Chapter 46
Jacob Goes to Egypt.[a] 1 Israel set out with all that he had and arrived at Beer-sheba where he offered a sacrifice to the God of his father Isaac.
2 God appeared to Israel in a vision during the night saying, “Jacob, Jacob.” He answered, “Here I am.”
3 He continued, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not fear to go down into Egypt, for down there I will make a great people of you. 4 I will go down with you into Egypt, and I will surely make you return. Joseph will close your eyes.”
5 Jacob left Beer-sheba, and the sons of Israel put their father, their children, and their wives into the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry them. 6 They took with them their animals and all the possessions that they had acquired in the land of Canaan. Thus, Jacob and all his descendants went to Egypt. 7 He brought his sons and grandsons, his daughters and granddaughters, and all his descendants with him into Egypt.
8 These are the names of the sons of Israel who entered Egypt: Jacob and his sons.
Reuben the firstborn of Jacob.
9 The sons of Reuben:
Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
10 The sons of Simeon:
Nemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman.
11 The sons of Levi:
Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
12 The sons of Judah:
Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah, (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan).
The sons of Perez:
Hezron and Hamul.
13 The sons of Issachar:
Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.
14 The sons of Zebulun:
Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
15 These were the sons whom Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, together with their daughter Dinah. The total number of her sons and daughters was thirty-three.
16 The sons of Gad:
Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arod, and Areli.
17 The sons of Asher:
Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah.
The sons of Beriah:
Heber and Malchiel.
18 These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah. She bore them to Jacob: sixteen in all.
19 The sons of Rachel, the wife of Jacob:
Joseph and Benjamin. 20 Ephraim and Manasseh were born to Joseph in Egypt. They were the sons of Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On.[b]
21 The sons of Benjamin:
Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ahiram, Shupham, Hupham, and Ard.
22 These were the sons Rachel bore to Jacob—fourteen in all.
23 The son of Dan:
Hushim.
24 The sons of Naphtali:
Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
25 These were the sons of Bilhah whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel. She bore them to Jacob: seven in all.
26 All those who entered with Jacob into Egypt were his offspring. Not counting the wives of the sons of Jacob there were sixty-six in all. 27 Two sons were born to Joseph in Egypt. The members of the family of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy.
28 Joseph and Pharaoh Welcome Jacob.[c] Jacob sent Judah to Joseph ahead of the rest so that he might give instructions in Goshen before his arrival. When they arrived in the land of Goshen, 29 Joseph made his chariot ready and went up into Goshen to greet Israel, his father. As soon as he saw him, he threw himself around his neck and wept for a long time holding on to his neck.
30 Israel said to Joseph, “Let me die, now that I have seen your face, that you are still alive.”
31 Joseph said to his brothers and to the family of his father, “I am going to inform Pharaoh and to tell him, ‘My brothers and the family of my father, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to be with me. 32 These men were shepherds of flocks and they tended herds. They have brought their flocks, their herds, and all their possessions.’ 33 When Pharaoh summons you and asks you what you do for a living, 34 you should answer, ‘Your servants have been men who care for cattle from their youth until now, just as our fathers did.’ This is so that you can dwell in the land of Goshen.” For all shepherds of flocks are an abomination to the Egyptians.
Footnotes
- Genesis 46:1 One last time, the Lord manifests himself and renews his promise to the Patriarchs: the sojourn into Egypt is only a stage; already we get a glimpse of the Exodus, the birth of the people of Israel. This account invites all believers to discover the plan of God in a most astounding history and in their own lives.
- Genesis 46:20 On: i.e., Heliopolis.
- Genesis 46:28 With the favor of the sovereign of Egypt cleverly orchestrated by Joseph, the children of Israel can establish themselves in the region to the east of the Nile delta without mingling with the Egyptians (46:34), not far from the frontier. They can then start out more easily at the time of the Exodus! By the play of circumstances, Providence has provided for everything.