Genesis 46

Migration to Egypt. 1#46:1–47:26] Jacob and his family settle in Egypt. Joseph’s economic policies. Israel set out with all that was his. When he arrived at Beer-sheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2There God, speaking to Israel in a vision by night, called: Jacob! Jacob! He answered, “Here I am.” 3Then he said: I am God,#I am God: more precisely according to the Hebrew text, “I am El.” “El” is here a divine name, not the common noun “god.” the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you a great nation. 4I will go down to Egypt with you and I will also bring you back here, after Joseph has closed your eyes.

5So Jacob departed from Beer-sheba, and the sons of Israel put their father and their wives and children on the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. 6They took with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan. So Jacob and all his descendants came to Egypt.#Ex 1:1; Jos 24:4; Jdt 5:10; Acts 7:15. 7His sons and his grandsons, his daughters and his granddaughters—all his descendants—he took with him to Egypt.

8These are the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his children, who came to Egypt.

Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn,#Ex 1:2. 9#This genealogical list is based on the clan lists (Nm 26:5–50) from the Mosaic period. and the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.#Ex 6:14; Nm 26:5; 1 Chr 5:3. 10The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, son of a Canaanite woman.#Ex 6:15; Nm 26:12; 1 Chr 4:24. 11The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.#Ex 6:16; Nm 3:17; 26:57; 1 Chr 6:1. 12The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah—but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan; and the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.#Gn 38:3–10, 29–30; Nm 26:19; Ru 4:12; 1 Chr 2:5. 13The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.#Nm 26:23–24; 1 Chr 7:1. 14The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.#Nm 26:26. 15These were the sons whom Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, along with his daughter Dinah—thirty-three persons in all, sons and daughters.

16The sons of Gad: Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arod, and Areli.#Nm 26:15–16. 17The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah, with their sister Serah; and the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel.#Nm 26:44; 1 Chr 7:30–31. 18These are the children of Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah; these she bore to Jacob—sixteen persons in all.

19The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 20In the land of Egypt Joseph became the father of Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis, bore to him.#Gn 41:50; Nm 26:28, 35. 21The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ahiram, Shupham, Hupham, and Ard.#Nm 26:38; 1 Chr 7:6; 8:1–4. 22These are the sons whom Rachel bore to Jacob—fourteen persons in all.

23The sons of Dan: Hushim.#Nm 26:42. 24The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.#Nm 26:48–49; 1 Chr 7:13. 25These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel; these she bore to Jacob—seven persons in all.

26Jacob’s people who came to Egypt—his direct descendants, not counting the wives of Jacob’s sons—numbered sixty-six persons in all.#Ex 1:5. 27Together with Joseph’s sons who were born to him in Egypt—two persons—all the people comprising the household of Jacob who had come to Egypt amounted to seventy persons#Seventy persons: it is difficult to get this exact number by adding up the persons mentioned in the preceding genealogies. One might assume it refers to Jacob and sixty-nine descendants, excluding Er and Onan but including Dinah. Ex 1:5 repeats the number but excludes Jacob. Dt 10:22 refers to seventy persons descending to Egypt. The best solution is to take the number as expressing totality. Since there are seventy nations in chap. 10, it is likely that the text is drawing a parallel between the two entities and suggesting that Israel “represents” the nations before God. in all.#Ex 1:5; Dt 10:22; Acts 7:14.

28Israel had sent Judah ahead to Joseph, so that he might meet him in Goshen. On his arrival in the region of Goshen, 29Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. As soon as Israel made his appearance, Joseph threw his arms around him and wept a long time on his shoulder. 30And Israel said to Joseph, “At last I can die, now that I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”

31Joseph then said to his brothers and his father’s household: “I will go up and inform Pharaoh, telling him: ‘My brothers and my father’s household, whose home is in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32The men are shepherds, having been owners of livestock;#Owners of livestock: the phrase occurs only here and in v. 34. The difference between this term and “shepherds” is not clear, for the brothers do not mention it to Pharaoh in 47:3. and they have brought with them their flocks and herds, as well as everything else they own.’ 33So when Pharaoh summons you and asks what your occupation is, 34you must answer, ‘We your servants, like our ancestors, have been owners of livestock from our youth until now,’ in order that you may stay in the region of Goshen, since all shepherds are abhorrent to the Egyptians.”

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Genesis 46

Joseph Brings His Family to Egypt

1So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to #ch. 21:31, 33; 26:33; 28:10 Beersheba, and offered sacrifices #ch. 26:24, 25; 28:13; 31:42to the God of his father Isaac. 2And God spoke to Israel #ch. 15:1; Job 33:14, 15in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” 3Then he said, “I am God, #ch. 28:13 the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will #ch. 35:11; [ch. 12:2; Ex. 1:7, 9; Deut. 26:5]make you into a great nation. 4I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also #ch. 15:16; 28:15; 48:21; 50:24; Ex. 3:8 bring you up again, and #ch. 50:1Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.”

5Then Jacob set out from Beersheba. The sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons #ch. 45:19, 21, 27that Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6They also took their livestock and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and #Josh. 24:4; Ps. 105:23; Isa. 52:4; Acts 7:14, 15came 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 # For ver. 8-11, see Ex. 6:14-16 Now #Ex. 1:1-5 these are the names of the descendants of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. #Num. 26:5; 1 Chr. 5:1-3Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, 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 Canaanite woman. 11The sons of #1 Chr. 6:1Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12The sons of #1 Chr. 2:3; 4:21 Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but #ch. 38:3, 7, 10 Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan); and the sons of #ch. 38:29; 1 Chr. 2:5Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13#1 Chr. 7:1The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Yob, and Shimron. 14The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15These are the sons of Leah, #See ch. 29:32-35; 30:1-21whom 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. 17#1 Chr. 7:30The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, with Serah their sister. And the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel. 18#See ch. 30:10-13 These are the sons of Zilpah, #ch. 29:24whom 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 #ch. 41:50-52 to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of #ch. 41:45On, bore to him. 21And #See Num. 26:38-40; 1 Chr. 7:6-12; 8:1the sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob—fourteen persons in all.

23The son#46:23 Hebrew sons of Dan: Hushim. 24#1 Chr. 7:13The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25#See ch. 30:5-8 These are the sons of Bilhah, #ch. 29:29whom 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 descendants, not including Jacob’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six persons in all. 27And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two. #Ex. 1:5; Deut. 10:22; [Acts 7:14]All the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy.

Jacob and Joseph Reunited

28He had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to show the way before him in Goshen, and they came #See ch. 45:10into the land of Goshen. 29Then Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He presented himself to him and #[ch. 45:14]fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while. 30Israel said to Joseph, #[Luke 2:29, 30]“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, #ch. 47:1“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. 32#ch. 47:3And the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock, and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ 33When Pharaoh calls you and says, #[See ver. 32 above]‘What is your occupation?’ 34you shall say, #[See ver. 32 above] ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock #ch. 37:12 from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ in order that you may dwell #ver. 28 in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is #ch. 43:32; Ex. 8:26an abomination to the Egyptians.”

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