5As they set out, a terror from God fell over the surrounding cities, so that they did not pursue Jacob’s sons. 6So Jacob and everyone with him arrived in Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan. 7There Jacob built an altar, and he called that place El-bethel,b because it was there that God had revealed Himself to him as he fled from his brother.
8Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak below Bethel. So Jacob named it Allon-bachuth.
“a terror from God fell over the surrounding cities”... I wonder what that looked like?
Think about it, a terror from God!
Jacob needed protection after his sons murdered Shechem and all the males of the city. The Canaanites hated Jacob and his family but God showed them compassion and grace after their sin.
“They came to Bethel, and I can almost picture the grateful delight of Jacob as he looked upon those great stones among which he had lain him down to sleep, a lonely man. Perhaps he hunted out the stone that had been his pillow; probably it still stood erect as part of the pillar which he had reared in memory of the goodness of God, and the vision he had seen. There were many regrets, many confessions, many thanksgivings at Bethel.” (Spurgeon)
Allon-bachuth, translates Oak of Weeping. We know nothing of Rebekah’s nurse other than she came with Rachel. By the name Jacob gave her burial plot we can tell she was part of the family and Rebekah cherished her.
God shows you compassion and grace too, after all He sent His Son to redeem you!
Blessings, David
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