5. Then Jacob and his sons left that place. The people in the surrounding cities wanted to follow and kill them, but God filled them with such great fear that they did not go after them.
6. So Jacob and his people went to Luz, which is now called Bethel. It is in the land of Canaan.
7. Jacob built an altar there. He named the place “El Bethel.” Jacob chose this name because that is the place where God first appeared to him when he was running from his brother.
8. Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died there. They buried her under the oak tree at Bethel. They named that place Allon Bacuth.
9. When Jacob came back from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again. God blessed Jacob
10. and said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but I will change that name. You will no longer be called Jacob. Your new name will be Israel.” So God named him Israel.
11. God said to him, “I am God All-Powerful, and I give you this blessing: Have many children and grow into a great nation. Other nations and other kings will come out of you.
12. I gave Abraham and Isaac some special land. Now I give the land to you and to all your people who will live after you.”
13. Then God left that place.
14-15. Jacob set up a memorial stone there. He made the rock holy by pouring wine and oil on it. This was a special place because God spoke to Jacob there, and Jacob named the place Bethel.
16. Jacob and his group left Bethel. Before they came to Ephrath, Rachel began giving birth to her baby.
17. She was having a lot of trouble with this birth. She was in great pain. When her nurse saw this, she said, “Don’t be afraid, Rachel. You are giving birth to another son.”
18. Rachel died while giving birth to the son. Before dying, she named the boy Benoni. But Jacob called him Benjamin.