Genesis 35:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Observe the profound concern that God shows for the upright individual. Aware of the fear that arose from his sons' actions, God spoke to Jacob, instructing him to rise and journey to Bethel, where he should reside. He encouraged Jacob to leave the place that troubled him and to establish an altar in Bethel in honor of the Lord, who had revealed Himself to him during his flight from his brother Esau.

Overwhelmed by fear and deep sorrow, Jacob received a command from God to leave. Numerous factors come together to demonstrate clearly why Jacob chose to return to the land of Israel and why he viewed this return as infinitely preferable. He lived in tents, and in doing so he did not indicate that the faithful in this life belong to a reclusive sort. After enduring the painful experiences involving his children, particularly troubled by the actions of his sons Simeon and Levi, who were led astray by his anger into disgraceful acts, he strongly admonished them. Through this action, he illustrates the importance for the faithful to remain steadfast and patient amid trials. When he was called by God and journeyed to Bethel—the house of God, as the name suggests—he served the Lord diligently, thereby becoming a guardian of divine mysteries.

It is not fitting to expect a grand temple from the early Patriarchs who lived in tents, as this would violate their simple way of life. Instead, the essence of the temple was encapsulated in their altars. Their sacred biographies demonstrate that when God manifested His presence, the Patriarch would construct an altar, and conversely, the act of building an altar would prompt a divine appearance, indicating God's approval of both the altar and its builder. For instance, after God preserved Noah through the flood, Noah responded by creating an altar to the Lord, as recorded in Genesis 8:20. He offered a burnt offering, and shortly thereafter, God appeared again to bless the renewed world.