Genesis 35

I have to admit, I’m growing weary of Genesis. And it doesn’t seem to be getting any better.

Genesis 35:1, NIV Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”

When times get tough, Jacob’s response always seems to flee the scene. And here, you see him doing it again. His sons just pillaged an entire town, murdering all of the men and kidnapping the women and children. Instead of rebuking this behavior, God conveniently “commands” Jacob to flee to Bethel.

Genesis 35:5, NIV Then they set out, and the terror of God fell upon the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.

So…God is using terrorism to strike fear in the hearts of all the citizens of the towns around Jacob’s family. And this is okay, why?

For the second time, Jacob is re-named Israel. This chapter, like many others, is filled with repeated and/or contradictory information. The naming of Bethel and Jacob, that happens on more than one occasion, would lead you to believe that this is not a book written by one person, but cobbled together from multiple authors, each with their own agenda.

Rachel dies giving birth to Ben. With her last dying breath, she names her son Ben-Oni, which means “son of my sorrow”. However, Jacob—kind, caring Jacob—immediately renames him Benjamin, which means “son of my right hand.”

In keeping with the dysfunctionality of previous chapters, Jacob’s eldest son Reuben sleeps with the concubine Bilhah, and Isaac finally breathes his last breath.