VERSE 1 Then God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God (lael' x;Bez>mi ~v'-hfe[]w: ~v'-bv,w> lae-tybe hle[] ~Wq bqo[]y:-la, ~yhil{a/ rm,aYOw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. amar say + noun m.p.abs. Elohim + prep el + proper noun Jacob + Qal imper.m.s. qum arise + Qal imper.m.s. alah ascend; "go up" + proper noun Bethel + waw w/Qal imper.m.s. yashab live + adv sham there + waw w/Qal imper.m.s. ashah do; "make" + adv sham there + noun m.s.abs. mizebeach altar + prep el w/noun m.s.abs. el God], who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau [^yxia' wf'[e ynEP.mi ^x]r>b'B. ^yl,ae ha,r>NIh; [def.art.w/Niphal part.m.s.abs. ra-ah see; "appeared" + prep el w/2m.s.suff. + prep beth w/Qal infin.constr.w/2m.s.suff. barach flee + prep min w/noun both p.constr. paneh face + proper noun Esau + noun m.s.constr.w/2m.s.suff. ach brother])."

Jacob’s Obedience (vv. 2-8)

VERSE 2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments (~k,ytel{m.fi Wpylix]h;w> Wrh]J;hiw> ~k,k.toB. rv,a] rk'NEh; yhel{a/-ta, Wrsih' AM[i rv,a]-lK' la,w> AtyBe-la, bqo[]y: rm,aYOw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. amar say + proper noun Jacob + prep el + noun m.s.constr.w/3m.s.suff. bayith household + waw w/prep el to + noun m.s.constr. kol all + rel.pro. asher + prep im w/3m.s.suff. "with him" + Hiphil imper.m.p. sur turn aside; "put away" + d.o. marker + noun m.p.constr. elohim gods + def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. nekar that which is foreign + rel.pro. asher + prep beth w/noun m.s.constr.w/2m.p.suff. tawek midst + waw w/Hithpael imper.m.p. tahar be clean; "purify yourselves" + waw w/Hiphil imper.m.p. chalaph change + noun f.p.constr.w/2m.p.suff. shimelah garments]);

VERSE 3 and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an altar there to God (lael' x;Bez>mi ~V'-hf,[/a,w> lae-tyBe hl,[]n:w> hm'Wqn"w> [waw w/Qal impf.1p. cohortative qum rise + waw w/Qal impf.1p. cohortative alah ascend, go up + proper noun Bethel + waw w/Qal impf.1s. ashah do, make + noun m.s.abs. mizebeach altar + prep lamedh w/noun m.s.abs. el God], who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone [yTik.l'h' rv,a] %r,D,B; ydIM'[i yhiy>w: ytir'c' ~AyB. ytiao hn<[oh' [def.art.w/Qal part.m.s.abs. anah answer + d.o. marker w/1s.suff. + prep beth w/noun m.s.abs. yom day + noun f.s.constr.w/1s.suff. tsarah distress + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. hayah be + prep im w/3m.s.suff. "with me" + def.art.w/prep beth w/noun both s.abs. derek way + rel.pro. asher + Qal perf.1s.suff. halak go])."

VERSE 4 So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which they had and the rings which were in their ears (~h,ynEz>a'B. rv,a] ~ymiz"N>h;-ta,w> ~d'y"B. rv,a] rk'NEh; yhel{a/-lK' tae bqo[]y:-la, WnT.YIw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. nathan give + prep el + proper noun Jacob + d.o. marker + noun m.s.constr. kol all + noun m.p.constr. elohim gods + def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. nekar that which is foreign + rel.pro. asher + prep beth w/noun f.s.constr.w/3m.p.suff. yad hand; "they had" + waw w/d.o. marker + def.art.w/noun m.p.abs. nezem ring + prep beth w/noun f. dual constr.w/3m.p.suff. ozen ear], and Jacob hid them under the oak which was near Shechem [~k,v.-~[i rv,a] hl'aeh tx;T; bqo[]y: ~t'ao !moj.YIw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. taman hide + d.o. marker w/3m.p.suff. "them" + proper noun Jacob + pre tachath under + def.art.w/noun f.s.abs. elah terebinth, "oak" + rel.pro. asher + prep im with; "near" + proper noun Shechem]).

VERSE 5 As they journeyed, there was a great terror [terror of God] upon the cities which were around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob (bqo[]y: ynEB. yrex]a; Wpd>r' al{w> ~h,yteboybis. rv,a] ~yrI['h,-l[; ~yhil{a/ tT;xi yhiy>w: W[S'YIw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.p. nasa pull out; "journeyed" + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. hayah be + noun f.s.constr. chittah terror; only here; cognate vb. is chathath be dismayed + noun m.p.abs. Elohim God; translated here "great" +prep al + def.art.w/noun f.p.ab.s ir city + rel.pro. asher + adv sabibh round about + waw w/neg lo + Qal perf.3p. radaph pursue + adv achare after + noun m.p.constr. ben + proper noun Jacob]).

VERSE 6 So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him (AM[i-rv,a] ~['h'-lk'w> aWh lae-tyBe awhi ![;n:K. #r,a,B. rv,a] hz"Wl bqo[]y: aboY"w: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. bo go, come + proper noun Jacob + proper noun Luz + rel.pro. asher + prep beth w/noun both s.abs. eretz land + proper noun Canaan + pro.3fs. hi + proper noun Bethel + pro.3m.s. hu he + waw w/noun m.s.constr. kol + def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. am people + rel.pro. asher + prep im w/3m.s.suff.]).

VERSE 7 He built an altar there, and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed Himself to him when he fled from his brother (wyxia' ynEP.mi Axr>b'B. ~yhil{a/h' wyl'ae Wlg>nI ~v' yKi lae-tyBe lae ~AqM'l; ar'q.YIw: x;Bez>mi ~v' !b,YIw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. banah build + adv sham there + noun m.s.abs. mizbeach altar + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. qara call + prep lamedh w/noun m.s.ab.s maqom place + noun m.s.abs. el God + proper noun Bethel + part ki "because" + adv sham there + Niphal perf.3p. galah remove; reveal + prep el w/3m.s.suff. + def.art.w/noun m.p.abs. Elohim + prep beth w/Qal infin.constr.w/3m.s.suff. barach flee + prep min from + noun both p.constr. paneh face + noun m.s.constr.w/3m.s.suff. ach brother]).

