Genesis 35 begins with God commanding Jacob to go to Bethel and build an altar there. Jacob instructs his household to put away their idols and purify themselves. They journey to Bethel, and God protects them along the way by causing the cities around them not to pursue them. They arrive safely at Bethel, and Jacob builds an altar, calling the place El-Bethel.
As they continue their journey, Rachel goes into labor and gives birth to Benjamin. Tragically, Rachel dies during childbirth, and Jacob buries her near Bethlehem. He sets up a pillar at her grave as a memorial.
God appears to Jacob once again, reaffirming his new name, Israel, and blessing him. Jacob sets up a memorial pillar and pours a drink offering upon it. They leave Bethel and head towards Ephrath (Bethlehem). On the way, Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, commits a grievous sin by sleeping with Bilhah, his father’s concubine. This act foreshadows the future troubles in Jacob’s family.
The chapter ends by listing the twelve sons of Jacob, emphasizing their birth order. It highlights the death of Isaac and the reunion of Esau and Jacob at their father’s funeral.
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