Genesis 35:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Observe the faithfulness and devotion of the righteous individual. Upon receiving the command, ‘Go to Bethel, build an altar,’ he promptly gathered his family and instructed them, ‘Forsake the foreign gods.’ One might wonder what deities he referred to, as there is no evidence of his worshipping any idols; the righteous man had always demonstrated his devotion from the very beginning. Perhaps he was alluding to the deities of Laban, which Rachel had taken. Thus, he urged, ‘As we prepare to offer our thanksgivings to the true God, who continuously intercedes for me, cast away any idols you might possess; cleanse yourselves and change your attire.’ Let us then ascend to the city; having purified ourselves both externally and internally, we will proceed. Our purity should be evident not just through the garments we wear, but by ridding our minds of idols, allowing us to approach Bethel with true holiness.