VERSE 8 Now Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; it was named Allon-bacuth (tWkB' !ALa; Amv. ar'q.YIw: !ALa;h' tx;T; lae-tybel. tx;T;mi rbeQ'Tiw: hq'b.rI tq,n<yme hr'boD> tm'T'w: [waw w/Qal impf.3f.s. muth die + proper noun Deborah + Hiphil part.f.s.abs. yanaq suckle; "nurse" + proper noun Rebekah + waw w/Niphal impf.3f.s. qabar bury + prep min w/part tachath under + proper noun Bethel + part tachath under + def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. allon terebinth, "oak" + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. qara call; "named" + noun m.s.constr./w3m.s.suff. shem name + noun m.s.abs. allon terebinth; "Allon" + noun mf.sabs. bacuth; weeping]).

ANALYSIS: VERSES 1-8

1. This chapter in the Jacob cycle/story is comprised of two parts.
2. The first part (vv. 1-15) records Jacob’s return visit to Bethel where the Covenant is reiterated.
3. The second part (vv. 16-29) contains a miscellaneous collection of diverse material.
4. Upon first reading it may not seem apparent to the reader its significance.
5. This second section takes us to the death of Isaac which is recorded out of chronological sequence with the narrative which follows in chapters 36ff.
6. The backbone of Genesis is a series of three cycles centered around Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph (cf. 37:2).
7. Each begins with the header "This is the family history of X" (11:27; 25:19; 37:2).
8. Each section closes with the death of "X" and the burial of "X" by his predecessor.
9. In this chapter we have Jacob’s itinerary as he moves progressively southward, from Shechem in the north to Hebron in the south.
10. The material in chapter 35 has parallels in the other two cycles.
11. Divine call to journey: 22:1-2…35:1…46:2-3.
12. Obedience: 22:3-14…35:2-8…46:5-7.
13. Divine promise reaffirmed: 22:15-18…35:9-14…48:4.
14. Journey: 22:19…35:16…48:5.
15. Birth of sons: 22:20-24…35:17-18…48:5-6.
16. Death and burial of a wife: 23:1-20…35:18-20…48:7.
17. Son’s marriage: 24:1-67…35:21-22…(48:8ff.) 49:3-4.
18. List of descendants: 25:1-6…35:22-26…49:3-28.
19. Death and burial scene: 25:7-10…35:27-29…40:29-50:14.
20. Jacob had been in the land some 10 years when the incident of the previous chapter took place.
21. At this point I must point out a mistake in the time line as it pertains to the dating of Jacob and his flight to Paddam-aram.
22. Jacob was actually 70 years of age when he fled the wrath of Esau and not 40 years of age as previously stated.
23. The year was 1716 BC when Isaac was 130 years of age (Isaac was born in 1846 BC and died in 180 years later (35:28) in 1666 BC.
24. His age at 130 squares with the language of 27:1: "Now it came about, when Isaac was old and his eyes were too dim to see, that he called his older son Esau…" (cf. 27:2 , 10).
25. Jacob was 90 years of age when he left Mesopotamia in the year 1696 BC.
26. This means he was 90 years of age when he left Haran and about 100 years of age when he made this final visit to Bethel in 1686 BC.
27. Thirty years separate the two visits to Bethel (1716 BC and 1686 BC).
28. The date of his removal from Shechem to Bethel is 1686 BC.
29. Isaac would have been 160 years of age.
30. Jacob when he left home for Haran at age 70 was the same age as his grandfather Abraham when he received the call to leave Ur in 1876 BC.
31. Jacob at about age 84 fathered Joseph (1702 BC) and so this makes sense in light of 37:3 where it records: "Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his OLD AGE (emphasis added); and he made him a varicolored tunic."
32. Joseph was 17 years of age when he was sold into slavery (37:2ff.) in the year 1685 BC.
33. He was 30 years of age when elevated to office of vizier by Pharaoh in the year 1672 BC (41:46).
34. Jacob’s family entered Egypt in 1656 BC ten years after the death of Isaac in 1666 BC.
35. Jacob was born in the year 1786; fled to Haran at age 70 in 1716 BC; and returned to the land twenty years later in 1696 BC; he lived in the land 30 years before migrating to Egypt in 1656 BC (1696 to 1656 BC); he died in Egypt at age 147 in the year 1639 BC (47:28).
36. He fled to Paddan-aram in 1716 BC returning to the land twenty years later in 1696 BC and traveled to Bethel in 1686 BC.
37. In vv. 1-7 we have Jacob returning to the very place where God had appeared to him on his flight from the wrath of Esau.
38. At Bethel he had made a vow, to return and worship God there.
39. After tricking Esau, his mother and father told him to "up and go" (27:43; 28:2), and "stay" with his uncle (cf. 27:44; 29:19).
40. The very imperatives God gave him in v. 1 to go to Bethel are the terms used at the beginning of his odyssey as does the explicit reference to "when you fled from your brother Esau."
41. The verb "go up" (alah) is different from the one used in the earlier passages; it has overtones of pilgrimage.
42. "Arise" means to pull up the encampment of some 10 years and "go up" is literally to ascend some 1000 feet above the elevation at Shechem.
43. One "went up" to the feast in Jerusalem (Ps. 24:3).
44. Jacob is reminded of his spiritual obligations.
45. "Make an altar" is the first time an patriarch is told specifically to build an altar.
46. Abraham was told to "offer a burnt offering" (22:2).
47. For Abraham his was an obedience test of the most extreme kind.
48. This was for Jacob a test of obedience in the wake of his dismal failure in the Dinah incident.
49. By comparison, Jacob’s test was easy, yet if he was scared to travel because of the Canaanite hostility (cf. 34:30), it may have taken more courage than it seems.
50. Jacob upon receiving this directive acted promptly as did his grandfather.
51. He orders his people to prepare for the journey south (v.2).
52. Serving other gods was always considered incompatible with the worship of the living God.
53. Cf. Ps. 24:3-4 "Who may ascend into the hill of Yahweh? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood (i.e. idols), and who does not sworn deceitfully."
54. There are other passages that make mention of the putting away of foreign gods in the context of renewed devotion to God (Josh. 24:14, 23-24; Judg. 10:16; 1Sam. 7:3-4).
