Genesis 35:1

The Return to Bethel

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 

Genesis 35:3

35:3 Let us go up at once ⁴  to Bethel. Then I will make ⁵  an altar there to God, who responded to me in my time of distress ⁶  and has been with me wherever I went.” ⁷ 

[35:1]  ¹ tn Heb “arise, go up.” The first imperative gives the command a sense of urgency.

[35:1]  ² map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[35:1]  ³ sn God is calling on Jacob to fulfill his vow he made when he fled from…Esau (see Gen 28:20-22).

[35:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “let us arise and let us go up.” The first cohortative gives the statement a sense of urgency.

[35:3]  ⁵ tn The cohortative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or consequence.

[35:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “day of distress.” See Ps 20:1 which utilizes similar language.

[35:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “in the way in which I went.” Jacob alludes here to God’s promise to be with him (see Gen 28:20).