Genesis 33:20

There he set up an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Jacob stands in Canaan after reconciling with Esau and purchasing a plot from the sons of Hamor. He erects a worship site on this newly acquired land.

The words — The text records Jacob setting up (וַיַּצֵּב, va-yatzev) an altar (מִזְבֵּחַ, mizbeach) and naming it אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל ('elohe Yisra'el), literally "El, the God of Israel."

The thread — This altar-building and divine naming pattern recurs in Genesis 35:7 at Bethel and mirrors Abraham's covenantal worship in Genesis 21:33. The title directly references the name change declared in Genesis 32:28 after Jacob's struggle at Peniel.

Why it lands — The verse documents a physical monument and a specific divine title before any theological commentary. It demands recognition of Jacob's established covenant identity and his public acknowledgment of God's authority in a purchased Canaanite territory.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיַּצֶּב־va/i.ya.tzev-and/ he set up שָׁ֖םshamthere מִזְבֵּ֑חַmiz.Be.achan altar וַיִּ֨קְרָא־va/i.Yik.ra'-and/ he calledל֔וֹl/o<to> <the>/ itאֵ֖ל'elEl אֱלֹהֵ֥י'e.lo.HeiElohe יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ סYis.ra.'ElIsrael

King James Version

And he erected there an altar, and called it El–elohe–Israel.

Cross-references

Genesis 21:33 And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God.
Genesis 35:7 There Jacob built an altar, and he called that place El-bethel, because it was there that God had revealed Himself to Jacob as he fled from his brother.
Genesis 32:28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”
Genesis 8:20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD. And taking from every kind of clean animal and clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Genesis 12:7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
Genesis 13:18 So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the Oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.