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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jacob and his household arrive in Luz (Bethel) in Canaan after fleeing his brother, responding to God’s prior command to settle there and build an altar.

The words — The text records וַיִּבֶן (va-yiven, "and he built") and מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbeach, "an altar") for the physical structure, followed by וַיִּקְרָא (va-yikra, "and he called") the location אֵל־בֵּיתֵל (El-bethel, "God of Bethel"). Jacob gives this name because God had revealed Himself there during his flight.

The thread — This act fulfills the command in Genesis 35:1 to go to Bethel and build an altar, and echoes Genesis 35:3 where Jacob vowed to build an altar to the God who answered him in distress. It also recalls Genesis 28:13, where the LORD stood above Jacob and identified Himself as the God of Abraham and Isaac.

Why it lands — The text states that Jacob built an altar and named a place in direct response to a past divine revelation. It places the reader before a concrete record of worship triggered by remembered intervention, demanding attention to the link between divine appearance and human response.

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

וַיִּ֤בֶןva/i.Yi.venand/ he built שָׁם֙shamthere מִזְבֵּ֔חַmiz.Be.achan altar וַיִּקְרָא֙va/i.yik.Ra'and/ he called לַמָּק֔וֹםla./ma.Kom<to> the/ place אֵ֖ל'elEl בֵּֽית־beit-Beth-אֵ֑ל'El-el כִּ֣יkifor שָׁ֗םShamthere נִגְל֤וּnig.Luthey had revealed themselves אֵלָיו֙'e.La/vto/ him הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔יםha./'E.lo.Him<the>/ God בְּבָרְח֖וֹbe./va.re.Ch/owhen/ fled/ he מִפְּנֵ֥יmi./pe.Neifrom/ before אָחִֽיו׃'a.Chi/vbrother/ his

King James Version

And he built there an altar, and called the place El–beth–el: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.

Cross-references

Genesis 28:13 And there at the top the LORD was standing and saying, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you now lie.
Genesis 35:1 Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”
Genesis 35:3 Then let us arise and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to God, who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.”
Genesis 28:19 and he called that place Bethel, though previously the city had been named Luz.
Genesis 28:22 And this stone I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give You a tenth.”
Exodus 17:15 And Moses built an altar and named it The LORD Is My Banner.
Judges 6:24 So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Ecclesiastes 5:4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.
Ezekiel 48:35 The perimeter of the city will be 18,000 cubits, and from that day on the name of the city will be: THE LORD IS THERE.”