And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him.
God appeared to Jacob again at Bethel after he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him there. The appearing came after the cruel revenge of his sons against the Shechemites, which had left Jacob despised and in danger of destruction by the surrounding nations. In his distress he called upon God, and he was told to go to Bethel and build an altar.
Before going up to worship God there, Jacob humbled himself and cleansed his house from sin. He required his household and all who were with him to humble themselves, to put away the strange gods and idols among them, to be clean, to change their garments, and to lay off all their ornaments. The ornaments, including earrings, were given to Jacob and hidden under the oak by Shechem, and were never found again.
He was to make atonement for their sins by offering sacrifice, so that God would be entreated for them and would not leave them to be destroyed by the other nations. God put terror upon the surrounding cities, so that they did not pursue Jacob's sons. The appearing and blessing showed that God accepted Jacob's efforts to remove the wrong from his family. In appearing to him, God renewed the covenant promise made to him. He did this because Jacob's fear was before Him.
God appeared to Jacob again at Bethel after he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him there. The appearing came after the cruel revenge of his sons against the Shechemites, which had left Jacob despised and in danger of destruction by the surrounding nations. In his distress he called upon God, and he was told to go to Bethel and build an altar.
Before going up to worship God there, Jacob humbled himself and cleansed his house from sin. He required his household and all who were with him to humble themselves, to put away the strange gods and idols among them, to be clean, to change their garments, and to lay off all their ornaments. The ornaments, including earrings, were given to Jacob and hidden under the oak by Shechem, and were never found again.
He was to make atonement for their sins by offering sacrifice, so that God would be entreated for them and would not leave them to be destroyed by the other nations. God put terror upon the surrounding cities, so that they did not pursue Jacob's sons. The appearing and blessing showed that God accepted Jacob's efforts to remove the wrong from his family. In appearing to him, God renewed the covenant promise made to him. He did this because Jacob's fear was before Him.