In Scripture, a change in name always occurs at a highly significant point in a person's life. The return of Jacob to Canaan was a significant event in the history of the Hebrew people.
The covenant God made with Abraham is repeated here. It indicates that all of Jacob's descendants will inherit the promises of this covenant. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#covenant and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#inherit and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#promise)
The phrase "go up" is used because Bethel is higher in elevation than Shechem.
"live there"
God speaks about himself in the third person. Alternate translation: "Build an altar there to me, your God" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-123person)
"said to his family"
"Throw away your idols" or "Get rid of your false gods"
This was the custom of cleansing oneself morally and physically before going to worship God.
Putting on a new clothes was a sign that they had made themselves clean before approaching God. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-symaction)
"in the time of my distress" or "when I was in trouble"
"so everyone in Jacob's household gave" or "so all of his family and servants gave"
Here "in their hand" stands for what they own. Alternate translation: "that were in their possession" or "that they had" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
"their earrings." Possible meanings are 1) the gold in the earrings could have been used to make more idols or 2) they took these earrings from the city of Shechem after they attacked it and killed all the people. The earrings would have reminded them of their sin.
God causing the people of the cities to be afraid of Jacob and his family is spoken of as if panic were an object that fell on the cities. The abstract noun "panic" can be stated as "afraid." Alternate translation: "God made the people in the surrounding cities afraid of Jacob and those with him" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns)
Here "cities" stands for the people who live in the cities. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
It is implied that no one attacked anyone in Jacob's family. But two of the sons, Simeon and Levi had attacked the Canaanites relatives of Shechem after he seized and slept with Jacob's daughter. Jacob was afraid they would seek revenge in Genesis 34:30. Alternate translation: "Jacob's family" or "Jacob's household" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
This is the name of a city. See how you translated this in Genesis 28:19. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
Translators may add a footnote that says: "The name El Bethel means 'God of Bethel.'" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
"there God made himself known to Jacob"
This is the name of a woman. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
A nurse is a woman who takes care of another woman's child. The nurse was highly honored and important to the family.
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "They buried her down from Bethel" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
The phrase "down from" is used because they buried her in a place that was lower in elevation than Bethel.
Translators may add a footnote that says: "The name Allon Bakuth means 'Oak tree where there is weeping.'" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
It can be made explicit that they were in Bethel. Alternate translation: "After Jacob left Paddan Aram, and while he was in Bethel" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
Here "bless" means to pronounce a formal blessing on someone and to cause good things to happen to that person.
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "but your name will no longer be Jacob" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
"God said to Jacob"
God told Jacob to produce children so that there would be many of them. The word "multiply" explains how he was to be "fruitful." See how you translated this in Genesis 1:22. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-doublet and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)
Here "nation" and "nations" refer to Jacob's descendants who will establish these nations. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
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Here "went up" is used because where God dwells is typically thought of as being up or above the world. Alternate translation: "God left him"
This is a memorial pillar which was simply a large stone or boulder set up on its end.
This is a sign that he is dedicating the pillar to God. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-symaction)
Translators may also add a footnote that says "The name Bethel means 'house of God.'"
This is another name for the town of Bethlehem.
"She was having a very difficult time giving birth to the child"
"When the labor pain was at its worst"
a person who helps a woman when she is giving birth to a child
A "dying breath" is a person's last breath before he or she dies. Alternate translation: "Just before she died, as she was taking her last breath" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)
Translator may add a footnote that says "The name Ben-Oni means 'son of my sorrow.'" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
Translator may add a footnote that says "The name Benjamin means 'son of the right hand.'" The phrase "right hand" indicates a place of special favor.
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "they buried her" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
"alongside the road"
"It marks Rachel's grave still to this day"
"up to the present time." This means to the time that the author was writing this.
It is implied that Israel's family and servants are with him. The full meaning of this information can be made explicit. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
Some English translations understand this phrase as a proper name, either "Migdal Eder" or "the tower of Eder."
This is a euphemism. Alternate translation: "had sexual relations with" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-euphemism)
This is the name of Rachel's female servant. See how you translated this name in Genesis 29:29. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
This sentence begins a new paragraph, which continues into the following verses.
"12 sons" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-numbers)
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This is the name of Rachel's female servant. See how you translated this name in Genesis 29:29. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
This is the name of Leah's female servant. See how you translated this name in Genesis 29:24. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
It is implied that this does not include Benjamin who was born in the land of Canaan near Bethlehem. It only mentions Paddan Aram since that is where most of them were born. The full meaning of this can be made explicit. Alternate translation: "who were born to him in Paddan Aram, except Benjamin who was born in the land of Canaan" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
Here "came" can be stated as "went." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-go)
This was another name for the city of Hebron. It may have been named after Mamre, the friend of Abraham who lived there. See how you translated this in Genesis 13:18. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
This is the name of a city. See how you translated this in Genesis 23:2. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
"180 years" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-numbers)
"Isaac took his last breath and died." The phrases "breathed his last" and "died" mean basically the same thing. See how you translated a similar phrase in Genesis 25:8. Alternate translation: "Isaac died" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-doublet)
This is a polite way of saying a person died. See how you translated this in Genesis 25:8. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-euphemism)
This means that after Isaac died, his soul went to the same place as his relatives who died before him. This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "he joined his family members who had already died" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
The phrases "old man" and "full of days" mean basically the same thing. They emphasize that Isaac lived a very long time. Alternate translation: "after he had lived a very long time and was very old" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-doublet)