Genesis46
English Standard Version
1So took his with he had and to , and to the of his .
2And to in of the and , , . And he , I am.
3Then he , I am , the of your . Do be to to , I will you into a .
4I myself will with you to , and I bring you again, and shall your .
5Then from . The of their , their , and their , in the had to him.
6They also their and their , they had in the of , and into , and his with him,
7his , and his ’ with him, his , and his ’ . his he with him into .
8Now are the of the of , who , and his . , ,
9and the of : , , , and .
10The of : , , , , , and , the of a .
11The of : , , and .
12The of : , , , , and (but and in the of ); and the of were and .
13The of : , , , and .
14The of : , , and .
15 are the of , she to in , together with his ; his and his numbered .
16The of : , , , , , , and .
17The of : , , , , with their . And the of : and .
18 are the of , to his ; and these she to — .
19The of , : and .
20And to in the of were and , , the of the of , to him.
21And the of : , , , , , , , , , and .
22 are the of , were to — in .
23The of : .
24The of : , , , and .
25 are the of , to his , and she to — in .
26 the belonging to who , who were his own , not ’ , were in .
27And the of , were to him in , were . the of the of who into were .
28He had of him to to the way him in , and they into the of .
29Then his and to his in . He himself to him and his and his a .
30 to , let me , I have your and know you are .
31 to his and to his , I will and and will to him, My and my , were in the of , have to me.
32And the are , they have been of , and they have their and their and they have.
33When you and , is your ?
34you shall , Your have been of our even , we and our , in order that you may in the of , is an to the .
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Genesis 46.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: God's promises to Jacob. (1–4). Jacob and his family go to Egypt. (5–27). Joseph meets his father and his brethren. (28–34).
vv1-4
Even as to those events and undertakings which appear most joyful, we should seek counsel, assistance, and a blessing from the Lord. Attending on his ordinances, and receiving the pledges of his covenant love, we expect his presence, and that peace which it confers. In all removals we should be reminded of our removal out of this world. Nothing can encourage us to fear no evil when passing through the valley of the shadow of death, but the presence of Christ.
vv5-27
We have here a particular account of Jacob's family. Though the fulfilling of promises is always sure, yet it is often slow. It was now 215 years since God had promised Abraham to make of him a great nation, ch. 12:2; yet that branch of his seed, to which the promise was made sure, had only increased to seventy, of whom this particular account is kept, to show the power of God in making these seventy become a vast multitude.
vv28-34
It was justice to Pharaoh to let him know that such a family was come to settle in his dominions. If others put confidence in us, we must not be so base as to abuse it by imposing upon them. But how shall Joseph dispose of his brethren? Time was, when they were contriving to be rid of him; now he is contriving to settle them to their advantage; this is rendering good for evil. He would have them live by themselves, in the land of Goshen, which lay nearest to Canaan. Shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptians. Yet Joseph would have them not ashamed to own this as their occupation before Pharaoh. He might have procured places for them at court or in the army. But such preferments would have exposed them to the envy of the Egyptians, and might have tempted them to forget Canaan and the promise made unto their fathers. An honest calling is no disgrace, nor ought we to account it so, but rather reckon it a shame to be idle, or to have nothing to do. It is generally best for people to abide in the callings they have been bred to and used to. Whatever employment and condition God in his providence has allotted for us, let us suit ourselves to it, satisfy ourselves with it, and not mind high things. It is better to be the credit of a mean post, than the shame of a high one. If we wish to destroy our souls, or the souls of our children, then let us seek for ourselves, and for them, great things; but if not, it becomes us, having food and raiment, therewith to be content.
Key Words
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
נָסַע: properly, to pull up, especially the tent-pins, i.e. start on ajourney
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע: Beer-Sheba, a place in Palestine
זָבַח: to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice)
זֶבַח: properly, a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the act)
אֱלֹהִים: gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
אָב: father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
Cross References
Genesis 46Explains Jacob's fear; God previously foretold Abraham that his seed would suffer bondage in Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Stephen's account of seventy-five souls, which includes Joseph's family born in Egypt to reconcile the totals.
Supported by JFB
Jacob feared going to Egypt because God had previously forbidden his father Isaac from going there.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Confirms the seventy souls of Jacob's descendants who originally came into Egypt.
Supported by JFB
Moses recalls the seventy souls entering Egypt, demonstrating God's faithfulness in vastly multiplying them.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Beer-sheba was a deeply consecrated place of covenant worship for Abraham and Isaac.
Supported by JFB
Echoes God's earlier covenant promise to be with Jacob and bring him back to Canaan.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Matches the emotional physical greeting (falling on the neck and weeping) seen in the Prodigal Son's return.
Supported by JFB
Identical emotional embrace and weeping of Joseph upon his brother Benjamin.
Supported by JFB
Establishes that eating with Hebrews was an abomination to Egyptians, parallel to their view of shepherds.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Moses notes sacrificing animals sacred to Egyptians would be an abomination to them.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The distinct double-call ('Jacob, Jacob') mirrors God's urgent, personal call to Abraham at Moriah.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Records the literal fulfillment of God's promise to multiply the seventy souls into a great nation.
Supported by JFB
Directly highlights the contrast between the seventy who descended and the massive multitude that returned.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Fulfills the specific promise that Joseph would personally close Jacob's eyes at death.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Theological parallel of descendants being 'in the loins' of their father before birth.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Simeon's peaceful readiness to die after seeing God's salvation, echoing Jacob's words to Joseph.
Supported by JFB
Fulfillment of Joseph's instructions when Pharaoh asks his brothers about their occupation.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The brothers tell Pharaoh they are shepherds to secure permission to dwell in Goshen.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Joseph's dying words echo the promise that God would surely bring Israel up out of Egypt.
Supported by JFB
A parallel genealogical account tracing the tribal heads as they settled in Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Provides the essential background for why Er and Onan died in Canaan.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Details the birth and naming of Joseph's two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, in Egypt.
Supported by John Calvin
The parallel census of the sons and families of Benjamin in the wilderness.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Lists the sons of Bilhah, Bilhah being Rachel's handmaid who bore children to Jacob.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Joseph's initial promise that his father and family would dwell near him in Goshen.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The original Abrahamic promise of becoming a great nation, now transferred to Jacob in Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Stephen's speech referencing the immigration count, highlighting five additional descendants.
Supported by JFB
Jacob's immediate joy upon learning that Joseph is alive, setting up their reunion.
Supported by JFB