Jacob Returns to Bethel and Erects an Altar There. God Renews His Covenant With Him. He Finally Joins With Isaac. The Death of Isaac (35:1-36:1a)
This covenant record is based around the theophany and covenant in Genesis 35:9-12. It is a moment of extreme sacredness on Jacob's return to Bethel after so long an absence from the promised land and results in his finally joining his father Isaac and the main family tribe at Mamre.
‘And God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there, and make there an altar to God who appeared to you when you fled from Esau your brother.” '
Jacob is still at Shechem (Genesis 35:4) but it would not have been wise to remain there in view of what has happened. It is thus timely that God appears again to Jacob with the command to move on. God's motive is however slightly different. He had seen that Jacob had been ready to compromise. Now He requires him to go back to Bethel to reconsecrate himself and his tribe. A dangerous and covenant-wrecking situation has been averted.
We should note that the narrative is fully aware of Jacob's previous visit to Bethel (Genesis 35:1; Genesis 35:7; Genesis 35:9). It is, of course, only ‘Bethel' at this time to Jacob because of his experience there. To the outside world it is still in the region of Luz (Genesis 35:6).
The command then is to return to where he had had his previous vision. This will take him well away from the neighbourhood of Shechem. God is calling Jacob to a new dedication of himself. And indeed Jacob is aware that he cannot approach that holy place without re-examining his life for there he had met with God in an unusually vivid way.