55. The preparation for worship at the altar at Bethel included outward cleansing of the body and a clean change of garments (v.2).
56. External purification under the Law took the form of bathing the body, washing the clothes, and shaving (Lev. 14:8-9; Num. 8:7).
57. Before the Sinai revelation the people were told to wash their clothes and abstain from sex (Ex. 19:10-15).
58. Here Jacob orders all who are part of this enlarged entourage to bathe and put on clean garments.
59. Actually the term here for "clothes" (shimelah) refers to an outer poncho-type garment sometimes translated "cloak."
60. Bathing is symbolic of the salvation adjustment in the Bible.
61. A change into clean clothing likewise signifies a new and purified way of life that emanates from true worship (cf. v.3).
62. Clothing is used to teach the new garments of the soul or the truth within.
63. Cf. the verb used in the NT for putting off and putting on as related to the Rebound adjustment (cf. Rom. 13:12, 14; Eph. 4:22, 24; 6:11; Col. 3:9, 10, 12, 14; 1Thess. 5:8,9).
64. The command to purify themselves looks back to the sordid episode of chap. 35.
65. It also would be applicable to the surviving community of the Shechemites that were incorporated into Jacob’s extended family.
66. These people were idolaters and so follow the activity of turning over their "foreign gods" in v. 4.
67. So the expanded community responds in obedience to Jacob’s directive.
68. The point about the removal of earrings is elusive.
69. What they gave to Jacob was idols that could have been of some value (gold plated).
70. Jacob proceeds to bury the idols and earrings under a terebinth tree.
71. This tree ranges from 7 to 9 meters in height and its broad crown and heavy branches and thick trunk give it an impressive appearance like an oak tree.
72. It usually stands alone and is native to the Mediterranean lands.
73. Jacob’s action is ‘out of sight out of mind.’
74. The action to bury gods out of sight is again another subtle jab at idolatry (i.e., gods can be buried!).
75. Trees are used in Scripture to signifying God’s plan or kingdom.
76. The massacre perpetrated by his sons caused Jacob to feel insecure.
77. The summons by God to relocate to Bethel renewed Jacob’s sense of divine protection.
78. Just like the situation with meeting Esau the threat Jacob imagined turned out to be without any basis as the slaughter and plunder of Shechem put fear in the hearts of the citizens of the surrounding Canaanite cities (v. 5).
79. Jacob’s experience anticipates that of his descendants when the approaching Israelites came to Canaan in the days of Joshua (Ex. 23:27; Deut. 7:20-24; Josh. 2:9-11).
80. The news of the slaughter and abandonment of the city of Shechem paralyzed the Canaanites with fear.
81. The words "great terror" is actually "the terror of God" in the Hebrew text.
82. So Jacob and company was safer than if the episode in the preceding chapter had never taken place!
83. So Jacob and "all the people who were with him" arrived at Luz (old name) which had been renamed by Jacob some thirty years earlier.
84. Jacob is now in the heartland of Canaan.
85. Arriving safely at the very place he had laid his head and received the nocturnal vision with its promise of safe passage to and from the land of his exile the promise of God to him was fulfilled (cf. 28:15).
86. V.7 records the fulfillment of the command given in v.1.
87. Jacob has now arrived at "the place" (maqom).
88. This term was used 4x in the first Bethel encounter (28:11 (2x), 17, 19).
89. Once again he renames it calling it "El the House of El."
90. The reason for the change is not given.
91. It might hark back to Jacob’s name change which is restated in vv. 9ff.
92. Jacob’s vow in chap. 28 was "if God will be with me and bring me back safely, then God will be my God."
93. God has done that.
94. Jacob had two experience at Bethel (chap. 28 & 35) and these two experiences divide his life into two spiritual brackets: the immature Jacob and the mature Jacob.
95. His changing of the name from "the house of God" to "the God of the house of God" signifies that instead of referring to the place as a divine residence, a holy site, the place is where he met God.
96. His thinking reflects spiritual maturity rather than that of a man beset with superstition.
97. A curious note follows in the mention of the death and burial of Deborah, Rebekah’s maid (cf. 24:59).
98. The last we heard of Rebekah was some 30 years earlier.
99. Without exception Genesis records the death and burial of each patriarch’s death and burial (Abraham, 25:7-11; Isaac, 35:29; Jacob, 49:33) along with the death and burial of each patriarch’s favorite wife (Sarah, 23:1-20; Rachel. 35:19).
100. The exception is Rebekah, apart from the mention of her burial site in 49:31.
101. Rebekah died before Jacob returned from his exile.
102. Jacob was not reunited with his mother.
103. He does not live to see his mother but is forced into being the undertaker for her mother’s maid.
104. Rebekah instigated the deception foisted on her unsuspecting husband Isaac.
105. She sent her son away to save his life and in so doing she did not faith-rest the truth contained in her oracle which she had championed all those years in the face of a stubborn spouse.
106. What she reaped in time was to never see her son or grandsons before she died.
107. Apparently she never recovered spiritually from her fall and so this could account for her death and burial not being mentioned in Genesis.
108. The concluding unit of the Isaac cycle (with Jacob as the main actor; cf. 25:19) sees the death of two women: Deborah and Rachel.
109. Jacob’s life after Peniel is filled with trials and sorrow: the trauma of facing Esau again, the rape of Dinah, the death of his late mother’s maid and finally the death of his favorite wife Rachel in childbirth.
110. The balance of his life is filled with more distressing situations, some self-induced, others not, but Jacob was a survivor in the race set before believers.
111. The sadness associated with this event is reflected in the name Jacob assigned to Deborah’s burial site under a terebinth tree: "Allon Bacuth" which means "Terebinth of Weeping."

