Genesis 46

1So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here am I.” 3Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt; for I will there make of you a great nation. 4I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again; and Joseph's hand shall close your eyes.” 5Then Jacob set out from Beer-sheba; and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6#Acts 7.14,15. They also took their cattle and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him, 7his sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters; all his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.

8 # Ex 1.1-4; Num 26.4-50. Now these are the names of the descendants of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. Reuben, Jacob's first-born, 9and the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 10The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanitish woman. 11The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan); and the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Iob, and Shimron. 14The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel 15(these are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, together with his daughter Dinah; altogether his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three). 16The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 17The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, with Serah their sister. And the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel 18(these are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob—sixteen persons). 19The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife: Joseph and Benjamin. 20And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of On, bore to him. 21And the sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard 22(these are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob—fourteen persons in all). 23The sons of Dan: Hushim. 24The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem 25(these are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob—seven persons in all). 26All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who were his own offspring, not including Jacob's sons' wives, were sixty-six persons in all; 27#Acts 7.14. and the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two; all the persons of the house of Jacob, that came into Egypt, were seventy.

28He sent Judah before him to Joseph, to appear#46.28 Sam Syr Compare Gk Vg: Heb to show the way before him in Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. 29Then Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. 30Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.” 31Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father's household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me; 32and the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.’ 33When Pharaoh calls you, and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of cattle from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ in order that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”

Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America

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Genesis 46

Jacob’s [Israel’s] Seventh Encounter with God

1Israel moved with all he had. When he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

2God spoke to Israel in a vision that night and said, “Jacob, Jacob!”

“Here I am,” he answered.

3“I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to go to Egypt, because I will make you a great nation there. 4I will go with you to Egypt, and I will make sure you come back again. Joseph will close your eyes ⌞when you die⌟.”

5So Jacob left Beersheba. Israel’s sons put their father Jacob, their children, and their wives in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to bring him back. 6They also took their livestock and the possessions they had accumulated in Canaan.

Jacob and all his family arrived in Egypt. 7He had brought his sons, his grandsons, his daughters, and his granddaughters—his entire family.

Jacob’s [Israel’s] Descendants

(Exodus 6:14–16; 1 Chronicles 2:3–5)

8These are the names of Israel’s descendants (Jacob and his descendants) who arrived in Egypt.

Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn.

9The sons of Reuben were

Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

10The sons of Simeon were

Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman.

11The sons of Levi were

Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

12The sons of Judah were

Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. (Er and Onan had died in Canaan.)

The sons of Perez were

Hezron and Hamul.

13The sons of Issachar were

Tola, Puvah, Iob, and Shimron.

14The sons of Zebulun were

Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

15These were the descendants of the sons Leah gave to Jacob in Paddan Aram, in addition to his daughter Dinah. The total number of these sons and daughters was 33.

16The sons of Gad were

Ziphion, 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 Malchiel.

18These were the descendants of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah. She gave birth to these children for Jacob. The total was 16.

19The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel were

Joseph and Benjamin.

20In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph by Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest from the city of On.

21The sons of Benjamin were

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

22These were the descendants of Rachel who were born to Jacob. The total was 14.

23The son of Dan was

Hushim.

24The sons of Naphtali were

Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

25These were the descendants of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel. She gave birth to these sons for Jacob. The total was 7.

26The total number of Jacob’s direct descendants who went with him to Egypt was 66. This didn’t include the wives of Jacob’s sons. 27Joseph had two sons who were born in Egypt. The grand total of people in Jacob’s household who went to Egypt was 70.

Joseph and Jacob [Israel] Reunited

28Israel sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When Israel’s family arrived in the region of Goshen, 29Joseph prepared his chariot and went to meet his father Israel. As soon as he saw his father, he threw his arms around him and cried on his shoulder a long time.

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

31Then Joseph said to his brothers and his father’s family, “I’m going to Pharaoh to tell him, ‘My brothers and my father’s family, who were in Canaan, have come to me. 32The men are shepherds. They take care of livestock. They’ve brought their flocks and herds and everything they own.’ 33Now, when Pharaoh calls for you and asks, ‘What kind of work do you do?’ 34you must answer, ‘We have taken care of herds all our lives, as our ancestors have done.’ ⌞You must say this⌟ so that you may live in the region of Goshen, because all shepherds are disgusting to Egyptians.”

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