Genesis 35:1

Plain English Version

Then God said to Jacob, “Leave this place, and go to that special place called Bethel. Remember, a long time ago, you ran away from your brother Esau, and you went to that place, and I came to you there. Now I want you to go and live in that place, and I want you to pile up stones there, to make a special table. Then I want you to burn animals on that special table, to show respect to me, because I am God.”

Cross References

Genesis 12:8

Later on, Abram and his mob left Shekem, and they went south to the hill country that was on the east side of a town called Bethel, and they camped between Bethel and another town called Ayi. Bethel was to the west of his camp and Ayi was to the east. Then Abram piled up stones there to make another special table, and he burned animals on it to show respect to God. He prayed to God, and he called God by his special name Yahweh.

Genesis 16:8

He said, “Hagar, you belong to Sarai, so why are you sitting out here in the desert? Where are you going?” Hagar said, “I’m running away from my boss Sarai. She is too hard on me.”

Genesis 22:14

And Abraham called that place, God will give you what you need. Even today, people say, “On God’s mountain, he will give you what you need.”

Genesis 29:1

Then Jacob left that place, and he kept on walking towards the east, until he got to Paddan Aram country.

Genesis 31:13

I am God. A long time ago, I came to you at the place called Bethel. That’s the place where you poured olive oil on top of a stone to show that it was a special place, and you made promises to me. Now leave this country straight away, and go back to your home country.” ’ ”

Genesis 31:3

Then God talked to Jacob. God said, “Leave this place, and go back to your home country, and to your relatives. I will go with you, to take care of you.”

Genesis 34:31

But Simeon and Levi said, “That man did a bad thing to our sister. He made her sleep with him, like a woman sleeps with her husband, and then he tried to pay us money for her. Somebody had to do payback to his mob.”

Genesis 35:15

And Jacob gave a name to that place where God talked to him. He called that place Bethel. That name means God’s house.

Genesis 35:7

Then Jacob piled up stones to make a table with a flat top, so that he could burn animals to show respect to God. And Jacob gave that place a new name. He called it El Bethel. That name means God is in Bethel. A long time before this, when Jacob ran away from his brother Esau, God came and talked to Jacob in that place. That’s the reason why Jacob gave it that name.

Psalm 46:1

God is strong, and he is always ready to help us when we get trouble. He is like a safe place for us to hide. Whenever we get trouble, he is the one that can help us.