Genesis46
New International Version
1So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
2And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!” “Here I am,” he replied.
3“I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.
4I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”
5Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel’s sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him.
6So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt, taking with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan.
7Jacob brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.
8These are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben the firstborn of Jacob.
9The sons of Reuben: Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.
10The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.
11The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
12The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.
13The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron.
14The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon and Jahleel.
15These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, besides his daughter Dinah. These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all.
16The sons of Gad: Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.
17The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malkiel.
18These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah—sixteen in all.
19The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
20In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
21The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.
22These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob—fourteen in all.
23The son of Dan: Hushim.
24The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.
25These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel—seven in all.
26All those who went to Egypt with Jacob—those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons’ wives—numbered sixty-six persons.
27With the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy in all.
28Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen,
29Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time.
30Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”
31Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan, have come to me.
32The men are shepherds; they tend livestock, and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’
33When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’
34you should answer, ‘Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”
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