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The Move to Egypt

46 Later, Israel began his journey, taking along everything that he owned, and arrived at Beer-sheba, where he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. God spoke to Israel through night visions, addressing him, “Jacob! Jacob!”

“Here I am!” Jacob[a] replied.

“I’m God, your father’s God. Don’t be afraid to move down to Egypt, because I’m going to turn you into a mighty nation there. I’m going down with you to Egypt, and I’m certainly going to bring you back again. And Joseph himself will be with you when you die.”[b] So Jacob got up and left Beer-sheba, and Israel’s sons carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives in the transport wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry them. They took their livestock and their household property that they had acquired in the land of Canaan and traveled to Egypt. Jacob and all of his descendants went with him— including his sons, his grandsons, his daughters, and his granddaughters—every one of his descendants accompanied him to Egypt.

List of Those who Went to Egypt(A)

Here’s a list of the names of Israel’s sons, that is, of Jacob and his sons who moved to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn; Reuben’s sons Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; 10 Simeon’s sons Jemuel,[c] Jamin, Ohad, Jachin,[d] Zohar,[e] and Shaul, who was the son of a Canaanite woman; 11 Levi’s sons Gershon,[f] Kohath, and Merari; 12 and Judah’s sons Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. (Technically,[g] Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan.) Perez’s sons were Hezron and Hamul. 13 Also included were Issachar’s sons Tola, Puvvah,[h] Job,[i] and Shimron; 14 along with Zebulun’s sons Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15 These were all sons from Leah, whom she bore for Jacob in Paddan-aram,[j] along with his daughter Dinah. He had 33 sons and daughters.

16 Also included were Gad’s sons Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli; 17 Asher’s sons Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. Beriah’s sons Heber and Malchiel were also included.[k] 18 These were all sons from Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah. She bore these sixteen children for Jacob.

19 Jacob’s wife Rachel’s sons were Joseph and Benjamin.

20 Joseph’s sons born in the land of Egypt were Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On, bore for him. 21 Benjamin’s sons included Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22 These were all the sons of Rachel, who were born for Jacob—fourteen in all.

23 Also included were Dan’s son Hushim; 24 Naphtali’s sons Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25 These were sons of Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel. She bore these children for Jacob—seven in all.

26 All of these people, who belonged to Jacob’s family, traveled to Egypt. All of Jacob’s[l] direct descendants, not including his sons’ wives, numbered 66 persons in all. 27 Joseph had two sons born to him in Egypt, and all of Jacob’s household who went to Egypt numbered 70.

Jacob Arrives in Goshen

28 Jacob[m] sent Judah ahead of them to meet with Joseph, who would be guiding them to Goshen, and so they arrived. 29 Joseph prepared his chariot and went to meet his father Israel in Goshen. As soon as Jacob[n] appeared in his presence, he embraced him[o] and wept for a long time as he held on to him.[p] 30 “Now let me die,” Israel told Joseph, “since I’ve seen your face and confirmed that you’re still alive!”

31 But Joseph addressed his brothers and his father’s household and told them, “I’ll go up and tell Pharaoh that my brothers and my father’s household have arrived from Canaan to be with me. 32 I’ll mention that[q] the men are shepherds. Because they’ve been taking care of livestock, they brought along their flocks, their herds, and everything else that they own. 33 When Pharaoh calls for you and asks you ‘What’s your occupation?’ 34 you are to tell him, ‘Your servants have been taking care of livestock since we were youths. We and our ancestors have taken care of livestock.’ That way, you’ll be able to live in the Goshen territory, since shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 46:2 Lit. he
  2. Genesis 46:4 Lit. will place his hand over your eyes
  3. Genesis 46:10 Cf. Num 26:12 and 1Chr 4:24, where his name is spelled Nemuel.
  4. Genesis 46:10 Cf. 1Chr 4:24, where his name is spelled Jarib.
  5. Genesis 46:10 Cf. Num 26:13 and 1Chr 4:24, where his name is spelled Zerah.
  6. Genesis 46:11 Cf. 1Chr 6:16, where his name is spelled Gershom
  7. Genesis 46:12 Lit. but
  8. Genesis 46:13 Cf. Num 26:23, where his name is spelled Puvah, and 1Chr 7:1, where his name is spelled Puah
  9. Genesis 46:13 Cf. Num 26:24 and 1Chr 7:1, where his name is spelled Jashub
  10. Genesis 46:15 Paddan-aram was located in northwest Mesopotamia
  11. Genesis 46:17 The Heb. lacks were also included
  12. Genesis 46:26 Lit. his
  13. Genesis 46:28 Lit. He
  14. Genesis 46:29 Lit. he
  15. Genesis 46:29 Lit. he fell on his neck
  16. Genesis 46:29 Lit. to his neck
  17. Genesis 46:32 The Heb. lacks I’ll mention that

