While Jacob was thus bowed down with trouble, the Lord directed him to journey southward to Bethel. The thought of this place reminded the patriarch not only of his vision of the angels and of God's promises of mercy, but also of the vow which he had made there, that the Lord should be his God. He determined that before going to this sacred spot his household should be freed from the defilement of idolatry. He therefore gave direction to all in the encampment, "Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: and let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went."

Mens Jakob således var nedbøjet af bekymring, bød Herren ham rejse mod syd til Betel. Tanken om dette sted mindede ikke alene patriarken om det syn, hvori han så englene, og om Guds nådige løfter, men også om den ed, han her havde aflagt om, at Herren skulle være hans Gud. Han besluttede, at hans husstand skulle befries for afguderiets besmittelse, inden de drog til dette hellige sted. Derfor gav han den besked til alle i lejren: "Skaf de fremmede guder, der findes hos Eder, bort, rens Eder og skift klæder, og lad os drage op til Betel, for at jeg der kan bygge et alter for Gud, der bønhørte mig i min trængselstid og var med mig på den vej, jeg vandrede!"