Genesis 35:5

Gen 35:5 And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that [were] round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.

Ver. 5. The terror of God was upon the cities.] The Hebrews tell us, that they pursued Jacob, and were beaten back by him: whereupon he saith, {Gen 48:22} that he took that country "out of the hand of the Amorites, with his sword and with his bow." God might send a panic terror upon them as they were fighting against Jacob, and so bridle them from further attempts. The Syrians heard a noise of chariots and horses in the air, {2Ki 7:7} made by angels, likely; or whether it were but their own fancy, as Jdg 9:36, and as the Burgundians took a field of standing corn for an army of fighting men, and fled for their lives. Theodosius, the Emperor, overcame the Persians and Saracens by means of a panic terror smitten into them by God; so that they ran into the river Euphrates, and above a hundred thousand of them perished in the waters. {a}

{a} Alsted, Chronol, p. 300.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Gen 35:5. The terror of God — A great terror from God; was upon the cities — Especially the cities nearest to Shechem, so that, although, humanly speaking, they were able, they were restrained from pursuing or destroying Jacob and his family. Nothing less could have secured them, considering the number, power, and rage of their enemies. God governs the world more by secret terrors on men’s minds than we are aware of.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

35:5 a terror from God: People had heard about the massacre of Shechem (34:25-30).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Thus, notwithstanding the inconvenience that came before, God delivered Jacob.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

the terror of God was upon the cities--There was every reason to apprehend that a storm of indignation would burst from all quarters upon Jacob's family, and that the Canaanite tribes would have formed one united plan of revenge. But a supernatural panic seized them; and thus, for the sake of the "heir of the promise," the protecting shield of Providence was specially held over his family.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 5. The terror of God] A supernatural awe sent by the Almighty, was upon the cities that were round about, so that they were not molested in their departure. This could be owing to nothing less than the especial providence of God.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. And the terror of God was upon the cities. It now manifestly appears that deliverance was not in vain promised to the holy man by God; since, amidst so many hostile swords, he goes forth not only in safety but undisturbed. By the destruction of the Shechemites all the neighboring people were inflamed with enmity against a single family; yet no one moves to take vengeance. The reason is explained by Moses, that the terror of God had fallen upon them, which repressed their violent assaults. Hence we may learn that the hearts of men are in the hands of God; that he can inspire those with fortitude who in themselves are weak; and, on the other hand, soften their iron-hardness whenever he pleases. Sometimes, indeed, he suffers many to cast up the foam of their pride, against whom he afterwards opposes his power: but he often weakens those with fear who were naturally bold as lions: thus we find these giants, who were able to devour Jacob a hundred times, so struck with terror that they faint away. Wherefore, whenever we see the wicked furiously bent on our destruction, lest our hearts should fail with fear and be broken by desperation, let us call to mind this terror of God, by which the rage, however furious, of the whole world may be easily subdued.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(5) The terror . . . —Heb., a terror of God, that is, a very great terror (see Gen_23:6; Gen_30:8). But to the deeply religious mind of the Hebrew everything that was great and wonderful was the result of the direct working of the Deity. (But see Note on Gen_48:22.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. a great terror] Heb. a terror of God. The inhabitants were under the influence of a mysterious dread or panic, inspired by God. Cf. Exo_15:16; Exo_23:27; Deu_2:25; Jos_2:9; 2Ch_14:14.

did not pursue] These words which imply that “the sons of Jacob” had by their violence given just cause of provocation, presuppose ch. 34.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And they journeyed,.... Jacob and his family, with all that were with them, from Shechem to Bethel:

and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them; an exceeding great panic seized the inhabitants of the cities of the land of Canaan, all about Shechem, which was from God himself impressing it on their minds, through what the sons of Jacob had done to that city:

and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob; as it might have been thought they would, and take revenge on them for their ill usage of the inhabitants of a neighbouring city; but instead of this, they were afraid they should be used in the same manner; wherefore Jacob and his family journeyed in safety, and came to Bethel in peace.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Terror of God. A panic fear, which the pagans thought was sent by Pan. (Calmet) --- God can easily make the most powerful flee before a few. St. Augustine, q. 112.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The terror of God, i.e. a great terror sent from God, as Exo 23:27; Jos 2:9,11; 2Ch 14:14; 17:10. So we read of a sleep of God, 1Sa 26:12. Nothing less could have secured Jacob, considering the great number, power, and rage of his enemies.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. Terror of God — A terror inspired and intensified by God himself, who, on the other hand, had softened the heart of Esau to tenderness towards his brother.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And they journeyed (from Shechem, after the work of reformation just described): and the terror of God meaning not simply a great terror, as in Gen_23:6 Gen_30:8 (Dathe, Bush), but either a supernatural dread inspired by Elohim (Ainsworth, Clericus, Rosenm Keil, Kalisch, and others), or a fear of Elohim, under whose care Jacob manifestly bad been taken (Murphy, Quarry)was upon the cities that were round about them, literally, in their circuits, i.e. wherever they wentand they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob as might have been expected.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the terror of God was upon the cities - Though the Canaanites were much exasperated against the sons of Jacob for their barbarous usage of the Shechemites; yet they were so restrained by a divine power, that they could not take this fair opportunity to avenge their neighbours quarrel. God governs the world more by secret terrors on men's minds than we are aware of.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

חתת means terror.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

They began their journey. As long as they were behind the walls of Shechem they were safe, but now they were in need of the “terror of Elokim”.

Sforno on the Tanakh — English translation: “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.