Genesis 35:1 Commentary and Bible Study

As we saw when considering the cause of the trouble in Jacob’s family in the last chapter, there was something that Jacob had vowed to do and had not yet done. When he fled from Esau, God had appeared to him in a vision at night. He had seen a ladder with its foot resting on earth and its top reaching to heaven. God had met with him in what we must treat as his conversion experience. He had promised Jacob that as he had been the God of his grandfather Abraham, and of his father Isaac, so he would be his God. Furthermore, Jacob would inherit the land and his seed would possess it. That is now about 30 or 31 years earlier: 20 years of service, and a further 10 or 11 years back in Canaan. This promise was even now coming to pass in spite of Jacob’s spiritual failings and wanderings. But Jacob had vowed to God that he would build a house there to the Lord, and accordingly he named the place Bethel. Now God tells him to go back to Bethel, for he must not continue any longer to have that vow unfulfilled. Actually, this was even more clear because of the form of Jacob’s vow. It had been expressed conditionally. ‘If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, ²¹ So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: ²² And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee’ (Genesis 28:20-22). Not that Jacob had any doubts that God would keep his part, but he put it this way to express his hope and confidence in God. But God had kept his word. It was high time then for Jacob to do his part. The way God speaks now suggests that this is something that Jacob has omitted to do. Although the Lord does not mention the vow, he is clearly referring to it, and to the appearance that caused him to make that vow. Now Jacob must make good: Go to Bethel now after all this time and fulfil your vow; dwell there; make an altar. Actually its more than just an altar; that's what Bethel means: the house of God. It was named in anticipation. It is going to be much more than just a monument, a pillar. It's going to be a monument, yes, but one you can even go into and worship, worship the God who appeared to you when you fled. So God speaks and the answer to Jacob's dilemma is God's word. God speaks to him again and turns him back to his promises.