Genesis 8:20
Context8:20 Noah built an altar to the Lord. He then took some of every kind of clean animal and clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 1
Genesis 12:7
Context12:7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants 2 I will give this land.” So Abram 3 built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
Genesis 26:25
Context26:25 Then Isaac built an altar there and worshiped 4 the Lord. He pitched his tent there, and his servants dug a well. 5
Genesis 35:3
Context35:3 Let us go up at once 6 to Bethel. Then I will make 7 an altar there to God, who responded to me in my time of distress 8 and has been with me wherever I went.” 9
Genesis 35:7
Context35:7 He built an altar there and named the place El Bethel 10 because there God had revealed himself 11 to him when he was fleeing from his brother.


[8:20] 1 sn Offered burnt offerings on the altar. F. D. Maurice includes a chapter on the sacrifice of Noah in The Doctrine of Sacrifice. The whole burnt offering, according to Leviticus 1, represented the worshiper’s complete surrender and dedication to the
[12:7] 2 tn The same Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context.
[12:7] 3 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been supplied in the translation for clarification.
[26:25] 3 tn Heb “called in the name of.” The expression refers to worshiping the
[26:25] 4 tn Heb “and they dug there, the servants of Isaac, a well.”
[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).
[35:7] 5 sn The name El-Bethel means “God of Bethel.”
[35:7] 6 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.