Discovery BoxGenesis 12:7-8 
Context12:7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants 1 I will give this land.” So Abram 2 built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
12:8 Then he moved from there to the hill country east of Bethel 3 and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and worshiped the Lord. 4
Genesis 35:1
Context35:1 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up at once 5 to Bethel 6 and live there. Make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 7
Genesis 35:3
Context35:3 Let us go up at once 8 to Bethel. Then I will make 9 an altar there to God, who responded to me in my time of distress 10 and has been with me wherever I went.” 11
1 tn The same Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context.
2 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been supplied in the translation for clarification.
3 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
4 tn Heb “he called in the name of the
5 tn Heb “arise, go up.” The first imperative gives the command a sense of urgency.
6 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
7 sn God is calling on Jacob to fulfill his vow he made when he fled from…Esau (see Gen 28:20-22).
8 tn Heb “let us arise and let us go up.” The first cohortative gives the statement a sense of urgency.
9 tn The cohortative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or consequence.
10 tn Heb “day of distress.” See Ps 20:1 which utilizes similar language.
11 tn Heb “in the way in which I went.” Jacob alludes here to God’s promise to be with him (see Gen 28:20).
