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Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Genesis 35:2

Genesis 35:2. Put away the strange gods that are among you This is evidently a mistranslation; the Hebrew אלהי הנכר means, not the strange gods that are among you, but the gods of the stranger that is among you, alluding probably to the captive Shechemite women, who now made a part of his household, or to other Gentiles who had joined themselves to his family, and who might secretly worship idols. Thus, like a good man, and a good master of a family, he takes care not only for himself,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Genesis 35:1-15

Back in Canaan (33:18-35:15)From Succoth Jacob later moved with his household across the Jordan River into Canaan itself and settled in Shechem. By buying a piece of land, he gained permanent possession of part of the land God had promised to him and his descendants (18-20; cf. 23:1-20; 28:1-5).When the son of a local headman raped Jacob’s daughter Dinah, the headman suggested to Jacob that his son marry Dinah, and that Jacob’s sons marry the local Canaanite women (34:1-12). Jacob’s sons agreed... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Genesis 35:2

Put away. Purification necessary in going up to Beth-el = the house of God. strange gods. Doubtless part of the spoils taken from the houses of the Shechemites. Compare Genesis 35:4 , and See Genesis 34:28 , Genesis 34:29 . be clean. First occurance. Here and always used of ceremonial cleansing read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 35:1-7

JACOB RECALLED TO BETHEL"And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, who appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the foreign gods that are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your garments: and let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 35:2

Genesis 35:2. Put away the strange gods— Heb. the gods of the strangers] i.e.. of the Shechemites, or others, who had joined themselves to his family; from which, being resolved to make a total reform, and to establish the worship of Jehovah only, Jacob orders every object of false worship to be removed, every idol and every thing dedicated to idolatry, Genesis 35:4. Be clean, and change your garments, &c.— Be clean, by washing yourselves with water, emblem of the internal purification of... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Genesis 35:2

2. Then Jacob said unto his household . . . Put away the strange gods that are among you—Hebrew, "gods of the stranger," of foreign nations. Jacob had brought, in his service, a number of Mesopotamian retainers, who were addicted to superstitious practices; and there is some reason to fear that the same high testimony as to the religious superintendence of his household could not have been borne of him as was done of Abraham (Genesis 18:19). He might have been too negligent hitherto in winking... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 35:1-8

Jacob’s renewed consecration to Yahweh 35:1-8About 10 years had passed since Jacob had returned from Paddan-aram, and he had not yet returned to Bethel to fulfill his vow there (Genesis 28:20-22). He should have headed there immediately rather than settling near Shechem. His negligence evidently was due in part to the continuing presence of the idols that Rachel and probably others had brought from Haran. Perhaps their allegiance to these gods restrained Jacob’s total commitment to Yahweh (cf.... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 35:1-29

Jacob journeys by way of Bethel to Hebron. Death of Rachel and of Isaac1. Jacob is commanded to go to Bethel and fulfil the vow he had once made there (Genesis 28:20, Genesis 28:22).2. Strange gods] Perhaps the idols of some of Jacob’s people who had come with him from Haran, such as the teraphim which Rachel carried off (Genesis 31:19). Be clean, and change your garments] rites symbolising purification from idolatry. 4. Earrings] worn superstitiously as charms, and often inscribed with magical... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 35:1-29

THE TÔLDÔTH ISAAC (Genesis 25:19 to Genesis 35:29). THE BIRTH OF ISAAC’S SONS.Abraham begat Isaac—The Tôldôth in its original form gave probably a complete genealogy of Isaac, tracing up his descent to Shem, and showing thereby that the right of primogeniture belonged to him; but the inspired historian uses only so much of this as is necessary for tracing the development of the Divine plan of human redemption.The Syrian.—Really, the Aramean, or descendant of Aram. (See Genesis 10:22-23.) The... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 35:2

(2) Strange gods.—Besides Rachel’s teraphim, many, probably, of the persons acquired by Jacob at Haran were idolaters, and had brought their gods with them. Besides these, the numerous men and women who formed the”tafs” of the Shechemites were certainly worshippers of false deities. The object, then, of this reformation was not merely to raise Jacob’s own family to a higher spiritual state, but also to initiate the many heathen belonging to their households into the true religion. Outward rites... read more

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