Jacob chose to obey God’s instruction to return to Bethel. It was here that God had visited Jacob (Genesis 28:10-22) and promised him that He would be with Jacob and that one day Jacob would return to this land.
Jacob understood that God wanted him to build an altar and worship Him at Bethel. Jacob instructed his household and all that were with him to get rid of any of the idols in their possession and prepare themselves to worship God.
As they proceeded toward Bethel, the terror of God fell on the surrounding towns, so that no one attacked them. [Reflection based on the Bible Reference – Genesis 35:1-5]