Genesis 35:21

21 Isra'el continued his travels and pitched his tent on the other side of Migdal-'Eder.

Genesis 35:21 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 35:21

And Israel journeyed
Having stayed near Bethlehem, as it is said, about two months ^F8; this is the first time Jacob is by Moses called Israel, after this name, was given him; the reason of which the Jews say is, because he bore the death of Rachel with so much patience: and spread his tent beyond the tower of Eder;
which was a place of pasturage, and fit for his flocks, see ( Micah 4:8 ) ; it was about a mile from Bethlehem to the south ^F9, and is supposed to be the place where the shepherds were watching their flocks, when the angel reported to them the birth of Christ, ( Luke 2:8 ) ; pretty remarkable are the words added here in the Targum of Jonathan,

``the place from whence the King Messiah will be revealed in the end of days.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 5. 2.
F9 Bunting's Travels, p. 76.

Genesis 35:21 In-Context

19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Efrat (that is, Beit-Lechem).

20 Ya'akov set up a standing-stone on her grave; it is the stand-ing-stone of Rachel's grave to this day.

21 Isra'el continued his travels and pitched his tent on the other side of Migdal-'Eder.

22 It was while Isra'el was living in that land that Re'uven went and slept with Bilhah his father's concubine, and Isra'el heard about it. Ya'akov had twelve sons.

23 The sons of Le'ah were Re'uven Ya'akov's firstborn, Shim'on, Levi, Y'hudah, Yissakhar and Z'vulun.