And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that [were] round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
5. a great terror ] Heb. a terror of God. The inhabitants were under the influence of a mysterious dread or panic, inspired by God. Cf. Exo 15:16; Exo 23:27; Deu 2:25; Jos 2:9 ; 2Ch 14:14.
did not pursue ] These words which imply that “the sons of Jacob” had by their violence given just cause of provocation, presuppose ch. 34.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 5. The terror of God] A supernatural awe sent by the Almighty, was upon the cities that were round about, so that they were not molested in their departure. This could be owing to nothing less than the especial providence of God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The terror of God, i.e. a great terror sent from God, as Exo 23:27; Jos 2:9,11; 2Ch 14:14; 17:10. So we read of a sleep of God, 1Sa 26:12. Nothing less could have secured Jacob, considering the great number, power, and rage of his enemies.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. the terror of God was upon thecitiesThere was every reason to apprehend that a storm ofindignation would burst from all quarters upon Jacob’s family, andthat the Canaanite tribes would have formed one united plan ofrevenge. But a supernatural panic seized them; and thus, for the sakeof the “heir of the promise,” the protecting shield ofProvidence was specially held over his family.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And they journeyed,…. Jacob and his family, with all that were with them, from Shechem to Bethel:
and the terror of God was upon the cities that [were] round about them; an exceeding great panic seized the inhabitants of the cities of the land of Canaan, all about Shechem, which was from God himself impressing it on their minds, through what the sons of Jacob had done to that city:
and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob; as it might have been thought they would, and take revenge on them for their ill usage of the inhabitants of a neighbouring city; but instead of this, they were afraid they should be used in the same manner; wherefore Jacob and his family journeyed in safety, and came to Bethel in peace.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
5. And the terror of God was upon the cities. It now manifestly appears that deliverance was not in vain promised to the holy man by God; since, amidst so many hostile swords, he goes forth not only in safety but undisturbed. By the destruction of the Shechemites all the neighboring people were inflamed with enmity against a single family; yet no one moves to take vengeance. The reason is explained by Moses, that the terror of God had fallen upon them, which repressed their violent assaults. Hence we may learn that the hearts of men are in the hands of God; that he can inspire those with fortitude who in themselves are weak; and, on the other hand, soften their iron-hardness whenever he pleases. Sometimes, indeed, he suffers many to cast up the foam of their pride, against whom he afterwards opposes his power: but he often weakens those with fear who were naturally bold as lions: thus we find these giants, who were able to devour Jacob a hundred times, so struck with terror that they faint away. Wherefore, whenever we see the wicked furiously bent on our destruction, lest our hearts should fail with fear and be broken by desperation, let us call to mind this terror of God, by which the rage, however furious, of the whole world may be easily subdued.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(5) The terror . . . Heb., a terror of God, that is, a very great terror (see Gen. 23:6; Gen. 30:8). But to the deeply religious mind of the Hebrew everything that was great and wonderful was the result of the direct working of the Deity. (But see Note on Gen. 48:22.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. Terror of God A terror inspired and intensified by God himself, who, on the other hand, had softened the heart of Esau to tenderness towards his brother .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And they began their journey, and a terror from God (or ‘a great terror’) was on the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.’
They made their escape from Shechem without interference. This was because of the fear that had spread round as a result of their activities. Stories about the raid by Jacob’s sons were probably spread from mouth to mouth, expanding as they went, so that by the time the other cities heard them a large, fierce army had been involved. And this was added to and used by God. Thus they kept away, and by the time the truth was known it was too late. Jacob’s sons had made their escape. Such a terror from God is witnessed to elsewhere in Exo 23:27; 1Sa 14:15. It is implied in Jos 10:10; Jdg 4:15; Jdg 7:22. God can work in men’s minds in many ways.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 35:5. The terror of God, &c. The sacred writer here assigns a reason, why Jacob and his family were not pursued and cut off by the inhabitants of the neighbouring cities, for Simeon and Levi’s cruelty to the Shechemites: God cast a panic fear, a dread of them upon the inhabitants. See Exo 23:27. Jos 9:11. 2Ch 14:14 and 2Ch 17:10.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
What can be more gratifying, than to see how the LORD provides for his people, even in the very hearts of their enemies. What a cluster of scriptures might be gathered in proof of it; see Mal 3:11 ; Isa 54:14-17 ; Deu 7:10 ; Exo 34:24 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 35:5 And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that [were] round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
Ver. 5. The terror of God was upon the cities. ] The Hebrews tell us, that they pursued Jacob, and were beaten back by him: whereupon he saith, Gen 48:22 that he took that country “out of the hand of the Amorites, with his sword and with his bow.” God might send a panic terror upon them as they were fighting against Jacob, and so bridle them from further attempts. The Syrians heard a noise of chariots and horses in the air, 2Ki 7:7 made by angels, likely; or whether it were but their own fancy, as Jdg 9:36 , and as the Burgundians took a field of standing corn for an army of fighting men, and fled for their lives. Theodosius, the Emperor, overcame the Persians and Saracens by means of a panic terror smitten into them by God; so that they ran into the river Euphrates, and above a hundred thousand of them perished in the waters. a
a Alsted, Chronol, p. 300.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Gen 35:5-8
5As they journeyed, there was a great terror upon the cities which were around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. 6So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. 7He built an altar there, and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed Himself to him when he fled from his brother. 8Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; it was named Allon-bacuth.
