Welcome to the Daily Bible Chapter. My name is James Leroy Wilson and I invite you to join me as we discover new insights and new perspectives from a very old book.
I'm reading the Young's Literal Translation (YLT) and the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).
God calls on Jacob to go to Bethel. As we learned seven days ago, Bethel means "House of God," and it's where Jacob had the dream with the ladder and discovered that God resided in the "house" of Jacob's own consciousness.
Jacob's family seem to have adapted the ways of the native peoples, adapting their gods, fashions, and customs. After the mayhem of Genesis 34, Jacob seems to ask of himself and of his family to find God again, not from external, worldly, material objects, but within one's own consciousness.
Only this will bring peace,and Jacob seemed protected on his way to the "House of God," Bethel.
In Genesis 17:1 Jehovah (YLT)/The LORD (NRSV) tells Abraham ``I am God Almighty." I don't think I noticed that at the time. Here in Chapter 35:11 "God" (the word used in both the YLT and NRSV) says to Jacob, "I am God Almighty." This comes just after verse 10, where God changed Jacob's name to Israel. This had been done previously, but now the new name sticks;Jacob is now called Israel for the rest of the chapter.
There's also family drama: Rachel's nurse dies, then Rachel dies while giving birth to Benjamin. Reuben, the eldest brother, sleeps with one of Jacob's concubines, and Isaac dies at the age of 180.
Nevertheless, these issues were within the family and were not external conflicts as one might have assumed from the previous chapter. Jacob was protected in his journey back to the House of God.
James Leroy Wilson writes Daily Miracles, The Daily Bible Chapter, JL Cells, and The MVP Chase. Thanks for your subscriptions and support!
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