Genesis 46

Jacob Goes Down to Egypt

1So Israel started out with everything that belonged to him. When he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

2God spoke to Israel in a vision at night. “Jacob! Jacob!” he said.

“Here I am,” Jacob replied.

3“I am God. I am the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt. There I will make you into a great nation. 4I will go down to Egypt with you. I will surely bring you back again. And when you die, Joseph will close your eyes with his own hand.”

5Then Jacob left Beersheba. Israel’s sons put their father Jacob and their families in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6So Jacob and his whole family went to Egypt. They took their livestock with them. And they took everything they had acquired in Canaan. 7Jacob brought his sons and grandsons with him to Egypt. He also brought his daughters and granddaughters. He brought his whole family with him.

8Here are the names of Israel’s children and grandchildren who went to Egypt. Jacob and his whole family are included.

Reuben was Jacob’s oldest son.

9The sons of Reuben were

Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.

10The sons of Simeon were

Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul. Shaul was the son of a woman from Canaan.

11The sons of Levi were

Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

12The sons of Judah were

Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah. But Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan.

The sons of Perez were

Hezron and Hamul.

13The sons of Issachar were

Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron.

14The sons of Zebulun were

Sered, Elon and Jahleel.

15These were the sons and grandsons born to Jacob and Leah in Paddan Aram. Leah also had a daughter by Jacob. Her name was Dinah. The total number of people in the family line of Jacob and Leah was 33.

16The sons of Gad were

Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.

17The sons of Asher were

Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah.

The sons of Beriah were

Heber and Malkiel.

18These were the children and grandchildren born to Jacob and Zilpah. Laban had given Zilpah to his daughter Leah. The total number of people in the family line of Jacob and Zilpah was 16.

19The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel were

Joseph and Benjamin.

20In Egypt, Asenath had Manasseh and Ephraim by Joseph. Asenath was the daughter of Potiphera. Potiphera was the priest of On.

21The sons of Benjamin were

Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.

22These were the sons and grandsons born to Jacob and Rachel. The total number of people in the family line of Jacob and Rachel was 14.

23The son of Dan was

Hushim.

24The sons of Naphtali were

Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.

25These were the sons and grandsons born to Jacob and Bilhah. Laban had given Bilhah to his daughter Rachel. The total number of people in the family line of Jacob and Bilhah was seven.

26The total number of people who went to Egypt with Jacob was 66. That number includes only his own children and grandchildren. It doesn’t include his sons’ wives or his grandsons’ wives. 27The total number of the members of Jacob’s family who went to Egypt was 70. That includes the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt.

28Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph. He sent him to get directions to Goshen. And so they arrived in the area of Goshen. 29Then Joseph had his servants get his chariot ready. He went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as he came to his father, Joseph threw his arms around him. Then Joseph wept for a long time.

30Israel said to Joseph, “I have seen for myself that you are still alive. Now I’m ready to die.”

31Then Joseph spoke to his brothers and to the rest of his father’s family. He said, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh. I’ll say to him, ‘My brothers and the rest of my father’s family have come to me. They were living in the land of Canaan. 32The men are shepherds. They take care of livestock. They’ve brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’ 33Pharaoh will send for you. He’ll ask, ‘What do you do for a living?’ 34You should answer, ‘We’ve taken care of livestock from the time we were boys. We’ve done just as our fathers did.’ It’s the practice of the people of Egypt not to mix with shepherds. So Pharaoh will let you settle in the area of Goshen.”

Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®

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Genesis 46

Jacob Leaves for Egypt

1Israel set out with all that he had and came to Beer-sheba,#Gn 21:14; 28:10; Jos 15:28; Jdg 20:1; 2Sm 24:7; 1Kg 19:3 and he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2That night God spoke to Israel in a vision:#Gn 15:1; Jb 33:14–15 “Jacob, Jacob!” he said.

And Jacob replied, “Here I am.”

3God said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.#Gn 12:2; 15:13–14; 35:11; Ex 1:7,9; Dt 26:5 4I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you back.#Gn 15:16; 28:15; 48:21; 50:24; Ex 3:8 Joseph will close your eyes when you die.”#46:4 Lit will put his hand on your eyes#Gn 50:1

5Jacob left Beer-sheba. The sons of Israel took their father Jacob in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him,#Gn 45:19,21 along with their dependents and their wives. 6They also took their cattle and possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan. Then Jacob and all his offspring with him came to Egypt.#Dt 26:5; Jos 24:4; Ps 105:23; Is 52:4; Ac 7:15 7His sons and grandsons, his daughters and granddaughters, indeed all his offspring, he brought with him to Egypt.

Jacob’s Family

8These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt#Ex 1:1–5; Nm 26:4–5 — Jacob and his sons:

Jacob’s firstborn: Reuben.

9Reuben’s sons:#Ex 6:14 Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

10Simeon’s sons:#Ex 6:15 Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman.

11Levi’s sons:#Ex 6:16; 1Ch 6:16 Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

12Judah’s sons: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

The sons#Gn 38:29; 1Ch 2:5 of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.

13Issachar’s sons:#1Ch 7:1 Tola, Puvah,#46:13 Sam, Syr read Puah; 1Ch 7:1 Jashub,#46:13 Sam, LXX; MT reads Iob and Shimron.

14Zebulun’s sons: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

15These were Leah’s sons born to Jacob in Paddan-aram, as well as his daughter Dinah. The total number of persons:#46:15 Lit All persons his sons and his daughters: thirty-three.

16Gad’s sons: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.

17Asher’s sons:#1Ch 7:30–31 Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah.

Beriah’s sons were Heber and Malchiel.

18These were the sons of Zilpah — whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah — that she bore to Jacob: sixteen persons.

19The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.

20Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt. They were born to him by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, a priest at On.#46:20 Or Heliopolis

21Benjamin’s sons:#Nm 26:38–40; 1Ch 7:6–12; 8:1 Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.

22These were Rachel’s sons who were born to Jacob: fourteen persons.

23Dan’s son:#46:23 Alt Hb tradition reads sons: Hushim.

24Naphtali’s sons:#1Ch 7:13 Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

25These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel.#Gn 29:29; 30:5–8 She bore to Jacob: seven persons.

26The total number of persons belonging to Jacob — his direct descendants,#46:26 Lit Jacob who came out from his loins not including the wives of Jacob’s sons — who came to Egypt: sixty-six.

27And Joseph’s sons who were born to him in Egypt: two persons.

All those of Jacob’s household who came to Egypt: seventy#46:27 LXX reads 75; Ac 7:14 persons.#Ex 1:5; Dt 10:22; Ac 7:14

Jacob Arrives in Egypt

28Now Jacob had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to prepare for his arrival#46:28 Lit to give directions before him at Goshen.#Gn 45:10 When they came to the land of Goshen, 29Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, threw his arms around him, and wept for a long time.#Gn 45:14

30Then Israel said to Joseph, “I’m ready to die now because I have seen your face and you are still alive!”

31Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s family, “I will go up and inform Pharaoh, telling him, ‘My brothers and my father’s family, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me.#Gn 47:1 32The men are shepherds; they also raise livestock. They have brought their flocks and herds and all that they have.’ 33When Pharaoh addresses you and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34you are to say, ‘Your servants, both we and our ancestors, have raised livestock#46:34 Lit fathers, are men of livestock from our youth until now.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen, since all shepherds are detestable to Egyptians.”#Gn 43:32; Ex 8:26

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