God gave Jacob a new order. He told him to pack up and move to Bethel and make an altar there for the Lord. Jacob then ordered his family to get rid of all their foreign gods and purify themselves. So they gave Jacob all their idols and the rings in their ears and he hid them under the oak near Shechem. Throughout their journey, the Canaanites seemed to be having their own problems, so they did not pursue Jacob and his family. God protected them.
When Jacob came to Luz, he built an altar and called the place El-bethel because that was where God had first revealed Himself when Jacob so long ago had fled from his home after stealing Esau’s birthright. God appeared to Jacob and blessed him and changed his name to Israel. He also commanded him to be fruitful and multiply. Then God gave Jacob a list of promises:
- A nation and a company of nations shall come from you.
- Kings shall come forth from you.
- The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, will I give to you and to your descendants.
Afterwards, Jacob set up a pillar of stone and poured out a drink offering and oil upon it and named this place where God had spoken to him “Bethel”.
Why did God change Jacob’s name? The name Jacob means heel catcher, supplanter, deceiver, someone who trips people, who causes them to stumble. It’s not a great name. Jacob’s actions had once reflected his name, so God gave him a better name, Israel, which means God’s fighter, triumphant with God, or God perseveres. This is a more worthy name for the father of God’s chosen people, the Israelites.
On their journey from Bethel to Ephrath (Bethlehem), Rachel went into labor and died as she was giving birth. She named her son Ben-oni (son of my sorrow) because she knew she was dying. However, Jacob renamed him Benjamin (son of honor). Benjamin would be the last child he would have with the love of his life. Jacob set a pillar over her grave, then they settled for a while near the tower of Eder.
Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn) had relations with Bilhah, his father’s concubine. Jacob was displeased and this eventually led to Reuben losing his birthright. Jacob had twelve sons from Leah, Rachel, Bilhah (Rachel’s maid), Zilpah (Leah’s maid). Yes, it seems he was quite busy.
The sons of Leah: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin
The sons of Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali
The sons of Zilpah: Gad and Asher
Jacob finally returned to his father Isaac who lived to the ripe old age of 180. Isaac died and was buried by his sons, Jacob and Esau.