Covenant Reiterated to Jacob (vv. 9-15)

VERSE 9 Then God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram, and He blessed him (Atao %r,b'y>w: ~r'a]ƒ!D;P;mi AaboB. dA[ bqo[]y:-la, ~yhil{a/ ar'YEw: [waw w/Niphal impf.3m.s. ra-ah "appeared" + noun m.p.abs. Elohim + prep el + proper noun Jacob + adv odh continuance; "again" + prep beth w/Qal infin.constr.w/3m.s.suff. bo come + prep min + proper noun Paddan-aram + waw w/Piel impf.3m..s barak bless]).

VERSE 10 God said to him, "Your name is Jacob; You shall no longer be called Jacob, But Israel shall be your name (^m,v. hy<h.yI laer'f.yI-~ai yKi bqo[]y: dA[ ^m.vi areQ'yI-al{ bqo[]y: ^m.vi ~yhil{a/ Al-rm,aYOw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. amar say + prep lamedh w/3m.s.suff. + noun m.s.abs. Elohim + noun m.s.constr.w/2m.s.suff. shem name + proper noun Jacob + neg lo + Niphal impf.3m.s. qara call + noun m.s.constr.w/2m.s.suff. shem name + adv odh "no longer" + proper noun Jacob + part ki "But" + adv im + proper noun Israel + Qal impf.3m.s. hayah be + noun m.s.constr.w/2m.s.suff. shem name])."

Thus He called him Israel (laer'f.yI Amv.-ta, ar'q.YIw [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. qara call + d.o. marker + noun m.s.constr.w/3m.s.suff. shem name + proper noun Israel]).

VERSE 11 God also said to him, "I am God Almighty; Be fruitful and multiply (hber>W hreP. yD;v; lae ynIa] ~yhil{a/ Al rm,aYOw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m..s amar say + prep lamedh w/3m.s.suff. + noun m.s.abs. Elohim + pro.1s. ani I + noun m.s.abs. El + noun m.p.abs. Shaddai + Qal imper.m.s. para bear fruit + waw w/Qal imper.m.s. rabah be great; "mutlitply"]; A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, And kings shall come forth from you [WaceyE ^yc,l'x]me ~ykil'm.W &'M,mi hy<h.yI ~yIAG lh;q.W yAG [noun m.s.abs. goi nation + waw w/noun m.s.constr. qahal assembly + noun m.p.abs. goi nation + Qal impf.3m.s. hayah be + prep min w/2m.s.suff. + waw w/noun m.p.abs. melek king + prep min w/noun m. dual constr.w/2m.s.suff. halatsayim loins]).

VERSE 12 "The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, And I will give the land to your descendants after you (#r,a'h'-ta, !Tea, ^yr,x]a; ^[]r>z:l.W hN"n<T.a, ^l. qx'c.yIl.W ~h'r'b.a;l. yTit;n" rv,a] #r,a'h'-ta,w> [waw w/d.o. marker + def.art.w/noun both s.abs. erets land + rel.pro. asher + Qal perf.1s. nathan give + prep lamedh w/proper noun Abraham + waw w/prep lamedh w/proper noun Isaac + prep lamedh w/2m.s.suff. + Qal impf.1s.w/3f.s.suff. nathan give + waw w/prep lamedh w/noun m.s.constr.w/2m.s.suff. zera seed + adv achare after + Qal impf.1s. nathan give + d.o. marker + def.art.w/noun both s.abs. erets land])."

VERSE 13 Then God went up from him in the place where He had spoken with him (ATai rB,DI-rv,a] ~AqM'B; ~yhil{a/ wyl'['me l[;Y:w: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. alah go up + prep min w/prep al + noun m.p.abs. Elohim + def.art.w/prep beth w/noun m.s.abs. makom place + rel.pro. asher + Piel perf.3m.s. dabar speak + prep eth w/3m.s.suff. "with him"]).

VERSE 14 Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He had spoken with him, a pillar of stone, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it (!m,v' h'yl,[' qcoYIw: %s,n< h'yl,[' %SeY:w: !b,a' tb,C,m; ATai rB,DI-rv,a] ~AqM'B; hb'Cem; bqo[]y: bCeY:w: [waw w/Hiphil impf.3m.s. natsab erect + proper noun Jacob + noun f.s.abs. matsebah pillar + def.art.w/prep beth w/noun m.s.abs. maqom place + rel.pro. asher + Piel perf.3m.s. dabar speak + prep eth w/3m.s.suff. + noun f.s.constr. matsebah pillar + noun f.s.abs. eben stone + waw w/Hiphil impf.3m.s. nasak pour out + prep al w/3f.s.suff. + noun m.s.abs. nesek libation; "drink offering" + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. yatsaq pour out + prep al w/3f.s.suff. + noun m.s.abs. shemen oil]).

VERSE 15 So Jacob named the place where God had spoken with him, Bethel (lae-tyBe ~yhil{a/ ~v' ATai rB,DI rv,a] ~AqM'h; ~ve-ta, bqo[]y: ar'q.YIw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. qara call + proper noun Jacob + d.o. marker + noun m.s.constr. shem name + def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. maqom place + rel.pro. asher + Piel perf.3m.s. dabar speak + prep eth w/3m.s.suff. + adv sham there + noun m.s.abs. Elohim + proper noun Bethel]).

