1 Gods said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there; and make there an altar to God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau."
Gods commanded Jacob to arise (lift up his thoughts) and go unto Bethel ("House of God"). After a progressive soul has passed through such an experience as the one recorded in the preceding chapter, this soul feels the need of and affirms the cleansing, purifying, and uplifting power of the Word and resolves to keep its face turned more steadfastly toward the light.
2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the strange god that is among you, and purify yourselves, and change your garments;
3 then let us arise and go up to Bethel, that I may make there an altar to the god who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone."
The foreign gods here referred to supposedly are little images (made of a material substance such as clay or iron) representing ideas. The rings symbolize ornaments in which a vain and frivolous soul delights.
All these relics of the country they were leaving were now to be cast out of the conscious mind. The change of garments represents a change of thoughts.
4 So they gave to Jacob the strange god that they had, and the rings that were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was near Shechem.
5 And as they journeyed, a terror from Gods fell upon the cities that were round about them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.
6 And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him,
The name Luz means "turning away," "departing," "a shrub bearing nuts." Luz indicates separation. It also carries with it the idea of substance and strength ("a shrub bearing nuts") of a more or less material character. When Jacob realized the omnipresence of God, he changed the name of Luz to Bethel ("House of God").
7 and there he built an altar, and called the place El-Bethel, because there the Gods had revealed themselves to him when he fled from his brother.
On the occasion of this, Jacob's second journey to Luz, he set up an altar and called the place El-Bethel, which means "toward Bethel; Strength of the House of God." It symbolizes the revelation from within that the true origin of man is spiritual, that God dwells in man and reveals Himself when man comes to the place in consciousness where he is willing to give up the lower for the higher (builds an altar to God). Man is the house (temple) of God, and he is greatly strengthened when he perceives this truth.
8 And Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and she was buried under an oak below Bethel; so the name of it was called Allon-bacuth.
Rebekah represents the soul's natural delight in the beautiful. The name of Deborah means "a bee." The name Allon-bacuth means "oak of weeping." Weeping is an expression of emotion, a negative condition, a letting go throughout the organism. Rebekah's nurse, Deborah, represents the quality of the soul by virtue of which it serves instinctively and is guided by discrimination and judgment. In mixed states of consciousness, where error seems strongest, Spirit can lead by following the guidance of instinct. Deborah was buried below Bethel ("House of God") under the oak (the protection of Spirit). Allon-bacuth ("oak of weeping") represents the inner strengthening of the true man that comes when, in trying to serve, he lets go of the outer personal activities and goes within to the source of all strength and true energy (the oak) and rests there in God.
9 Gods appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him.
The name Aram means "high," "exalted," and Aram denotes the intellect. The name Paddan means "field," "tableland." Paddan-aram represents substance lifted to a broad, level place in the intellectual thought of the individual. This incident in the life of Jacob has much in common with an earlier one.
10 And Gods said to him, "Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name." So his name was called Israel.
11 And Gods said to him, "I am God Almighty (El Shaddai): be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall spring from you.
12 The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after you."
13 Then Gods went up from him in the place where they had spoken with him.
14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured out a drink offering on it, and poured oil on it.
15 So Jacob called the name of the place where Gods had spoken with him, Bethel.
The foregoing incident left an indelible impression on Jacob's mind, and he counted it as a great spiritual experience and set up a stone as a pillar in commemoration of it.
16 Then they journeyed from Bethel; and when they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor.
Ephrath is the original name of the town of Bethlehem. Ephrath represents a realization of abundant substance, this increase of substance ideas in consciousness bringing about a corresponding fruitfulness, abundance, throughout one's life and affairs.
17 And when she was in her hard labor, the midwife said to her, "Fear not; for now you will have another son."
18 And as her soul was departing (for she died), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called his name Benjamin.
The last of the sons of Jacob was born after his return to Canaan. The death of Rachel and birth of Benjamin represent the transition of a potential soul quality from the subjective to the objective plane of consciousness. Rachel ("ewe," "lamb") represents the pure, innocent, potentially spiritual soul that is a composite of faith, love, power, and the like. It is through Jacob (the intellect) that these qualities are made objective, and when this comes to pass there is temporary sorrow ("son of my sorrow"), followed by rejoicing at the realization of the birth of the new power that has come through the transition ("son of my right hand").
19 So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem),
20 and Jacob set up a pillar upon her grave; it is the pillar of Rachel's tomb, which is there to this day.
21 Israel journeyed on, and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.
The name Eder means "troop," "flock." The tower called Eder, beyond which Israel (Jacob) journeyed and spread his tent, symbolizes the gathering of thoughts of dominion and rulership (Israel means "rulership with God") and the raising of them to a higher degree of understanding; lifting them to a spiritual level by realizing that power and dominion come from God.
22 While Israel dwelt in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine; and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
All these illustrations show that the divine law must be observed in developing the faculties. Reuben's laying with Bilhah evidently symbolizes an abortive attempt of man's perception of Truth (Reuben) to develop them through an illegitimate union with a negative element (Bilhah: "bashfulness," "timidity"). That there is no record of any progeny from this union indicates that it was not in divine order.
23 The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob's first-born), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Leah ("weary," "exhausted") represents the human soul. She became the mother of six sons:
Reuben, whose name means "behold a son," "vision of the son," represents Faith in its aspect of Discernment, of sight in the outer. Reuben, like Simeon, bespeaks Understanding. Simeon, whose name means "hearkening," "obeying," represents the bringing forth of Hearing; Receptivity. Levi, whose name signifies "joining," "clinging," represents the love faculty in human consciousness. The name Judah means "praise YHVH." Judah symbolizes the Prayer and Praise faculty in consciousness. The name Issachar means "he will bring reward," "who brings recompense." Issachar represents Active Zeal. The name Zebulun means "habitation," "dwelling." Zebulun represents the Order faculty.
24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
Rachel ("ewe," "lamb") symbolizes the spiritual soul. She became the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
The name Joseph means "YHVH shall increase." Joseph represents the imagination.
The name Benjamin means "son of good fortune." Benjamin represents an Active, Accomplishing Faith.
25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maid: Dan and Naphtali.
Bilhah ("bashfulness," "timidity") represents a tendency toward self-abasement. She bore Jacob two sons, Dan and Naphtali: Dan ("a judge") symbolizes the faculty of Judgment. Naphtali ("my wrestling") represents the power of Elimination.
26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah's maid: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.
Zilpah ("distilling," "dropping," "leaking") represents the unfolding soul of man in the phase of its awakening to spiritual thought, marked by hesitation and lack of perseverance; too much of the human is expressed and much of the good is dissipated (leaking). Zipah's two sons were Gad and Asher. Gad ("fortunate," "good fortune") represents the faculty of Power, but still mostly on the personal plane. Asher ("straightforward") symbolizes the faculty of Understanding.
27 And Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned.
Kiriath-arba ("city of Arba") represents the tendency of the sense mind to attribute strength, power, knowledge, and greatness to the outer formed world rather than to Spirit. Kiriath-arba was the old name of Hebron, which represents an association of ideas.
Mamre signifies a consciousness of substance and riches.
28 Now the days of Isaac were a hundred and eighty years.
29 And Isaac breathed his last; and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days; and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
The death of Isaac represents the passing or giving up of that phase of the individual consciousness which has to do with the pleasures of the natural man; or its sinking back into the subconscious (giving up of the ghost).