The Meaning of Genesis 35:2 Explained

Genesis 35:2

KJV: Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

YLT: And Jacob saith unto his household, and unto all who are with him, 'Turn aside the gods of the stranger which are in your midst, and cleanse yourselves, and change your garments;

Darby: And Jacob said to his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and cleanse yourselves, and change your garments;

ASV: 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:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then Jacob  said  unto his household,  and to all that [were] with him, Put away  the strange  gods  that [are] among you,  and be clean,  and change  your garments: 

What does Genesis 35:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 35:1-15 - Jacob Blessed At Bethel
Thirty years before Jacob was at Bethel. Life was young then. He had only his staff. The future was unshaped and unknown. It was on the occasion of his first night from home; and he made many vows. How much had happened since then! Marriage, prosperity, children! But he had drifted down the stream, and had traveled into the far country from God. It was well that he should get back to Bethel, and consider the whole story of his life, as you may trace a river from source to mouth from an overlooking hill. The divine summons is always bidding us be clean and change our garments, and be rid of idols. There God gave him the great new name of Israel; and took to himself the reassuring name of El-Shaddai. It was as though, as the Almighty, he pledged himself to realize the highest and best. Let us take heart! God will make us fruitful, will give us the land, and will ward off the results of our misdeeds, Genesis 35:5.
For Review Questions on Genesis see the e-Sword Book Comments for Genesis.
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Chapter Summary: Genesis 35

1  God commands Jacob to go to Bethel
2  He purges his house of idols
6  He builds an altar at Bethel
8  Deborah dies at Allon Bacuth
9  God blesses Jacob at Bethel
10  Jacob Named Israel
16  Rachel travails of Benjamin, and dies in the way to Edar
22  Reuben lies with Bilhah
23  The sons of Jacob
27  Jacob comes to Isaac at Hebron
28  The age, death, and burial of Isaac

What do the individual words in Genesis 35:2 mean?

And said Jacob to his household and to all who [were] with him Put away - gods the foreign that [are] among you and purify yourselves and change your garments
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙ אֶל־ בֵּית֔וֹ וְאֶ֖ל כָּל־ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עִמּ֑וֹ הָסִ֜רוּ אֶת־ אֱלֹהֵ֤י הַנֵּכָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּתֹכְכֶ֔ם וְהִֽטַּהֲר֔וּ וְהַחֲלִ֖יפוּ שִׂמְלֹתֵיכֶֽם

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יַעֲקֹב֙  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
בֵּית֔וֹ  his  household 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וְאֶ֖ל  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  who  [were] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עִמּ֑וֹ  with  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
הָסִ֜רוּ  Put  away 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֱלֹהֵ֤י  gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הַנֵּכָר֙  the  foreign 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֵכָר  
Sense: foreign, alien, foreignness, that which is foreign.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בְּתֹכְכֶ֔ם  among  you 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
וְהִֽטַּהֲר֔וּ  and  purify  yourselves 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: טָהֵר  
Sense: to be clean, be pure.
וְהַחֲלִ֖יפוּ  and  change 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: חָלַף 
Sense: to pass on or away, pass through, pass by, go through, grow up, change, to go on from.
שִׂמְלֹתֵיכֶֽם  your  garments 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: שִׂמְלָה  
Sense: wrapper, mantle, covering garment, garments, clothes, raiment, a cloth.