ANALYSIS: VERSES 9-15

1. With this instance of God appearing to Jacob we have a total of six appearances recorded in Genesis.
2. The first was at Bethel when he fled from Esau (28:12-15; age 40)), the 2nd came twenty years later when God told him to leave Paddan-aram (31:3, 10-13; age 60), the 3rd came some days later when he wrestled with the stranger at Peniel (32:24-29); the 4th came some ten years later when he was told to leave Shechem and go to Bethel (Gen. 35:1; age 70) and this 5^th (or 6^th) appearing at Bethel.
3. There was a visual appearing of a company of angels just after Jacob left Laban and was contemplating a reunion with Esau (32:1; 6^th?).
4. God would speak directly to Jacob one more time (7^th?), and that on the eve of his migration to Egypt (46:2-4).
5. But here (v.9) the reference "appeared to him again" looks back to the very first time God revealed Himself to this patriarch.
6. This is reinforced by the phrase "when he came from Paddam-aram."
7. The words "and He blessed him" refers to what follows and that is the reassurance provided by the reiteration of name change and the reiteration of the Covenant.
8. So this verse is to be read within the context of the fleeing Jacob (chap. 28).
9. The manner of this revelation to Jacob was both visual (cf. verb "appeared" and the "went up from him" of v. 13) and auditory.
10. God begins by providing His servant with a flashback to the encounter with the Angel of Yahweh at Peniel where Jacob was given his new name.
11. So for a second time God announces to Jacob his name change from Jacob to Israel.
12. Between these two episodes where a name change was announced Jacob had, more than not, proved himself to be "Jacob" the man ruled by his STA.
13. His primary debilitating sin was fear, not deceit.
14. But God, by reiterating what the stranger on the shore of the Jabbok had told Jacob, is providing his servant with encouragement and reassurance in his phase 2 walk.
15. Jacob’s abysmal failure in the Dinah episode could have easily caused him to question his standing with God.
16. No doubt he felt he had not lived up to the honor bestowed on him by the man (e.g., God) at Peniel.
17. Whatever others think or even what we may think of ourselves, it is God’s judgment that matters.
18. Verses 11 and 12 are out of chronological order in terms of Jacob’s life experiences.
19. The reiteration of the covenant here is a flashback to Jacob’s encounter with God at Bethel thirty years earlier.
20. The formula: "I am God Almighty or El Shaddai" is found only one other place with God speaking to a person and that is when He spoke to Abraham in Gen. 17:1.
21. In that instance God revealed to Abram that he was to have a name change and that he and his wife would have a son within a year and his name was to be called Isaac.
22. El Shaddai occurs in Genesis at 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; 43:14; 48:3; 49:25.
23. Gen. 48:3 is of interest as Jacob was dying and when Joseph came to him, Jacob made reference to this incident referring to God as El Shaddai.
24. The promise given to Abraham in chap 17 that God "multiply [him] exceedingly" (17:2) and "greatly multiply [his] seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore…" (22:7) and to Isaac in 26:2 and 24, is here presented as a divine directive.
25. This command to "be fruitful and multiply" recalls the directive given to Adam (1:28) and reiterated to Noah and sons (9:1, 7).
26. The promise that God would so increase Jacob’s descendants/seed was communicated to him when he received the patriarchal blessing in 28:3.
27. This promise was relayed to Jacob at Bethel (28:14).
28. Jacob reminds God of this promise in his prayer (32:12).
29. Here for the first time this pillar of the covenant is presented as a directive.
30. Jacob had done his part now it was up to his sons to do their part.
31. Jacob does produce one more descendant and that is his 2^nd son by Rachel, Benjamin.
32. Jacob paid a severe price for complying with this directive as it cost him his beloved wife Rachel!
33. The perpetuation of this directive would eventually produce "a nation and a company of nations" emanating from Jacob.
34. Abraham was promised a nation as well as a multitude of nations emanating from him (12:2; 18:18; 21:18; cp. 17:4, 5, 6, 16).
35. We know that multiple nations came from Abraham including the Ishmaelites, the seven sons by Keturah and in the second generation the Edomites.
36. But how do we account for the "company of nations" (qahal goyim) emanating from Jacob?
37. But notice the rare use of the plural noun goyim in Ezek. 2:3 where the plural is used of the sons of Israel.
38. There Ezekiel is commission as a prophet of God and sent "to the sons of Israel, to rebellious nations (plural participle maradh followed by the plural noun goi).
39. It is possible that the sense here of "nations" is "tribes"; hence "a company of tribes."
40. And see 38:4 where in recounting God’s words on this occasion to his son Joseph Jacob says "I will make you a company of peoples" (amim).
41. Never before had Jacob been promised "kings."
42. The Hebrew is expressive: "and kings shall come from your loins."
43. Here used of the seat of male sexual reproduction.
44. This was realized in the latter kings of Judah and Israel.
45. So future descendants refers to all who make up the Hebrew race from that time forward.
46. In v. 12 we have God reiterating the second pillar of the Abrahamic Covenant and that has to do with the real estate grant.
47. The land where Abraham and Isaac and Jacob sojourned is promised here to Jacob personally.
48. While he lived for awhile and died in Egypt, this promise requires Jacob’s resurrection at the 2^nd Coming of Christ.
49. This promise was granted first to Abraham (13:15, 17) in perpetuity and to Isaac as well (26:3).
50. God had promised the land to Jacob on his way to Paddan-aram (28:13).
51. So the land first promised to Abraham is promised to Jacob and his descendants forever.
52. Jacob understood the land grant as aspect as being a forever promise according to his recounting of God’s words to him in 48:4.
53. The words of God "to your descendants after you" is understood later as "an everlasting possession."
54. In the Bethel theophany the two main pillars of the Abrahamic Covenant were given in reverse order from what we have on this occasion.
55. During his first Bethel experience the order was land (28:13) followed by descendants (28:14).
56. This revelation was the longest transmission of the promises of the covenant granted to Jacob.
57. Again, this encounter with God parallels chapter 17: El Shaddai is the name of the deity; there is reference to a name change and a reference to kings among the promised descendants.
58. Even the formula used to conclude the revelation in v. 13 is the same (cf. 17:22, "God went up from Abraham").
59. In commemoration of his second divine encounter at Bethel, Jacob again sets up a stone pillar which he anoints with wine and oil (v. 14).
60. Previously he had only anointed the first pillar with oil.
61. Only here in Genesis do we have mention of a "drink offering" (nesek).
62. This typologically speaks of Messiah laying down his life for mankind.
63. Oil always refers to the ministry of God the Holy Spirit in the Bible.
64. Jacob named the place Bethel.
65. Like God who had named Jacob Israel, he seems to copy that formula naming the place Bethel.
66. Jewish tradition (Jub. 32:16) says that Jacob attempted to build a temple after his return to Bethel, but God told him to desist from the project, which of course is not true, but serves to show that Jacob’s earlier ideas were immature.

