Genesis 35:2-3

35:2 So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have among you. ¹  Purify yourselves and change your clothes. ²  35:3 Let us go up at once ³  to Bethel. Then I will make ⁴  an altar there to God, who responded to me in my time of distress ⁵  and has been with me wherever I went.” ⁶ 

[35:2]  ¹ tn Heb “which are in your midst.”

[35:2]  ² sn The actions of removing false gods, becoming ritually clean, and changing garments would become necessary steps in Israel when approaching the Lord in worship.

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

[35:3]  ⁴ tn The cohortative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or consequence.

[35:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “day of distress.” See Ps 20:1 which utilizes similar language.

[35:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “in the way in which I went.” Jacob alludes here to God’s promise to be with him (see Gen 28:20).