Genesis 35:2

Amharic New Standard Translation (አማርኛ አዲሱ መደበኛ ትርጉም) 2005

ስለዚህ ያዕቆብ ለቤተሰቡና አብረውት ለነበሩት ሰዎች ሁሉ እንዲህ አላቸው፤ “በእናንተ ዘንድ ያሉትን ባዕዳን አማልክት አስወግዱ፤ ሰውነታችሁን አንጹ፤ ንጹሕ ልብስም ልበሱ፤

What Does This Mean?

In this verse, Jacob tells his family and those with him to remove any foreign gods they have and to cleanse themselves. He also asks them to change their clothes. This is Jacob's call for his household to purify themselves and focus solely on the God of Israel.

Explained for Children

Imagine you have a toy box full of different toys, but your mom asks you to take out all the toys that don't belong in your house and to clean up your room. That's like what Jacob is asking his family to do, but with things that aren't from their God.

Historical Background

Genesis was written by Moses around 1440-1400 BC. It was written for the Israelites, who were about to enter the Promised Land. The cultural setting is one of nomadic tribes and the struggle to maintain faith in one God amidst the worship of many gods.

Living It Out Today

Today, we might see this as a call to remove distractions from our life that take us away from our faith. For example, if someone is trying to focus on their spiritual journey but spends a lot of time on social media, they might need to remove those distractions to focus more on their faith.

Topics

• faith
• purity
• worship
• removal of distractions
• spiritual cleansing
• God's commandments

Related Verses

• Exodus 20:3
• Deuteronomy 5:7
• 1 Corinthians 10:14
• Revelation 22:15
• Psalm 97:7

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Jacob ask his family to remove foreign gods?

Jacob wanted to ensure that his family was committed solely to the worship of the God of Israel and not be influenced by other deities, which was a common practice among other tribes.

What does it mean to 'be clean' in this context?

Being clean involves purifying oneself both physically and spiritually, which in this context refers to removing any practices or objects that are associated with foreign gods.

Why did Jacob ask them to change their garments?

Changing garments can symbolize a new beginning or a fresh start, indicating a commitment to their faith and a separation from their previous ways.

How does this relate to today's believers?

Today's believers can understand this as a call to remove any practices or beliefs that distract from their relationship with God, ensuring their focus remains clear and their commitment strong.