Gen 35:5 “there was great a terror upon the cities which were around them” The basic root for the term “terror” is (BDB 369, K 363, cf. Gen 9:2; Job 41:25); also in Job 6:21. The basic two-consonant root can also mean “shattered” (cf. 1Sa 2:4) or “dismayed” (cf. Jer 10:2; Jer 46:5). The form in this verse is and it occurs only here.
Although the word is not used in Conquest texts it appears to denote something of the “holy war” imagery (lit. “a terror of God,” cf. Exo 15:16; Exo 23:27; Jos 10:10). In the ANE military campaigns were carried out in the name of the national deity. From the immediate context it could refer to the slaughter of Shechem (cf. Genesis 34). God was with Jacob in a special and recognizable way!
It is possible that elohim is used in a descriptive sense of “great terror,” as in Gen 23:6 (cf. NASB, REB).
Gen 35:6 “Luz” We know from Gen 28:19 that Jacob encountered YHWH just outside of this Canaanite city and he named the place “Bethel.” Throughout this period the Canaanites would call the city “Luz” (BDB 531 II, meaning “almond tree”) and the Jews would call it by the name of the place where Jacob first encountered YHWH, “Bethel,” which means “house of God” (BDB 110).
Gen 35:7 See note at Gen 26:25.
NASB, NRSVEl-bethel”
NKJV, NJB,
JPSOA”El-Bethel”
TEVGod of Bethel”
The Patriarchs named places where Deity appeared to them. This place near Luz was where YHWH initially contacted Jacob. He remembers it well! So he names it again as “the El of the house of El” (Bethel) because of the angels (cf. Job 1:6; Psa 8:5 or a reference to the angelic council, cf. Gen 1:26; 1Ki 22:19) ascending and descending and YHWH standing above/beside the ladder.
“God had revealed Himself” The name for “God” is Elohim, which is PLURAL. Usually when the name is used of the One God the VERB is SINGULAR, but here it is PLURAL (BDB 162, KB 191, Niphal PERFECT PLURAL). This may be (ABD, vol. 1, p. 270) because in Gen 28:12 Elohim is used in connection with the angels of God. These occurrences of Elohim and a PLURAL VERB are rare.
It is also possible that the PERFECT TENSE and the PLURAL VERB denote a complete revelation.
Gen 35:8 “Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died” This detail denotes an eyewitness/contemporary source! Deborah had been a very faithful servant since Gen 24:59. She would have been quite elderly. Notice that she is buried under (BDB 1065) an oak; again, another sacred site. The name of the place was called “the oak of weeping” (BDB 47 and 113).
“below. . .under” These terms (BDB 1065) need to be explained because of their ambiguity in English.
1. below Bethel, denotes a lower height than the altar itself
2. under, means under the canopy of the branches, not under the trunk
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Gen 34:30, Exo 15:15, Exo 15:16, Exo 23:27, Exo 34:24, Deu 11:25, Jos 2:9-11, Jos 5:1, 1Sa 11:7, 1Sa 14:15, 2Ch 14:14, 2Ch 17:10, Psa 14:5
Reciprocal: Gen 9:2 – General Gen 20:6 – withheld Lev 26:36 – I will send 2Ch 20:29 – the fear Est 8:17 – for the fear Est 9:2 – the fear Psa 105:14 – General Psa 105:38 – for Eze 32:32 – General 2Co 5:11 – the terror
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 35:5. The terror of God A great terror from God; was upon the cities Especially the cities nearest to Shechem, so that, although, humanly speaking, they were able, they were restrained from pursuing or destroying Jacob and his family. Nothing less could have secured them, considering the number, power, and rage of their enemies. God governs the world more by secret terrors on mens minds than we are aware of.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
35:5 And they journeyed: and the
(d) terror of God was upon the cities that [were] round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
(d) Thus, despite the inconvenience that came before, God delivered Jacob.