Chapter 35 opens with Jacob and his people leaving the area of Shechem. It is not possible to say how soon they depart following the massacre and plunder of Shechem. However, it is God who tells Jacob to go.
Many translators will want to link chapter 35 to 34 by showing that the events in chapter 35 follow those in the previous chapter. New International Version says “Then God said….” We may also say, for example, “Later,” “After some time had passed,” or “Soon after that.”
God said to Jacob: the words that follow are in the form of a command, and this will influence the way said is rendered in some languages.
Arise, go up to Bethel: for Arise see 13.17. The verb go up is the same verb as was used in 13.1, where Abraham came eastward from Egypt to the Negeb. In this case the direction from Shechem to Bethel is south and the distance is about 30 kilometers (20 miles; note their locations on the map, page 19); however, Bethel lies about 300 meters (1000 feet) higher than Shechem. More significant, however, than a command to go to a higher place is the fact that the Hebrew word translated go up is frequently used in the context of a call to undertake a pilgrimage or journey to a sacred place to celebrate a special occasion (here the keeping of Jacob’s vow made in 28.20-22). This verb occurs, for example, in Psa 122.1, in which the psalmist says “Let us go to the house of the LORD!” Jacob will repeat the call to make the pilgrimage in Gen 35.3.
Dwell means to settle, remain, live.
For altar see 8.20.
Jacob is instructed by God to make … an altar to the God who appeared to you …. In some languages this command will require restructuring to make clear that God is speaking of himself and not of a different god. Note that Good News Translation says “to me, the God who appeared….” Bible en français courant makes the reference to God who is speaking still clearer by translating “… where you will build me an altar. It was there that I showed myself to you when you….” Make … an altar to may require indicating the purpose of the altar; for example, “build an altar to worship the God who….”
God who appeared … fled … Esau: the reference is to 28.11-17. Note the translation of Bible en français courant above.
In some languages the verse is made clearer by moving the last clause to the beginning: “I am God who appeared to you at Bethel … Now you must go back there and live there. And you must make an altar there….”
Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .