Genesis 35:1 God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.
Jacob had allowed ten years to pass since his return from Mesopotamia, without performing the vow which he made at Bethel when fleeing from Esau, although he had recalled it to mind when resolving to return , and had also erected an altar in Shechem to the “God of Israel”. He was now directed by God to go to Bethel, and there build an altar to the God who had appeared to him on his flight from Esau. This command stirred him up to perform what had been neglected, viz., to put away from his house the strange gods, which he had tolerated in weak consideration for his wives, and which had no doubt occasioned the long neglect, and to pay to God the vow that he had made in the day of his trouble. (Keil and Delitzsch)
The whole Shechem incident happened because Jacob went to Shechem instead of Bethel, where he was supposed to be. “The only cure for worldliness is to separate from it” (Barnhouse)
Beth-el was forgotten. But as many as God loves, he will remind of neglected duties, one way or other, by conscience or by providences. When we have vowed a vow to God, it is best not to defer the payment of it; yet better late than never. Jacob commanded his household to prepare, not only for the journey and removal, but for religious services. (Henry)
And be clean — Cleanse yourselves by outward and ritual washing, which even then was in use, and was considered as an emblem of cleansing the soul, by repentance, from all those impure lusts and vile affections, whereby a man becomes polluted in the sight of God. This, no doubt, Jacob had chiefly in view; namely, that they should cleanse their hands from blood, and from their late detestable cruelty, and purify their hearts from those evil dispositions which had given birth to such abominable wickedness, that they might be fit to approach God in his worship. And change your garments — In token of your changing your minds and manners. (Benson)
Jacob being visited by God again listens and takes action. By these actions, it can be understood that he was aware of things that were not in line with honoring and glorifying God. His son’s deception and slaughter of the men, plunder of their possessions, taking captive of their women and children, the apparent worship or following after false gods and customs, and as well his own neglect of fulfilling his vow to God. Get rid of your idols and false gods, wash yourselves, and put on clean garments for we are leaving this place of disobedience and following after God.
We, may at times, find a place of personal rest that seems right, but in fact, it is not where God intends for us to be either physically or spiritually. We do well to seek God’s leading, obey and follow this leading, and trust and rely on Him for surely He is God and His plans and purposes for our lives are never wrong.
