Genesis 35:15
WEB
Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him “Bethel”.
BSB
Jacob called the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.
KJV
And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Beth-el.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H7121
v — call out to
Derivation: a primitive root (rather identical with 7122 through the idea of accosting a person met);
to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
KJV: bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.
vb — call
קָרָא 724 vb. call, proclaim, read
Qal
1.
a. call, cry, utter a loud sound
b. call, cry
2.
a. call unto some one
b. cry for help
3. proclaim
4.
a. read aloud
b. read to oneself
5. summon
6. call = name
Niph.
1. reflex.
2. pass. be called
Pu. be called
H3290
n-pr-m — Jaakob
Derivation: from 6117; heel-catcher (i.e. supplanter);
Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch
KJV: Jacob.
n.pr.m — Jacob
יַעֲקֹב 344, יַעֲקוֹב 6 n.pr.m. et gent. Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebekah, father of tribes of Isr.
1. as n.pr.m.
2. as n.pr.gent.
H853
prt — self, even, namely
Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].
mark of the accusative
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
H8034
n-m — appellation, honor, authority, character
Derivation: a primitive word [perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare 8064];
an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
KJV: base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.
n.m — name
שֵׁם 864 n.m. name (√ unknown)
1. of river, beasts, city, i.e. exact designation of it
2.
a. usu. of pers.
b. = reputation
c. esp. as giving a man a kind of posthumous life, esp. in his sons
3. name, as designation of God
4. of false gods, use forbidden
5. = memorial, monument
H4725
n-m — standing, spot, condition
Derivation: or מָקֹם; also (feminine) מְקוֹמָה; or מְקֹמָה; from 6965;
properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind)
KJV: country, × home, × open, place, room, space, × whither(-soever).
n.m — standing-place
מָקוֹם, מָקֹם 399 n.m. standing-place, place
1.
a. standing-place
b. station, where soldiers are placed
c. post, office
2.
a. place where a thing belongs
b. esp.
(1). place of human abode
(2). of י׳’s abode
3. place
4. in gen. place, locality, spot
5.
a. space, room
b. space, distance, between
6. region, quarter, direction
7. peculiar uses
H834
r — who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that
Derivation: a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
KJV: × after, × alike, as (soon as), because, × every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), × if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), × though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.
part. of relation — who
אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.
adv — in which
בַאֲשֶׁר
a. in (that) which
b. adv. in (the place) where
c. conj. in that, inasmuch as
d. on account of whom?
conj — according as
כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when
1. according to that which, according as, as
2. with a causal force, in so far as, since
3. with a temporal force, when
adv — who
מֵאֲשֶׁר
a. from (or than) that which
b. adv. from (the place) where
c. conj. from (the fact) that …, since
H1696
v — arrange, speak, subdue
Derivation: a primitive root;
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
KJV: answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, × well, × work.
vb — speak
[דָבַר] 1142 vb. speak (original mng. dub.)
Qal speak
Niph. reciprocal sense, speak with one another, talk
Pi. speak
Pu. in the day when she may be spoken for
Hithp. speaking this word
Hiph. either leads subject, or puts to flight, fig. for subdues
H854
prep — nearness, near, with, by, at, among
Derivation: probably from 579;
properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc.
KJV: against, among, before, by, for, from, in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional prefix.
prep — with
אֵת, prep. with—prep. denoting proximity
1. Of companionship, together with
2. Of localities
3. אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially
a. in one's possession or keeping
b. in one's knowledge or memory
4. מֵאֵת from proximity with
Note. אֵת expresses closer association than עִם: hence while מֵעִם sts. denotes hardly more than from the surroundings or belongings of, מֵאֵת expresses from close proximity to.
H8033
adv — there, then, thither, thence
Derivation: a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834);
there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence
KJV: in it, thence, there (-in, of, out), thither, whither.
adv — there
שָׁם adv. there, thither
H430
n-m — gods, God, magistrates
Derivation: plural of 433;
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
KJV: angels, × exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), × (very) great, judges, × mighty.
n.m.pl — gods
אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.
1. pl. in number.
a. rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power
b. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels
c. angels
d. gods
2. pl. intensive
a. god or goddess
b. godlike one
c. works of God, or things belongng to him
d. God
3. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God
4. אֱלֹהִים = God
H1008
n-pr-loc — Beth-El
Derivation: from 1004 and 410; house of God;
Beth-El, a place in Palestine
KJV: Beth-el.
n.pr.loc — Beth-el
בֵּֽיתְאֵל 71 n.pr.loc. Bethel
1. ancient place and seat of worship in Ephraim on border of Benjamin, identif. with Luz (former name)
2. place in south country of Judah, not far from Beersheba & Ziklag
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Verses 6–15
Genesis 35:6–15
Jacob and his retinue having safely arrived at Bethel, we are here told what passed there.
