There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jacob didn't just build an altar; he named it "El-Elohe-Israel," which means "God, the God of Israel." This wasn't just a random name; it was a bold declaration of faith, acknowledging the God who had transformed him from Jacob to Israel, especially as he was now settling among the Canaanites.
There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After a tense reconciliation with his brother Esau, Jacob journeyed to Succoth and then to the city of Shechem, where he bought land and settled his household. In this new place, he publicly acknowledged God's faithfulness by erecting an altar and naming it "God, the God of Israel," a declaration of his covenant relationship with the Divine Being in a foreign land.
After years of struggle, Jacob finally finds solid ground. What's the very first thing he does?
Jacob's journey has been a whirlwind of deception, fear, and divine encounters. He's wrestled with God, fled from Esau, and navigated complex family dynamics. Now, having reconciled with his brother and secured a place to settle, Jacob's immediate action is to erect an altar. This isn't just building a structure; it's a deliberate act of public worship and thanksgiving.
A Memorial to God's Providence
This altar serves as a tangible reminder of God's unwavering faithfulness through every trial. It acknowledges that his safety, his reconciliation with Esau, and his ability to finally set down roots are not due to his own cleverness, but to God's powerful intervention. The very ground he stands on is a gift, and he honors the Giver.
Claiming God's Covenant Name
By calling the altar 'El-Elohe-Israel' (God, the God of Israel), Jacob is making a profound statement. He's not just acknowledging a generic 'god'; he's identifying with the God who has made a covenant with him and his descendants. This name signifies his new identity as 'Israel'—one who has struggled with God and prevailed—and declares that this God is his God, even as he settles among the Canaanites. It's a declaration of allegiance and a beacon of faith in a foreign land.
Jacob is settling down in Canaan, a land already teeming with other gods. How does he ensure his family stays true?
Jacob's decision to build an altar to 'El-Elohe-Israel' is more than just a personal act of worship; it's a strategic move to anchor his family's faith in the one true God. The surrounding Canaanite culture was saturated with various deities and idolatrous practices. By publicly establishing a place dedicated to the God of Israel, Jacob creates a distinct spiritual boundary.
Ask a follow-up
A Public Profession of Faith
This altar wasn't hidden away. It was a visible testament that Jacob and his household served a different God. In a context where altars were common for various gods, Jacob's altar served as a counter-testimony, declaring that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was the true God. This act sets his family apart and reminds them, and potentially the Canaanites, of their unique covenant relationship.
Distinguishing True Worship
The commentators highlight that Jacob wanted to differentiate his family's worship from the corrupted practices of the surrounding nations. By dedicating the altar to 'God, the God of Israel,' he's not just acknowledging God's existence but asserting His supreme authority and covenantal relationship with his people. This establishment of true worship was crucial for the spiritual survival and identity of his growing family as they lived among non-believers.
Understand the original words
mizbeach · Hebrew Noun
A structure built of earth or stone, used for sacrifices and offerings to God. It represents a place of worship, encounter with God, and a testimony of dedication or gratitude.
'El 'Elohey Yisra'el · Hebrew Proper Noun (Title)
A compound name meaning 'God, the God of Israel.' It serves as a title of worship that identifies the Almighty as the personal covenant God of Jacob, whom God renamed Israel.
Jacob's erection of an altar and naming it 'El-Elohe-Israel' ('God, the God of Israel') signifies his profound gratitude and recognition of God's faithfulness amidst his reunion with Esau and return to Canaan. It publicly declares his renewed covenant relationship with God, adopting the name 'Israel' and acknowledging God as the divine protector of this new identity and people.
c. 1800 BC
Abraham sojourns in Canaan
Abraham, Jacob's grandfather, worshiped God in the land of Canaan, setting up altars and calling on the Lord.
c. 1800-1750 BC
Isaac lives in Canaan
Isaac also sojourned in the land of Canaan, continuing the practice of erecting altars and calling on the name of the Lord.
~1700 BC
Jacob flees to Padan-aram
Jacob fled from his brother Esau, leaving Canaan for Padan-aram where he encountered God at Bethel and began his family.
~1680 BC
Jacob wrestles with God
Jacob wrestled with a divine being and was renamed Israel, signifying his prevailing with God and man. This encounter marked a turning point in his life.
~1680 BC— this verse
Jacob's reconciliation with Esau
After his encounter with God, Jacob met his brother Esau, who had come with 400 men. God softened Esau's heart, and they parted peacefully.
~1680 BC
Jacob settles near Shechem
Jacob traveled to Succoth, then purchased land near the city of Shechem in Canaan, where he established a more settled life.
This passage shows Jacob setting up a pillar and anointing it after his vision at Bethel, establishing a place of worship and remembrance of God's presence, similar to his act of building an altar here.
Exodus 17:15Moses built an altar and called it the LORD is my Banner (Jehovah-nissi) after a victory, mirroring Jacob's act of dedicating an altar as a memorial of God's deliverance and faithfulness.
Joshua 24:26Joshua set up a great stone as a memorial and witness of the covenant made with God, showing the continuity of establishing physical markers to remember God's acts and agreements.
Genesis 12:7Abraham also built an altar in the vicinity of Shechem upon first entering the land, highlighting a pattern of patriarchs establishing places of worship as they claimed or sojourned in the land God promised.
Genesis 35:7Jacob again built an altar at Bethel after returning from Padan-aram, this time explicitly stating it was because God revealed Himself to him there, emphasizing the altar as a response to divine encounter.
calvinGenesis 33:1-20: "And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids."
And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.
Levavit autem Iahacob oculos suos, et vidit, et ecce Esau veniebat, et cum eo erant quadringenti viri: et divis…
cambridgeGenesis 33:20: "And he erected there an altar, and called it EleloheIsrael."
20 . erected ] Lit. “set up.” A verb used elsewhere, not of an altar, but of a “pillar” or upright stone. Cf. Genesis 35:14 ; Genesis 35:20 and Joshua 24:26 . Hence many prefer here to read “pillar” ( maṣṣêbah ) instead of “altar” ( mizbêaḥ ). El-elohe-Israel ] R.V. marg. That is, God, the God of Israel . The altar, or stone, is denoted by the name of Êl, the God of Israel. The origin of some sacred stone, well known t…
Jacob didn't just build an altar; he named it "El-Elohe-Israel," which means "God, the God of Israel." This wasn't just a random name; it was a bold declaration of faith, acknowledging the God who had transformed him from Jacob to Israel, especially as he was now settling among the Canaanites.
After a tense reconciliation with his brother Esau, Jacob journeyed to Succoth and then to the city of Shechem, where he bought land and settled his household. In this new place, he publicly acknowledged God's faithfulness by erecting an altar and naming it "God, the God of Israel," a declaration of his covenant relationship with the Divine Being in a foreign land.
After a tense reconciliation with his brother Esau, Jacob journeyed to Succoth and then to the city of Shechem, where he bought land and settled his household. In this new place, he publicly acknowledged God's faithfulness by erecting an altar and naming it "God, the God of Israel," a declaration of his covenant relationship with the Divine Being in a foreign land.
"There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel." — Jacob didn't just build an altar; he named it "El-Elohe-Israel," which means "God, the God of Israel." This wasn't just a random name; it was a bold declaration of faith, acknowledging the God who ha…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026