35:1 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up at once 1 to Bethel 2 and live there. Make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 3
35:6 Jacob and all those who were with him arrived at Luz (that is, Bethel) 4 in the land of Canaan. 5 35:7 He built an altar there and named the place El Bethel 6 because there God had revealed himself 7 to him when he was fleeing from his brother.
1 tn Heb “arise, go up.” The first imperative gives the command a sense of urgency.
2 map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.
3 sn God is calling on Jacob to fulfill his vow he made when he fled from…Esau (see Gen 28:20-22).
4 map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.
5 tn Heb “and Jacob came to Luz which is in the land of Canaan – it is Bethel – he and all the people who were with him.”
6 sn The name El-Bethel means “God of Bethel.”
7 tn Heb “revealed themselves.” The verb נִגְלוּ (niglu), translated “revealed himself,” is plural, even though one expects the singular form with the plural of majesty. Perhaps אֱלֹהִים (’elohim) is here a numerical plural, referring both to God and the angelic beings that appeared to Jacob. See the note on the word “know” in Gen 3:5.
8 tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.