Jacob Goes to Egypt

46 So Israel(A) set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba,(B) he offered sacrifices(C) to the God of his father Isaac.(D)

And God spoke to Israel(E) in a vision at night(F) and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”

“Here I am,”(G) he replied.

“I am God, the God of your father,”(H) he said. “Do not be afraid(I) to go down to Egypt,(J) for I will make you into a great nation(K) there.(L) I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again.(M) And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.(N)

Then Jacob left Beersheba,(O) and Israel’s(P) sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts(Q) that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt,(R) taking with them their livestock and the possessions(S) they had acquired(T) in Canaan. Jacob brought with him to Egypt(U) his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.(V)

These are the names of the sons of Israel(W) (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt:

Reuben the firstborn(X) of Jacob.

The sons of Reuben:(Y)

Hanok, Pallu,(Z) Hezron and Karmi.(AA)

10 The sons of Simeon:(AB)

Jemuel,(AC) Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar(AD) and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.

11 The sons of Levi:(AE)

Gershon,(AF) Kohath(AG) and Merari.(AH)

12 The sons of Judah:(AI)

Er,(AJ) Onan,(AK) Shelah, Perez(AL) and Zerah(AM) (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan).(AN)

The sons of Perez:(AO)

Hezron and Hamul.(AP)

13 The sons of Issachar:(AQ)

Tola, Puah,[a](AR) Jashub[b](AS) and Shimron.

14 The sons of Zebulun:(AT)

Sered, Elon and Jahleel.

15 These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram,[c](AU) besides his daughter Dinah.(AV) These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all.

16 The sons of Gad:(AW)

Zephon,[d](AX) Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.

17 The sons of Asher:(AY)

Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah.

Their sister was Serah.

The sons of Beriah:

Heber and Malkiel.

18 These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah,(AZ) whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah(BA)—sixteen in all.

19 The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel:(BB)

Joseph and Benjamin.(BC) 20 In Egypt, Manasseh(BD) and Ephraim(BE) were born to Joseph(BF) by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.[e](BG)

21 The sons of Benjamin:(BH)

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

22 These were the sons of Rachel(BJ) who were born to Jacob—fourteen in all.

23 The son of Dan:(BK)

Hushim.(BL)

24 The sons of Naphtali:(BM)

Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.

25 These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah,(BN) whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel(BO)—seven in all.

26 All those who went to Egypt with Jacob—those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons’ wives—numbered sixty-six persons.(BP) 27 With the two sons[f] who had been born to Joseph in Egypt,(BQ) the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy[g] in all.(BR)

28 Now Jacob sent Judah(BS) ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen.(BT) When they arrived in the region of Goshen, 29 Joseph had his chariot(BU) made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel.(BV) As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father[h] and wept(BW) for a long time.(BX)

30 Israel(BY) said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”(BZ)

31 Then 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,(CA) have come to me.(CB) 32 The men are shepherds;(CC) they tend livestock,(CD) and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’(CE) 33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’(CF) 34 you should answer, ‘Your servants(CG) have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’(CH) Then you will be allowed to settle(CI) in the region of Goshen,(CJ) for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.(CK)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 46:13 Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 7:1); Masoretic Text Puvah
  2. Genesis 46:13 Samaritan Pentateuch and some Septuagint manuscripts (see also Num. 26:24 and 1 Chron. 7:1); Masoretic Text Iob
  3. Genesis 46:15 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  4. Genesis 46:16 Samaritan Pentateuch and Septuagint (see also Num. 26:15); Masoretic Text Ziphion
  5. Genesis 46:20 That is, Heliopolis
  6. Genesis 46:27 Hebrew; Septuagint the nine children
  7. Genesis 46:27 Hebrew (see also Exodus 1:5 and note); Septuagint (see also Acts 7:14) seventy-five
  8. Genesis 46:29 Hebrew around him