Genesis 35 records some of the most consequential events in Jacob's life—Rachel's death, the birth of Benjamin, and Jacob's return to his father Isaac. The Targum Jonathan, the ancient Aramaic rendering from roughly the 1st-2nd century CE, threads these events together with messianic prophecy and theological daring that the standard Hebrew text barely hints at.
When God commanded Jacob to return to Bethel and build an altar, Jacob ordered his household to surrender all the idols they had taken from the looted temple of Shechem. The Targum specifies that the earrings the people gave up were not ordinary jewelry—they bore engraved images of the local gods. Jacob buried everything under the terebinth near Shechem. Then, as they traveled, a divine tremor fell upon the surrounding cities so that no one dared pursue the sons of Jacob. God's terror functioned as a military escort.
At Bethel, Jacob erected an altar and the Targum adds a striking phrase: he named the place "To God, who made His Shekinah (שכינה) to dwell in Bethel." The standard text says nothing about the Shekinah—that is the Targum inserting its core theological concept, the idea that God's presence physically inhabits specific locations on earth.
The Targum's treatment of Rachel's death introduces a detail absent from the Hebrew Bible. When the nurse Deborah died and was buried below Bethel, Jacob learned there of his mother Rebekah's death—which is why the place was called "the other weeping." The Targum links two unrelated mournings into one devastating moment of compounded grief.
God's blessing to Jacob included a prophecy the Targum significantly expands. Where the Hebrew says "kings shall come from you," the Targum specifies "a holy people, and a congregation of prophets and priests, shall be from your sons, and two kings shall yet from you go forth." The pillar Jacob erected received not just an oil anointing, but a libation of wine and a libation of water—because, the Targum explains, "thus it was to be done at the feast of Tabernacles." Jacob was performing the Sukkot (the Festival of Tabernacles) water libation ceremony centuries before the Temple existed.
Most remarkably, when Jacob pitched his tent beyond the Tower of Eder after Rachel's burial, the Targum adds: "the place from whence the King Meshiha will be revealed at the end of days." Rachel's tomb becomes a messianic landmark. And when Reuben disturbed Bilhah's bed, Jacob feared he had produced a wicked son like Ishmael or Esau. But the Holy Spirit answered directly: "Fear not, for all are righteous and none of them is profane." God Himself intervened to assure Jacob that every one of his twelve sons was worthy.
And the Lord said to Jakob, Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there, and make there an altar unto Eloha, who revealed Himself to thee in thy flight from before Esau thy brother.
And Jakob said to the men of his house, and to all who were with him, Put away the idols of the peoples which are among you which you took from the temple* of Shekem, and purify you from the uncleannesses of the slain whom you have and change your raiment.
And we will arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make there an altar unto Eloha, who heard my prayer in the day when I was afflicted, and whose Word was my helper in the way that I went.
And they delivered into Jakob's hand all the idols of the people which were in their hands which they had taken from the temple of Shekem, and the jewels that had been in the ears of the inhabitants of the city of Shekem, in which was portrayed the likeness of their images; and Jakob hid them under the terebinth that was near to the city of Shekem.
And they journeyed from thence, offering praise and prayer before the Lord. And there was a tremor from before the Lord upon the people of the cities round about them, and they pursued not after the sons of Jakob.
And Jakob came to Luz in the land of Kenaan, which is Bethel, he and all the people who were with him.
And he builded there an altar, and named that place, To God, who made His Shekinah to dwell in Bethel, because there had been revealed to him the angels of the Lord, in his flight from before Esau his brother.
And Deborah, the nurse of Rivekah, died, and was buried below Bethel, in the field of the plain. And there it was told Jakob concerning the death of Rivekah his mother; and he called the name of it, The other weeping.
And the Lord revealed Himself to Jakob again on his return from Padan of Aram, and the Lord blessed him by the name of His Word, after the death of his mother.
And the Lord said to him, Heretofore was thy name Jakob: thy name shall be no more called Jakob, but Israel shall be thy name.
And the Lord said to him, I am El Shadai: spread forth and multiply; a holy people, and a congregation of prophets and priests, shall be from thy sons whom thou hast begotten, and two kings shall yet from thee go forth.
And the land which I gave to Abraham and to Izhak will I give unto thee, and to thy son, after thee will I give the land.
And the Shekinah of the Lord ascended from him in the place where He had spoken with him
And Jakob erected there a pillar of stone in the place where He had spoken with him, a pillar of stone; and he outpoured upon it a libation of wine, and a libation of water, because thus it was to be done at the feast of Tabernacles; and he poured oil of olives thereupon.
And Jakob called the name of the place where the Lord had spoken with him Beth El.
And they proceeded from Beth El; and there was yet much space of provision land in the coming to Ephrath and Rahel travailed, and had hard labour in her birth.
And it was in the hardness of her travail that the midwife said to her, Fear not, for this also is to thee a male child.
And it was in the going forth of her soul, for death came upon her, that she called his name The son of my woe: but his father called him Benjamin.
And Rahel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.
And Jakob erected a pillar over the house of burying: which is the pillar of the tomb of Rahel unto this day.
And Jakob proceeded and spread his tent beyond the tower of Eder, the place from whence, it is to be, the King Meshiha will be revealed at the end of the days.
And it was while Israel dwelt in this land that Reuben went and confounded the bed of Bilhah the concubine of his father, which had been ordained along with the bed of Leah his mother; and this is reputed with regard to him, as if he had lain with her. And Israel heard it, and it afflicted him, and he said, Alas, that one should have come forth from me so profane, even as Ishmael came forth from Abraham, and Esau from my father! The Spirit of Holiness answered and thus spake to him: fear not, for all are righteous and none of them is profane! So, after Benjamin was born, the sons of Jakob were twelve.
The sons of Leah, the first--born of Jakob, Reuben, and Shimeon, and Levi, and Jehudah, and Issakar, and Zabulon.
The sons of Rahel, Joseph and Benjamin.
The sons of Bilhah, the handmaid of Rahel, Dan and Naphtali;
and the sons of Zilpha, the handmaid of Leah, Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jakob who were born to him in Padan Aram.
And Jakob came to Izhak his father, at Mamre the city of Arba, which is Hebron, for there Abraham and Izhak had dwelt.
And the days of Izhak were an hundred and eighty years.
And Izhak expired and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days, and Esau and Jakob his sons buried him.