Death of Rachel and Birth of Benjamin (vv. 16-20)

VERSE 16 Then they journeyed from Bethel; and when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and she suffered severe labor (HT'd>liB. vq;T.w: lxer' dl,Tew: ht'r'p.a, aAbl' #r,a'h'-tr;b.Ki dA[-yhiy>w: laeƒtyBemi W[s.YIw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.p. nasa pull out; "journeyed" + prep min w/proper noun Bethel + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. hayah be + noun f.s.constr. kebarah distance + def.art.w/noun both s.abs. eretz land + prep lamedh w/Qal infin.constr. bo go + proper noun Ephrath + waw w/Qal impf.3f.s. yaladh bear + proper noun Rachel + waw w/Piel impf.3f.s. qashah be severe + prep beth w/Qal infin.constr.w/3f.s.suff. yaladh bear; "labor"]).

VERSE 17 When she was in severe labor the midwife said to her, "Do not fear, for now you have another son (!Be %l' hz<-~g:-yKi yair>yTi-la; td,L,y:m.h; Hl' rm,aTow: HT'd>liB. Ht'voq.h;b. yhiy>w: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. hayah be + prep beth w/Hiphil infin.constr.w/3f.s.suff. qashah be severe + prep beth w/Qal infin.constr.w/3f.s.suff. yaladh bear + waw w/Qal impf.3f.s. amar say + prep lamedh w/3f.s.suff. + def.art.w/Piel part.f.s.abs. yaladh bear; "midwife" + neg al stop + Qal impf.2f.s. jussive yare fear + prep kaph + conj gam also; again + adj.m.s.abs. zeh this + prep lamedh w/2f.s.suff. + noun m.s.abs. ben son])."

VERSE 18 It came about as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin (!ymiy"n>bi Al-ar'q' wybia'w> ynIAa-!B, Amv. ar'q.Tiw: ht'me yKi Hv'p.n: taceB. yhiy>w: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. hayah be + prep beth w/Qal infin.constr. yatsa go forth + noun f.s.constr.w/3f.s.suff. nephesh soul + part ki that + Qal perf.3f.s. muth die + waw w/Qal impf.3f.s. qara call + noun m.s.constr.w/3m.s.suff. shem name + proper noun Ben-oni + waw w/noun m.s.constr.w/3m.s.suff. abh father + Qal perf.3m.s. qara call + prep lamedh w/3m.s.suff. + proper noun Benjamin]).

VERSE 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem) (~x,l'ƒtyBe awhi ht'r'p.a, %r,d,B. rbeQ'Tiw: lxer' tm'T'w: [waw w/Qal impf.3f.s. muth die + proper noun Rachel + waw w/Niphal impf.3f.s. qabar bury + prep beth w/noun both s.abs. derek way + proper noun Ephrath + pro.3f.s. hi "that is" + proper noun Bethlehem]).

VERSE 20 Jacob set up a pillar over her grave; that is the pillar of Rachel's grave to this day (~AYh;-d[; lxer'-tr;buq. tb,C,m; awhi Ht'r'buq.-l[; hb'Cem; bqo[]y: bCeY:w: [waw w/Hiphil impf.3m.s. natsaba stand upright, erect + noun f.s.abs. metstsebah pillar + prep al + noun f.s.constr.w/3f.s.suff. qeburah grave + pro.3f.s. hi "her" + noun f.s.constr. matstsebah pillar + noun f.s.constr. qeburah grave + proper noun Rachel + par adh until + def.art.w/noun m.s.abs. yom day]).

