The last record in the Book of Genesis, wherein we find Jacob having the prominent role, is chapter 35. Here, he removes his family from Shechem after the slaughter of all the males in the city, and he journeys to Bethel, just beyond the Migdal Edar near Bethlehem. In our previous study we discovered a change of roles was beginning to take place. In nearly all of chapter 34, we found Jacob in the background. It was his sons that moved the events of the story.
Chapter 36 is a record of the descendants of Esau, but beginning in chapter 37 to the end of the book, Joseph is the main character, who moves the events therein recorded. Judah, however, is given Genesis 38 to offer information about Tamar, who winds up in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:3). The other sons of Jacob are mentioned in supportive roles surrounding specific events, which actually begins with Simeon and Levi who slew all the males in the city of Shechem (Genesis 34:25, 30). Nevertheless, Genesis 37 begins a new and, actually, the final record of the Book of Genesis. From there to the end of the book, Genesis is all about Joseph, except for Judah who, as was mentioned, gets a single chapter. Jacob will be mentioned from time to time, but mostly in a supportive role in the telling of the recorded events, until we come to his blessing his sons, but even then, the blessings are all about his sons, not about himself, even though he is the main character prophesying about them.
After his sons slew all the males of the city of Shechem and spoiled their possessions, Jacob was in great fear of a reprisal from the surrounding Canaanite tribal villages. It is in this context that the Lord visited him and told him to return to Bethel and build an altar there (Genesis 35:1). Doing so would remind Jacob of his past terror, when he fled from the wrath of his brother, Esau. It was there, in Bethel, that the Lord first appeared to Jacob, and he comforted him, saying he would be with him, protect him and prosper him. Thus, this second vision was meant to comfort Jacob and calm his fears of the Canaanite tribes.
Immediately after the vision, Jacob gathered his household together and told them to put away all the strange idols among them, wash themselves and put on clean clothing (Genesis 35:2). In other words, the presence of these foreign gods made the camp spiritually unclean. One may ask, how these idols came to be among Jacob’s family to begin with, but it is very clear how this occurred, if we consider the context.
The reason for journeying to Bethal was due to the fact that Simeon and Levi slew the males of Shechem, and they and their brethren spoiled the city, taking with them anything of value, and these idols were among the spoiled possessions of the city. We may recall that Rachael had stolen Laban’s idols, presumably in an effort to confuse him, because he, no doubt, would have consulted them before chasing after Jacob. However, Laban’s idols were probably cast away much earlier than the present context. If Jacob wanted Shechem’s idols removed from his camp only a short while after they were taken in spoiling the city, surely, he would have gotten rid of Laban’s idols that were taken eleven years earlier. They could not have remained hidden from him for so long a time.
Then, Jacob told his wives and his children that he had a vision and they would be leaving for Bethel, where he would build an altar and worship the Lord who had comforted him in an earlier distress, when he fled from his brother Esau (Genesis 35:3). Therefore, Jacob’s sons and their families gave Jacob all the strange gods they had in their possession, as well as any jewelry they wore that were considered charms and amulets, which usually had images or symbols of heathen idols (Genesis 35:4; cp. Hosea 2:13).
Afterward, Jacob and his family left the land of Shechem and journeyed toward Bethel. The terror of the Lord God of Jacob was still upon the villages round about, so Jacob departed before the Canaanites in the area could gather themselves and avenge the thing that was done to the city of Shechem. In the present context, they were probably relieved with Jacob’s departure, and they didn’t chase after him (Genesis 35:5).
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