And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.

GENESIS 35:4KJV
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Genesis 35:4 (KJV)

What does Genesis 35:4 mean?

Genesis 35:4 describes how Jacob’s household gave him all their foreign gods and earrings, and Jacob buried these items under an oak tree near Shechem. This act showed a turning away from other gods and a commitment to follow the God of Jacob alone.

In this scene, Jacob is leading his family and servants to purify themselves before returning to Bethel, as God instructed. The “strange gods” refer to idols or objects of worship from other cultures, and the earrings may have had religious or superstitious significance. Burying these items under the oak tree was a public act of leaving behind old loyalties and starting fresh in their relationship with God.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 35:4

  • The word “strange” (נֵכָר, nekar) means “foreign” or “alien,” emphasizing that these gods were not part of Jacob’s tradition but came from outside influences.
  • “Gods” (אֱלֹהִים, elohim) here refers to idols or images, not to the God of Israel, highlighting the difference between the true God and these false ones.
  • “Hid” (טָמַן, taman) means to bury or conceal, showing that Jacob did not just discard the idols but made sure they were completely removed from daily life.
  • “Oak” (אֵלָה, elah) refers to a specific large tree, often a landmark in ancient times, making the act memorable and public for the whole group.

Why Genesis 35:4 matters

  • Genesis 35:4 clarifies that Jacob’s family was not fully devoted to the God of Israel until this moment, as they still possessed foreign idols.
  • The verse connects to the larger story of Jacob’s return to Bethel, showing a deliberate break from old ways and a new start in obedience to God.
  • This act underlines the seriousness of worship in ancient Israel, where even personal items like earrings could be linked to idol worship and needed to be surrendered.

Where else these words appear

“oak” Hebrew H424 · used in 12 verses

  • Judges 6:11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
  • 2 Samuel 18:10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.
  • Isaiah 1:30 For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.

“earrings” Hebrew H5141 · used in 16 verses

  • Genesis 24:22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;
  • Exodus 35:22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD.
  • Proverbs 11:22 As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

“hid” Hebrew H2934 · used in 29 verses

  • Exodus 2:12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
  • Job 31:33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:
  • Proverbs 19:24 A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

“strange” Hebrew H5236 · used in 35 verses

  • Genesis 17:12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
  • 2 Samuel 22:45 Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me.
  • Psalms 144:11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood: