Jacob had finally settled in the land of Canaan, but his family’s interaction with the locals proved to be dangerous (Genesis 34). Jacob and Leah’s daughter, Dinah, was raped by Shechem (34:2), but Jacob’s sons would not allow this atrocity to go unpunished. Not only did they murder Shechem and his father, Hamor, but they also plundered the entire city and took the women and children captive (34:25-29). Jacob was frightened by the actions of his sons and feared that the other inhabitants of the land would soon kill him and his family (34:30); however, Jacob’s sons remained convinced that their actions were justifiable (34:31). Jacob would later leave Simeon and Levi out of his blessing for leading the way in this massacre (Genesis 49:5-7).
Jacob had been residing in Canaan for approximately a decade when God commanded him to return to Bethel (35:1), the place where God had covenanted with Abraham to give his descendants a great nation/land (Genesis 12:2a; 15:7), a great blessing (Genesis 12:2b), and a great name (Genesis 12:2c). Jacob was to build an altar at Bethel (35:1), so in an attempt to cleanse his family spiritually he commanded that all foreign gods be put away (35:2-4). This move would be characterized by purity and cleansing. Jacob and his family journeyed to Bethel under the protecting hand of God (35:5) and there he built an altar to the Lord (35:6-7). As Jacob affirmed his loyalty to God (35:7), God appeared to him and reaffirmed His promise of making a great nation (35:11) and giving them a land with many descendants (35:12). In response to God’s reaffirming of the covenant, Jacob and God talked together in that place called Bethel (35:13-15).
After Jacob’s encounter with the presence of God, they journeyed from Bethel, but Rachel died while giving birth to Benjamin (35:16-18). Rachel was buried in Bethlehem and Jacob set a pillar on her grave (35:19-20). Following Rachel’s death, Moses writes a little side note concerning Reuben, Jacob’s eldest son, sleeping with his father’s concubine, Bilhah (35:21). Reuben’s actions eventually caused him to lose his inheritance, which was rightly due to the eldest son (Genesis 49:3-4). After this side note, Moses provides a list of Jacob’s twelve sons, who would later become the firstfruits of the great nation of Israel (35:22b-26). Genesis 35 concludes by detailing the death of Jacob’s father, Isaac (180 years old), who was living in Hebron (35:27-29). The death of Isaac marks a major transition in the history of Israel and leaves Jacob as the one who God would use to fulfill His promises to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3). In order for God to continue His work, Jacob would need to have faith in God.
Dear God, help me to follow Your leading in my life even when circumstances are against me.
