Charles Ellicott Commentary Genesis 35:2

"Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the foreign gods that are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your garments:" — Genesis 35:2 (ASV)

Strange gods. Besides Rachel’s teraphim, many of the people Jacob acquired at Haran were probably idolaters and had brought their gods with them. In addition to these, the numerous men and women who formed the "tafs" of the Shechemites were certainly worshippers of false deities. The purpose, then, of this reformation was not merely to raise Jacob’s own family to a higher spiritual state, but also to initiate the many heathen belonging to their households into the true religion. Outward rites of purification and changes of clothing were to accompany the religious teaching given, because of their symbolic value; and we can well believe that much deep and earnest religious feeling would be evoked by the solemn ceremonies that accompanied this drawing near of the whole tribe to God.

This reformation is also interesting as the first of a long series of such acts constantly recurring in the history of Israel; it is especially parallel to the sanctification of the people at Sinai. There, also, was the initiation not merely of the lineal Israel, but also of the mixed multitude, into the true religion—since Jacob’s family had then grown into a nation; and there, also, symbolic washings were prescribed (Exodus 19:10–14). These were subsequently still practiced under the Law, and grew into the baptism by which we are now admitted into the Church of Christ.