ANALYSIS: VERSES 16-20

1. Jacob moves out (breaks camp) from Bethel and moves along the main north-south route toward Hebron.
2. The phrase "and when there was some distance to go" is in the Hebrew OT and rare expression found only here and in 48:7 and 2Kgs. 5:19.
3. The noun kibrah means ‘distance" and is followed by the definite article with the noun eretz (land, earth).
4. It is the equivalent of the Akkadian beru, the distance traveled in two hours or about seven miles.
5. The location is south of Jerusalem on the way to Hebron.
6. This Ephrath is identified with Bethlehem (Gen. 48:7; Ruth 4:11; 1Chron. 4:4; Mic. 5:2; Matt. 2:18).
7. The surrounding territory was known as Ephrath[a] of which the villages of Bethlehem and Kiriath-Jeraim were the best-known (1Sam. 6:21-7:1; cf. 1Chron. 2:50; 4:4; Psa. 132:6).
8. This event took place in the future territory of Benjamin according to 1Sam. 10:2 (cf. Jer. 31:15).
9. Until this point in the family history of Jacob the reader is surprised to learn that Rachel was pregnant.
10. Her pregnancy was Jacob’s final contribution to the divine directive given at Bethel (35:11).
11. The severity of Rachel’s labor is mentioned in verses 16b and 17a.
12. The verb used in both verses is qashah which means that which is harsh or stubborn (cf. 42:7; Ex. 1:14 (adj); 7:3 (of Pharaoh’s heart); 2Kgs. 17:14; etc.).
13. Rachel’s experience approximates that of her mother-in-law who brought forth sons in much pain.
14. Rachel is attended by her midwife (Deborah was the counterpart with Rebekah) who consoles her at the birth of Benjamin (v.17).
15. She informs Rachel at the very end of her life on earth that she is having "another son."
16. Two times in the OT when a woman dying in childbirth she is comforted by a midwife who tells her that the baby is a son (cf. 1Sam. 4:20).
17. One may infer that this was a great comfort to a mother giving birth to a male child.
18. Rachel’s final act was to name the child "as her soul was departing."
19. Physical death in the Bible is defined as the soul (real ‘you’) exiting the body (overt ‘you’).
20. Cf. Jam. 2:26 "For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead."
21. The living soul or the neshemah is given when the infant takes in the very first breath of air.
22. The expression "he breathed his last" views the soul leaving the body at physical death (cf. Gen. 25:8; 25:17; 36:29; 49:33; and of Jesus physical death in Mk. 15:37, 39; Lk. 23:46; and Ananias under the sin unto death in Acts 5:5).
23. The commonest expression is simply "and he died" (Gen. 5:5,8,11,14,17,20,27,31; 9:29 [Noah]; Gen. 25:8 "And Abraham breathed his last and died…"; etc.).
24. Rachel names her son, who she never laid eyes on, "Ben-oni."
25. It means "son of my mourning" (i.e., "son of my misfortune.").
26. Then she died and went to Sheol-Paradise.
27. Rachel’s final act demonstrates her maladjustment to God and his will for her life.
28. This maladjustment began when she became jealous of her sister Leah because Leah had given Jacob four sons to her to her none (cf. 29:31).
29. God actually was testing Rachel with barrenness like he had the two previous wives of the covenant (Sarah and Rebekah).
30. She did not do well under this test as she was ruled by the sin of jealousy (30:1) and in a fit of frustration demanded of her husband "give me sons or else I will die."
31. Her emotional outburst became prophetic with the birth of Benjamin.
32. This is a case of cruel irony.
33. She resorted to energy of the flesh tactics when she offered Jacob her maid Bilhah so she could have surrogate sons, but his backfired when her sister offered Jacob her maid Zilpah.
34. Finally, after resorting to the mandrake caper only to see Leah given Jacob a fifth and sixth son, did she do the right thing and prayed for God to open her womb and He did and the result was the birth of Joseph (30:22-24).
35. When Joseph was born she said, "My God give me another son" and he granted her this wish some 16 years later.
36. Rachel viewed happiness through having children (sons) and so she engaged in a competition which saw her having two sons to Leah’s six (if you count the sons by the maids you have the score: Rachel 4 and Leah 8).
37. Rachel died the sin unto death because she failed to acclimate to this aspect of her niche.
38. Rachel of course did not live to see the glory and fame of her firstborn.
39. Leah lived to see all this, but her younger sister was impatient and stubborn to the end.
40. She was malcontented.
41. The awful name she bestowed on her son was thankfully nixed by Jacob and changed to Benjamin which means, "son of my right hand."
42. Or it could be translated "son of my good fortune" (Arab. Yamin means this).
43. Benjamin was the only son born in Canaan (the land), and not in Mesopotamia, and he is the only son named by his father.
44. Jacob is compelled to deal with yet another sad funeral.
45. Here is for Jacob one more grief in a catalogue of sorrows.
46. A son is gained, a beloved wife is lost.
47. To memorialize Rachel, Jacob raises a pillar over her tomb.
48. This is the third of such pillars (28:18; 35:14).
49. The narrator’s explanation "to this day" (e.g., the narrator’s day) is found here and in connection with the strange custom of removing the sciatic nerve in commemoration of Jacob’s injury (32:32).
50. A Matt. 2:18 states that Rachel’s tomb is near Bethlehem and that is why Matthew can associate Rachel’s weeping in Ramah with the slaughter of infants in Bethlehem.
51. 1Sam. 10:2 says that Rachel’s tomb was on the border of Benjamin.
52. This was Benjamin’s southern border a place south of Jerusalem (Josh. 15:8; 18:15-17).

 

 

VERSE 21 Then Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder (rd,[e-lD;g>mil. ha'l.h'me hl{h\a' jYEw: laer'f.yI [S;YIw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. nasa pull out/up + proper noun Israel + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. natah pitch, stretch out + noun m.s.constr.w/3m.s.suff. ohel tent + prep min w/adv hale-ah further, beyond + prep lamedh w/migdol tower + proper noun Eder]).

VERSE 22 It came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine, and Israel heard of it (laer'f.yI [m;v.YIw: wybia' vg<l,yPi hh'l.Bi-ta, bK;v.YIw: !beWar> %l,YEw: awhih; #r,a'B' laer'f.yI !Kov.Bi yhiy>w: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. hayah be + prep beth w/Qal infin.constr. shakan dwell + proper noun Israel + def.art/w/prep beth w/noun both s.abs. eretz land "in that land" + def.art.w/pro.3f.s. hi "that"+ waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. halak "went" + proper noun Reuben + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. shakab lie down + d.o. marker + proper noun Bilah + noun f.s.abs. piegesh concubine + noun m.s.constr.w/3m.s.suff. abh father + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. shama hear + proper noun Israel]).

Now there were twelve sons of Jacob (rf'[' ~ynEv. bqo[]y:-ynEb. Wyh.YIw [waw w/Qal impf.3p. hayah be + noun m.p.constr. ben + proper noun Jacob + adj.m. dual abs. shenayim two + adj.m.s.abs. asharah ten]) –

VERSE 23 the sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, then Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Zebulun (!luWbz>W rk'XF'yIw> hd'WhywI ywIlew> !A[m.viw> !beWar> bqo[]y: rAkB. ha'le ynEB. [noun m.p.constr. ben + proper noun Leah + noun m.s.abs. bekor firstborn + proper noun Jacob + proper noun Reuben + waw w/proper noun Simeon + waw w/proper noun Levi + waw w/proper noun Judah + waw w/proper noun Issachar + waw w/proper noun Zebulon]);

VERSE 24 the sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin (noun m.p.constr. ben + proper noun Rachel + proper noun Joseph + proper noun Benjamin]);

VERSE 25 and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maid: Dan and Naphtali (yliT'p.n:w> !D' lxer' tx;p.vi hh'l.bi ynEb.W [waw w/noun m.p.constr. ben + proper noun Bilhah + noun f.s.constr. shiphchah maid + proper noun Rachel + proper noun Dan + waw w/proper noun Naphtali]);

VERSE 26 and the sons of Zilpah, Leah's maid: Gad and Asher (rvea'w> dG" ha'le tx;p.vi hP'l.zI ynEb.W [waw w/noun m.p.constr. ben + proper noun Zilpah + noun f.s.constr. shipachah maid + proper noun Leah + proper noun Gad + waw w/proper noun Asher]).

