The Meaning of Genesis 35:7 Explained

Genesis 35:7

KJV: And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.

YLT: and he buildeth there an altar, and proclaimeth at the place the God of Bethel: for there had God been revealed unto him, in his fleeing from the face of his brother.

Darby: And he built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el; because there God had appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother.

ASV: And he built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el; because there God was revealed unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he built  there an altar,  and called  the place  Elbethel:  because there God  appeared  unto him, when he fled  from the face  of his brother. 

What does Genesis 35:7 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 35:7 mean?

And he built there an altar and called the place El - Bethel because there appeared to him God when he fled from the face of his brother
וַיִּ֤בֶן שָׁם֙ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ וַיִּקְרָא֙ לַמָּק֔וֹם אֵ֖ל בֵּֽית־ אֵ֑ל כִּ֣י שָׁ֗ם נִגְל֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים בְּבָרְח֖וֹ מִפְּנֵ֥י אָחִֽיו

וַיִּ֤בֶן  And  he  built 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
מִזְבֵּ֔חַ  an  altar 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
וַיִּקְרָא֙  and  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
לַמָּק֔וֹם  the  place 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
אֵ֖ל  El 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
בֵּֽית־  - 
Parse: Preposition
אֵ֑ל  Bethel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בֵּית־אֵל  
Sense: ancient place and seat of worship in Ephraim on border of Benjamin, identified with Luz (former name).
כִּ֣י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
נִגְל֤וּ  appeared 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: גָּלָה  
Sense: to uncover, remove.
אֵלָיו֙  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּבָרְח֖וֹ  when  he  fled 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַח 
Sense: to go through, flee, run away, chase, drive away, put to flight, reach, shoot (extend), hurry away.
מִפְּנֵ֥י  from  the  face 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אָחִֽיו  of  his  brother 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.