I. There he built an altar (Gen 35:7), and no doubt offered sacrifice upon it, perhaps the tenth of his cattle, according to his vow, I will give the tenth unto thee. With these sacrifices he joined praises for former mercies, particularly that which the sight of the place brought afresh to his remembrance; and he added prayers for the continuance of God's favour to him and his family. And he called the place (that is, the altar) El-beth-el, the God of Bethel. As, when he made a thankful acknowledgment of the honour God had lately done him in calling him Israel, he worshipped God by the name of El-elohe Israel; so, now that he was making a grateful recognition of God's former favour to him at Bethel, he worships God by the name of El-beth-el, the God of Bethel, because there God appeared to him. Note, The comfort which the saints have in holy ordinances is not so much from Bethel, the house of God, as from El-beth-el, the God of the house. The ordinances are but empty things if we do not meet with God in them.
II. There he buried Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, Gen 35:8. We have reason to think that Jacob, after he came to Canaan, while his family dwelt near Shechem, went himself (it is likely, often) to visit his father Isaac at Hebron. Rebekah probably was dead, but her old nurse (of whom mention is made Gen 24:59) survived her, and Jacob took her to his family, to be a companion to his wives, her country-women, and an instructor to his children; while they were at Bethel, she died, and died lamented, so much lamented that the oak under which she was buried was called Allon-bachuth, the oak of weeping. Note, 1. Old servants in a family, that have in their time been faithful and useful, ought to be respected. Honour was done to this nurse, at her death, by Jacob's family, though she was not related to them, and though she was aged. Former services, in such a case, must be remembered. 2. We do not know where death may meet us; perhaps at Beth-el, the house of God. Therefore let us be always ready. 3. Family-afflictions may come even when family-reformation and religion are on foot. Therefore rejoice with trembling.
III. There God appeared to him (Gen 35:9), to own his altar, to answer to the name by which he had called him, The God of Bethel (Gen 35:7), and to comfort him under his affliction, Gen 35:8. Note, God will appear to those in a way of grace that attend on him in a way of duty. Here, 1. He confirmed the change of his name, Gen 35:10. It was done before by the angel that wrestled with him (Gen 32:28), and here it was ratified by the divine Majesty, or Shechinah, that appeared to him. There it was to encourage him against the fear of Esau, here against the fear of the Canaanites. Who can be too hard for Israel, a prince with God? It is below those who are thus dignified to droop and despond. 2. He renewed and ratified the covenant with him, by the name El-shaddai. I am God Almighty, God all-sufficient (Gen 35:11), able to make good the promise in due time, and to support thee and provide for thee in the mean time. Two things are promised him which we have met with often before: - (1.) That he should be the father of a great nation, great in honour and power - a company of nations shall be of thee (every tribe of Israel was a nation, and all the twelve a company of nations), great in honour and power - kings shall come out of thy loins. (2.) That he should be the master of a good land (Gen 35:12), described by the grantees, Abraham and Isaac, to whom it was promised, not by the occupants, the Canaanites in whose possession it now was. The land that was given to Abraham and Isaac is here entailed on Jacob and his seed. He shall not have children without an estate, which is often the case of the poor, nor an estate without children, which is often the grief of the rich; but both. These two promises had a spiritual signification, of which we may suppose Jacob himself had some notion, though not so clear and distinct as we now have; for, without doubt, Christ is the promised seed, and heaven is the promised land; the former is the foundation, and the latter the top-stone, of all God's favours. 3. He then went up from him, or from over him, in some visible display of glory, which had hovered over him while he talked with him, Gen 35:13. Note, The sweetest communions the saints have with God in this world are short and transient, and soon have an end. Our vision of God in heaven will be everlasting; there we shall be ever with the Lord; it is not so here.
IV. There Jacob erected a memorial of this, Gen 35:14. 1. He set up a pillar. When he was going to Padan-aram, he set up for a pillar that stone on which he had laid his head. This was agreeable enough to his low condition and his hasty flight; but now he took time to erect one more stately, more distinguishable and durable, probably placing that stone in it. In token of his intending it for a sacred memorial of his communion with God, he poured oil and the other ingredients of a drink-offering upon it. His vow was, This stone shall be God's house, that is, shall be set up for his honour, as houses to the praise of their builders; and here he performs it, transferring it to God by anointing it. 2. He confirmed the name he had formerly given to the place (Gen 35:15), Beth-el, the house of God. Yet this very place afterwards lost the honour of its name, and became Beth-aven, a house of iniquity; for here it was that Jeroboam set up one of his calves. It is impossible for the best man to entail upon a place so much as the profession and form of religion.
Cross-references: Gen 35:7 · Gen 35:8 · Gen 24:59 · Gen 35:9 · Gen 35:10 · Gen 32:28 · Gen 35:11 · Gen 35:12 · Gen 35:13 · Gen 35:14 · Gen 35:15