The Death of Rachel
After a time, Jacob leaves Bethel to go to Ephrath, the area of Bethlehem. The significant event here is the death of Rachel and the birth of one last son. The text says that Rachel’s labor was severe, obviously life-threatening. Rachel survives long enough to see the son born, and gives him the name “son of my sorrow.” Jacob, however, names him “son of my right hand.” The name was one of honor, surely given at least in part so that Jacob could honor the memory of his beloved wife. The “right hand” as an indication of honor is reflected in Psalm 110:1 (quoted by Jesus in Matthew 22:44). In giving this name to his son, Jacob is clearly elevating him amongst his other offspring. This dynamic will come into play again before the Genesis narrative ends.
Vs. 22-29 Sons of Jacob, Death of Isaac
This brief passage begins with another detail of family dysfunction. Reuben, the oldest of Jacob’s sons, has sexual relations with Bilhah, the concubine of his father and mother of his brothers Dan and Naphtali. The only commentary we are given about the act is that “Israel heard of it,” suggesting that the act should not be taken as acceptable. Though we are told nothing regarding immediate consequences, we should lodge this in our memory for possible future application. Reuben here adds himself to a short list of older brothers who have disgraced Jacob by their actions (see 34:30 re. Simeon and Levi). Will there be implications of this in the coming chapters?
In verses 23-26 Jacob’s sons are listed in quick order, each associated with their mother. We notice here that Leah, the first of Jacob’s wives or concubines, produces half of his twelve male offspring, with the other three women producing two each.
The final part of this section reunites Jacob with his father at Mamre (Hebron). It is here that Isaac dies at the age of 180, and is buried by his sons Jacob and Esau.
Genesis 36 – The Descendants of Esau
Reading this chapter may feel difficult. It is genealogical in nature, containing names of people who are largely unknown in the wider witness of scripture. Regarding the compilation of material in Genesis, this chapter offers a conclusion to the Jacob/Esau era and sets us up for the remainder of the material, in which Jacob’s son Joseph will be the central figure. Since both Jacob and Esau received blessings from their father Isaac (see chapter 27), it is right for us to see how the blessing is fulfilled for Esau and how his descendants form into a nation themselves.
The names of Esau’s wives and children listed here vary from those stated in 26:34 and 28:9. (For more detailed notes regarding this variance, see the addendum under July 21 – Jacob’s Blessing, Jacob’s Dream.) The differences in the names could be attributed to Esau giving the wives a name of his choosing rather than using the name given by their family. The more important thing to our narrative is what the writer tells us in verse 2: “Esau took his wives from the Canaanites.” It is true, and the witness here is consistent, that Esau’s third wife was a daughter of his uncle Ishmael. Nevertheless, the picture that is set before us is that Edom, the nation and descendants of Esau, will be a distinctly different people group from Jacob and his descendants.
Verses 6-8 give us information that may seem inconsistent with the flow of the Genesis narrative. The appearance here is that Jacob and Esau have been dwelling in the same land, which would be at odds with what we read in chapters 32-33 (see 32:3). We should see no contradiction here. As readers of the Bible, we will notice many times when the sequence of material seems out of place. These are reminders of how scripture has come together, and that the writer/compiler of material is usually more interested in giving the reader important information and less interested in making the text read like a modern novel. What these verses tell us is that Esau has prospered, but that by God’s hand Esau’s prosperity is relocated out of Canaan so as to make room for Jacob and his descendants.
Verses 9-19 are a listing of Esau’s sons and grandsons, namely identified as “chiefs.” These would have been family heads during a time when the communities of Edomites were of clan size. Notable among these names is Amalek (v. 12), whose descendants would be a thorn in the side of the Israelites. When the Israelites come out of Egypt and into the wilderness, their first conflict was with the Amalekites (see Exodus 17).
Verses 20-30 focus on the Horites, a non-Edomite people group eventually subjugated by the Edomites and with whom the Edomites intermarried. Like the Edomite leaders mentioned beforehand, the Horite leaders are identified as chiefs. Verses 31-40 go through a list not of chiefs, but of kings. The kings presented to us in this list do not represent a dynasty of one family, but an assortment of leaders who arise one by one from different family groups. The progression from sons to chiefs to kings is probably meant to communicate the formation of Edom as a national entity, something that happened earlier than it did for the descendants of Jacob. “Now these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king of the sons of Israel reigned” (1 Chronicles 1:43).
This chapter may not be the most gripping part of the Genesis narrative. Nevertheless, the material presented here reminds us that God’s faithfulness extended to people other than just Jacob. Esau may have devalued his birthright and had his blessing stolen, yet he still prospered and was given a land in which to dwell. Deuteronomy 2:1-7 reminds us of this. On their last part of the wilderness journey, the Israelites passed by the land of Edom. They were cautioned by God to not provoke the Edomites, for God would not give Israel even one “footstep” (Deut. 2:5) of that land because it had been given to Esau and his descendants. Looking forward from Genesis we will see the Israelites in conflict with a number of people groups. We would do well to resist reading these accounts as if they happened in a vacuum and without historical background. Looking back through generations, we would see that many of these people groups diverged from common family connections. It seems perfectly reasonable to believe that memories of these family ties remained in the minds of the people and were passed along through generations.
The Winding Path 