Genesis 46: Jacob's family goes down to Egypt
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What happens?
Jacob sets out for Egypt with his whole family. At Beersheba God speaks to him at night, tells him not to be afraid to go down, and promises to make him a great nation there and to go down with him. The chapter lists the seventy members of Jacob's family, then Joseph meets his father in Goshen and tells his brothers what to say to Pharaoh.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story and lists the family. God speaks in 3 of the 34 verses, at Beersheba (verses 2 to 4). Jacob's answer, "Here I am", is his own and not gold. Israel speaks to Joseph, and Joseph tells his brothers what to say to Pharaoh. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Israel traveled with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father, Isaac.
In plain English: Israel set out with everything he had and came to Beersheba. There he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
Good to know: Abraham named Beersheba after an oath sworn there () and called on Yahweh there (). Yahweh appeared to Isaac there (). It is also the place Jacob left from long before, when he went to Haran ().
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2God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He said, “Here I am.”God speaks
In plain English: God spoke to Israel in visions at night. He said, "Jacob, Jacob!" Jacob answered, "Here I am."
Good to know: God calls him by his old name, twice: "Jacob, Jacob!" In the same verse the narrator calls him Israel, the name God gave him in (see also ). From then on Genesis uses both names for him.
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3He said, “I am God, the God of your father. Don’t be afraid to go down into Egypt, for there I will make of you a great nation.God speaks
In plain English: God said, "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, because I will make you into a great nation there.
Good to know: Yahweh had told Isaac not to go down into Egypt (). Here God tells Jacob not to be afraid to go, and in the next verse promises to go with him.
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4I will go down with you into Egypt. I will also surely bring you up again. Joseph’s hand will close your eyes.”God speaks
In plain English: I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will certainly bring you back up again. Joseph's own hand will close your eyes."
Good to know: "I will surely bring you up" repeats the verb in Hebrew, to make the promise strong. Many readers take "Joseph's hand will close your eyes" to mean that Joseph will be with Jacob when he dies.
What changes: "You" can mean Jacob himself, or the great nation that will come from him (). Jacob's body is carried back to Canaan in , and God promises to bring the nation up out of Egypt in . The text does not say which is meant, and it can be both.
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5Jacob rose up from Beersheba, 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.
In plain English: Jacob set out from Beersheba. The sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
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6They took their livestock, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt—Jacob, and all his offspring with him,
In plain English: They took their livestock and the goods they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt: Jacob and all his descendants with him,
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7his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and he brought all his offspring with him into Egypt.
In plain English: his sons and grandsons, his daughters and granddaughters. He brought all his descendants with him into Egypt.
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8These are the names of the children of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.
In plain English: These are the names of the sons of Israel who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.
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9The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
In plain English: Reuben's sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
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10The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.
In plain English: Simeon's sons: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, whose mother was a Canaanite.
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11The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
In plain English: Levi's sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
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12The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
In plain English: Judah's sons: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. Er and Onan had died in Canaan. Perez's sons: Hezron and Hamul.
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13The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Iob, and Shimron.
In plain English: Issachar's sons: Tola, Puvah, Iob, and Shimron.
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14The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
In plain English: Zebulun's sons: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
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15These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty-three.
In plain English: These are the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, and his daughter Dinah. His sons and daughters numbered thirty-three in all.
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16The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
In plain English: Gad's sons: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
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17The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah their sister. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel.
In plain English: Asher's sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah, and their sister Serah. Beriah's sons: Heber and Malchiel.
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18These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah, his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob, even sixteen souls.
In plain English: These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah. She bore them to Jacob: sixteen people.
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19The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife: Joseph and Benjamin.
In plain English: The sons of Jacob's wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
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20To Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him.
In plain English: In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph. Their mother was Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
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21The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.
In plain English: Benjamin's sons: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.
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22These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen.
In plain English: These are Rachel's sons born to Jacob: fourteen people in all.
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23The son of Dan: Hushim.
In plain English: Dan's son: Hushim.
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24The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
In plain English: Naphtali's sons: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
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25These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel, his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob: all the souls were seven.
In plain English: These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel. She bore them to Jacob: seven people in all.
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26All the souls who came with Jacob into Egypt, who were his direct offspring, in addition to Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were sixty-six.
In plain English: All who came into Egypt with Jacob, his own descendants, not counting his sons' wives, numbered sixty-six.
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27The sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two souls. All the souls of the house of Jacob, who came into Egypt, were seventy.
In plain English: Joseph had two sons, born in Egypt. All the people of Jacob's family who came into Egypt numbered seventy.
Good to know: The four groups add up to seventy: 33 (), 16 (), 14 () and 7 (). gives 66, the ones who came with Jacob, not counting his sons' wives. and also say seventy. The old Greek translation of this verse says seventy-five, and so does .
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28Jacob sent Judah before him to Joseph, to show the way before him to Goshen, and they came into the land of Goshen.
In plain English: Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph, to show the way to Goshen, and they arrived in the land of Goshen.
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29Joseph prepared his chariot, and went up to meet Israel, his father, in Goshen. He presented himself to him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
In plain English: Joseph got his chariot ready and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel. When he came to him, he threw his arms around his neck and wept on his neck for a long time.
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30Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.”
In plain English: Israel said to Joseph, "Now I can die, since I have seen your face and you are still alive."
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31Joseph said to his brothers, and to his father’s house, “I will go up, and speak with Pharaoh, and will tell him, ‘My brothers, and my father’s house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me.
In plain English: Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, "I will go up and speak to Pharaoh. I will tell him, 'My brothers and my father's household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me.
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32These men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock, and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.’
In plain English: The men are shepherds, because they have been keepers of livestock. They have brought their flocks, their herds, and everything they have.'
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33It will happen, when Pharaoh summons you, and will say, ‘What is your occupation?’
In plain English: When Pharaoh calls for you and asks, 'What is your work?'
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34that you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we, and our fathers:’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”
In plain English: say, 'Your servants have kept livestock from our youth until now, both we and our fathers.' That way you can live in the land of Goshen, because every shepherd is an abomination (something detested) to the Egyptians."
The Hebrew word: "Abomination" is to'evah: something people find disgusting and keep away from.
How it is translated: This Bible says "abomination" or "abominations" in about 9 of every 10 of its 112 verses. Genesis uses it only twice: here, and in , where the Egyptians will not eat with Hebrews.
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