These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram (~r'a]ƒ!D;p;B. Al-dL;yU rv,a] bqo[]y: ynEB. hL,ae [adj.p.abs. elleh these + noun m.p.constr. ben + proper noun Jacob + rel.pro. asher + Qal pass.part.m.s. yaladh bear + prep lamedh w/3m.s.suff. + prep beth w/proper noun Paddan-aram]).

VERSE 27 Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned (qx'c.yIw> ~h'r'b.a; ~v'-rG"-rv,a] !Arb.x, awhi [B;r>a;h'ƒty:r>qi arem.m; wybia' qx'c.yI-la, bqo[]y: aboY"w [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. bo go, come + proper noun Jacob + prep el + proper noun Isaac + noun m.s.constr.w/3m.s.suff. abh father + proper noun Mamre + proper noun Kiriath-arba + pro.3f.s. he "that is" + proper noun Hebron + rel.pro. asher + Qal perf.3m.s. gur sojourn + proper noun Abraham + waw w/proper noun Isaac]).

VERSE 28 Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years (hn"v' ~ynImov.W hn"v' ta;m. qx'c.yI ymey> Wyh.YIw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.p. hayah be + noun m.p.constr. yom day + adj.f.s.constr. me-ah hundred + noun f.s.abs. shanah year + waw w/adj.m.p.abs. shemonim eighty + noun f.s.abs. shanah year]).

VERSE 29 Isaac breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, an old man of ripe age; and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him (wyn"B' bqo[]y:w> wf'[e Atao WrB.q.YIw: ~ymiy" [b;f.W !qez" wyM'[;-la, @s,a'YEw: tm'Y"w: qx'c.yI [w:g>YIw: [waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. gawa breath one’s last as in final exhale + proper noun Isaac + waw w/Qal impf.3m.s. muth die + waw w/Niphal impf.3m.s. asaph gather + prep el + noun m.p.constr.w/3m.s.suff. am people + adj.m.s.abs. zaqen old + waw w/adj.m.s.constr. shabe-a full of something + noun m.p.abs. yom day + waw w/Qal impf.3m.p. qabar bury + d.o. marker w/3m.s.suff. + proper noun Esau + waw w/proper noun Jacob + noun m.p.constr.w/3m.s.suff. ben son]).

ANALYSIS: VERSES 21-29

1. Following the death of his beloved wife Jacob moves his tent "beyond Migdal Eder" which is somewhere between Bethel and Hebron.
2. The context suggests that it was a well-known place.
3. It has been suggested that Migdal-Eder (tower of Eder) is located about three miles southwest of Bethlehem.
4. Immediately following the death and burial of Rachel Jacob is faced with yet another family crisis.
5. Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn son, had sexual relations with Bilhah, his father’s concubine.
6. Jacob restrains himself and does nothing upon hearing of this assault upon his person.
7. Bilhah was the maidservant of the recently deceased Rachel.
8. Is Reuben’s action simply sexual play, or does his action represent something more?
9. The OT provides examples of deceased kings wives becoming the wives of his successor (2Sam. 12:8).
10. One Ishbosheth was upset when Abner went into the late Saul’s concubine, Rizpah, not because of moral reasons, but he interpreted Abner’s action as a subtle move to grab the throne (2Sam. 3:7).
11. The same idea is operative when Ahithophel urges Absalom to take possession of his father’s ten concubines (2Sam. 16:20-22).
12. Solomon so interpreted Adonijah’s request for Abishag (1Kgs. 2:22).
13. It seems then that Reuben’s action was a subtle attempt to take control of the family.
14. Jacob’s credibility with the sons was seriously undermined in the Dinah incident.
15. The sons of Jacob were at this time running amuck under their STAs, with the exception of Joseph.
16. Benjamin is out of the loop as he is just a newborn.
17. Reuben’s incest is met with silence on Jacob’s part as the text merely reports that he just "heard about it" (cf. 34:5).
18. The reader is left to speculate as to Jacob’s motives.
19. Does he simply not care that much or is he losing control over his oldest son?
20. The incident does suggest that there is growing tension between Jacob and his sons.
21. It is not until 49:2-3 that Jacob manifests his disgust at Reuben’s behavior, when the blessing of the firstborn is more akin to a curse.
22. At this point in the Genesis narrative we have a listing of the sons of Jacob according to their mothers.
23. This listing anticipates the Joseph story which follows (chap. 37ff.).
24. The other two lists of Jacob’s sons, 29:32-30:24 and 49:2-27 do not follow a genealogical arrangement according to mothers so strictly as does the listing here (cf. Ruth 4:11 "May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel…").
25. In light of vv. 16-19 the comment of v. 26 does not cover Benjamin, the youngest son.
26. Finally, after almost a decade after his return from Paddan-aram, Jacob and his father Isaac are reunited (v. 27).
27. Isaac had moved to Hebron from Beersheba, where he was last heard of.
28. This location is where some of the most outstanding promises had been made (13:14-18; chaps. 15-18).
29. This is where Abraham had first purchased land in Canaan for a family burial plot (chap. 23).
30. Jacob was about 107 years of age (77+ 20 + 10) and that would make Isaac 167 years of age.
31. The year would have been c. 1678 BC.
32. In v. 28 that narrative skips to the death of Isaac at age 180.
33. So 10 or 11 years after the reunion at Mamre Isaac finally dies (v. 29).
34. He outlives his father Abraham by five years.
35. He "breathed his last" points to the exit of the neshemah.
36. And "he was gathered to his people" refers not to his burial in the cave of Machpelah (23:9, 11, 17, 19, 20; 25:9; 49:29, 30, 32), the place where the patriarchs and their wives are buried to this day awaiting resurrection, but to Isaac’s soul entering Sheol-Paradise (cf. Lk. 16).
37. Next we have the mention of yet another brief reunion and that is the burial of Isaac by his twin sons Esau and Jacob.
38. This echoes 25:7-9 very closely where Ishmael and Isaac came together one last time to bury Abraham.
39. Isaac was buried in the ancestral grave at Machpelah, which is made explicit at 49:29-32.
40. Ten years after the death of Isaac in 1656 BC the Jews relocated to the land of Egypt.