English Standard Version

New Living Translation

1God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”

1Then God said to Jacob, “Get ready and move to Bethel and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother, Esau.”

2So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments.

2So Jacob told everyone in his household, “Get rid of all your pagan idols, purify yourselves, and put on clean clothing.

3Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.”

3We are now going to Bethel, where I will build an altar to the God who answered my prayers when I was in distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.”

4So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.

4So they gave Jacob all their pagan idols and earrings, and he buried them under the great tree near Shechem.

5And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.

5As they set out, a terror from God spread over the people in all the towns of that area, so no one attacked Jacob’s family.

6And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him,

6Eventually, Jacob and his household arrived at Luz (also called Bethel) in Canaan.

7and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother.

7Jacob built an altar there and named the place El-bethel (which means “God of Bethel”), because God had appeared to him there when he was fleeing from his brother, Esau.

8And Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried under an oak below Bethel. So he called its name Allon-bacuth.

8Soon after this, Rebekah’s old nurse, Deborah, died. She was buried beneath the oak tree in the valley below Bethel. Ever since, the tree has been called Allon-bacuth (which means “oak of weeping”).

9God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him.

9Now that Jacob had returned from Paddan-aram, God appeared to him again at Bethel. God blessed him,

10And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel.

10saying, “Your name is Jacob, but you will not be called Jacob any longer. From now on your name will be Israel.” So God renamed him Israel.

11And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body.

11Then God said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Be fruitful and multiply. You will become a great nation, even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants!

12The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.”

12And I will give you the land I once gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants after you.”

13Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him.

13Then God went up from the place where he had spoken to Jacob.

14And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it.

14Jacob set up a stone pillar to mark the place where God had spoken to him. Then he poured wine over it as an offering to God and anointed the pillar with olive oil.

15So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.

15And Jacob named the place Bethel (which means “house of God”), because God had spoken to him there. The Deaths of Rachel and Isaac

16Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor.

16Leaving Bethel, Jacob and his clan moved on toward Ephrath. But Rachel went into labor while they were still some distance away. Her labor pains were intense.

17And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for you have another son.”

17After a very hard delivery, the midwife finally exclaimed, “Don’t be afraid—you have another son!”

18And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.

18Rachel was about to die, but with her last breath she named the baby Ben-oni (which means “son of my sorrow”). The baby’s father, however, called him Benjamin (which means “son of my right hand”).

19So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem),

19So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).

20and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb. It is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day.

20Jacob set up a stone monument over Rachel’s grave, and it can be seen there to this day.

21Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.

21Then Jacob traveled on and camped beyond Migdal-eder.

22While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. And Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.

22While he was living there, Reuben had intercourse with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Jacob soon heard about it. These are the names of the twelve sons of Jacob:

23The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.

23The sons of Leah were Reuben (Jacob’s oldest son), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.

24The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.

24The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.

25The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant: Dan and Naphtali.

25The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, were Dan and Naphtali.

26The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

26The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant, were Gad and Asher. These are the names of the sons who were born to Jacob at Paddan-aram.

27And Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned.

27So Jacob returned to his father, Isaac, in Mamre, which is near Kiriath-arba (now called Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had both lived as foreigners.

28Now the days of Isaac were 180 years.

28Isaac lived for 180 years.

29And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

29Then he breathed his last and died at a ripe old age, joining his ancestors in death. And his sons, Esau and Jacob, buried him.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.