THE WORD OF ELOHIM

GENESIS

Chapter 35

Paragraph 1

“Rid yourselves of the alien gods in your midst, purify yourselves, and change your clothes.  

And

They gave to Ya’akov all the alien gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears, and Ya’akov buried them under the terebinth that was near Shekem.

To purge oneself is to repent of one’s sins.  – Ya’akov knew this.

As they set out, a terror from Elohim fell on the cities round about, so that they did not pursue the sons of Ya’akov.

In Genesis chapter 34, it states:

On the third day, when they were in pain; Simeon and Levi, two of Ya’akov’s sons, brothers of Dinah; took each his sword, came upon the city unmolested, and slew all the males.  

Shekem was not referred to as a village, but as a city.  Shekem was a place with a higher population and yet, only two of Ya’akov’s son’s entered and destroyed the male population.

Then:  

The other sons of Ya’akov came upon the slain and plundered the town, because their sister had been defiled.  

Jacob and his son’s were endowed with mighty strength and when the allies of Shekem tried to pursue them; they became intimated by the fierce energy in which Elohim proved himself, through the son’s of Ya’akov.   Later, in Genesis, we will find a passage that will confirm this.

Paragraph 5

But as she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Binyamin.  Thus Rachel died.  She was buried on the road to Ephrath—now Beth Lechem.  Over her grave Ya’akov set up a pillar; it is the pillar at Rachel’s grave to this day.

Ben-oni “Son of my sorrow.”

Binyamin “Son of the right hand.”

In Genesis chapter 31:  

Rachel stole her father’s household idols.

Later, in the same chapter Ya’akov responds to Laban’s accusation of theft:

But anyone with whom you find your gods shall not remain alive!

We do not know Rachel’s heart, whether she stole the idols in order to protect her husband or whether it was out of covetousness.  - We do know that she died.