Study it in the app“Let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make there an altar to El who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me on the way that I have gone.””
Let us ariseוְנָקוּמָהand go upוְנַעֲלֶהto Bethel,בֵּית אֵלand I will makeוְאֶעֱשֶׂהthereשָּׁםan altarמִזְבֵּחַto Elלָאֵלwho answeredהָעֹנֶהmeאֹתִיin the dayבְּיוֹםof my distressצָרָתִיand has beenוַיְהִיwith meעִמָּדִיon the wayבַּדֶּרֶךְthatאֲשֶׁרI have gone.”הָלָכְתִּי
rise
To go from sitting or lying to standing, or to set out.
Where else “nakuma” appearsgo up
To go from a low place to a higher one: up the mountain, to Jerusalem or to a city.
Where else “naale” appearsBethel
See it on the mapWhere else “bet” appearsmake
To build or create something.
Where else “eese” appearsaltar
Altar: a structure of stone or earth on which sacrifices are offered to God.
Where else “mizbeach” appearsEl, God, god
"El", an ancient Hebrew word for "God". Alone or with another title it is a name of the God of Israel: El Elyon (God Most High), El Shaddai (God Almighty). Neighboring peoples used the same word for their gods; then this translation writes "god" in lower case. It also means "mighty".
Where else “el” appearshear prayer
God answers the one who calls on him: with a word, or with an act such as fire.
Where else “one” appearsday
The day, the hours of light, or a whole day.
Where else “yom” appearsdistress
A time of hardship or danger.
Where else “tsarati” appearsbe
To be: "I will be their Elohim".
Where else “yehi” appearswith me
With me, beside me.
Where else “imadi” appearsroad
The track or route by which one goes from one place to another.
Where else “derech” appearsgo
To move on foot from place to place; to set out.
Where else “halachti” appearsBethel ?
Today: possibly Beitin, West Bank
A city in the hills about 11 miles (17 km) north of Jerusalem; the location is approximate.
There Jacob dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven and named the place Bethel, "house of God" (Gen 28:19). Jeroboam set up a golden calf there (1 Kgs 12:29).
2So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments.
3 · This verse (above)
4So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their hands, and the rings that were in their ears; and Jacob buried them under the oak that was near Shechem.
1. What it says
What did Elohim tell Jacob to do at Bethel, and what did his household leave behind (vv. 1-4)?
2. What it means
What does it show about Jacob that he asks his household to put away the foreign gods (vv. 2-3)?
3. How I live it
What gets in the way of your trust in Elohim, and could you leave it behind?
