Genesis

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NASB	Genesis 35:1 Then God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau."
AMPLIFIED 2015 2015	Genesis 35:1 Then God said to Jacob, "Go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you [in a distinct manifestation] when you fled [years ago] from Esau your brother." [Gen 28:11-22]

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Bible Question: In Genesis 35:1 why does God tell Jacob to make an altar to (the) God who appeared to him when he fled from Esau?...Why doesn't God just say, "make an altar to Me?"

The "God" that God is referring to said to Jacob "I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac" So are we to see God and this God as seperate entities?

Bible Answer: Hi tremure123, Welcome to the forum. I hope you don't burn yourself out too quickly here. You have a good start here on the forum with a good question.

There are many places where the Scriptures say, "And God said," and then says something like, "God will". I wouldn't be able to quickly give you a list of these occurrances, but they do happen. So I wouldn't necessarily make too much of this.

However, the question of whether we can see God and this God as separate entities is a good one. Personally I see an excellent comparison/contrast between Genesis 35:1-5, NKJ and the verse you quoted but did not reference, Genesis 28:13. It is a good starting point to consider if the three Persons of God can be distinguished even way back in time here in Genesis.

Genesis 28:13, "And behold, the Lord stood above it [the ladder in Jacob's dream] and said, "I am the **Lord, the *God of your father Abraham and the God/ of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants."

Genesis 35:1ff, "Then **God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar to *God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother." And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God/, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone." So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands... And they journeyed, and the terror of God [a great terror, Or, a terror of God, NASB margin] was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob."

The NKJ 28:13,reads, "The Lord God" and the NASB reads, "The Lord, the God." This difference in itself suggests reflecting on whether two different Persons are involved. Yet of course we remember that the Lord Jesus and the Lord God are one Lord.

Also, the Man, NKJ, that Jacob wrestled with is the incarnate Spirit of God. Jacob was blessed by the King of Israel for he wrestled with God and with men and prevailed. See also John 1:51.

From the heart, Ray

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Genesis