Genesis 46

1So Israel left for Egypt with everything he had. When he arrived at Beersheba he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2During the night God spoke to Israel in a vision. “Jacob! Jacob!” he called.

“I'm here,” he replied.

3“I am God, the God of your father! Don't be afraid to go to Egypt, because I will turn you and your descendants#46:3. “And your descendants”: supplied for clarity. into a great nation. 4I will go to Egypt with you, and I promise to bring you back again. And Joseph will personally close your eyes when you die.”

5Then Jacob left Beersheba. His sons took him, their children, and their wives to Egypt using the wagons Pharaoh had sent. 6They also took with them all their livestock and all the personal belongings they had accumulated in the country of Canaan.

So Jacob and everyone in his extended family went to Egypt, 7including all his sons and grandsons, daughters and granddaughters.

8The following is the genealogy of Israel and his sons who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.

9The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

10The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a woman from Canaan.

11The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

12The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. However, Er and Onan died in Canaan.

The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.

13The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Job,#46:13. “Job” is given as “Jashub” in Numbers 26:24 and 1 Chronicles 7:1. and Shimron.

14The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

15These are the sons Leah had for Jacob in Paddan-aram, as well as his daughter Dinah. The total number of sons and daughters and grandchildren was thirty-three.

16The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.

17The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah.

The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel.

18These are the sons of Jacob Zilpah had, the servant given by Laban to his daughter Leah, a total of sixteen children and grandchildren.

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

20The sons Joseph had in the land of Egypt by Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of On: Manasseh and Ephraim.

21The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22These are the sons that Rachel had for Jacob, a total of fourteen children and grandchildren.

23The son of Dan: Hushim.

24The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

25These are the sons of Jacob that Bilhah had, the servant given by Laban to his daughter Rachel, a total of seven children and grandchildren.

26All those who were part of Jacob's family who came to Egypt (his blood relatives, apart from wives of Jacob's sons) totaled sixty-six. 27Including the two sons Joseph had in Egypt, the total number of Jacob's family who were in Egypt was seventy.

28Jacob sent Judah on ahead to meet Joseph and find out the way to Goshen. When they arrived in Goshen, 29Joseph ordered his chariot made ready and went to meet his father Israel there. As soon as he arrived, he hugged his father and wept for a long time.

30“Now I can die in peace because I have seen your face again and know you're still alive,” Israel told Joseph.

31Joseph told his brothers and his father's household, “I'm going to go and report to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘My brothers and my father's household have arrived from the country of Canaan to join me. 32They are shepherds and keep livestock. They have brought with them their flocks and herds and all their possessions.’

33When Pharaoh calls for you and asks you, ‘What work do you do?’ 34tell him, ‘Your servants have looked after livestock since we were children, both us and our fathers before us.’ That way you'll be able to live here in Goshen, because Egyptians look down on shepherds.”

Genesis 46

1So Israel set out on the journey with everything he owned. He arrived at Beersheba and worshiped, offering sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

2God spoke to Israel in a vision that night: “Jacob! Jacob!”

“Yes?” he said. “I’m listening.”

3-4God said, “I am the God of your father. Don’t be afraid of going down to Egypt. I’m going to make you a great nation there. I’ll go with you down to Egypt; I’ll also bring you back here. And when you die, Joseph will be with you; with his own hand he’ll close your eyes.”

5-7Then Jacob left Beersheba. Israel’s sons loaded their father and their little ones and their wives on the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him. They arrived in Egypt with the livestock and the wealth they had accumulated in Canaan. Jacob brought everyone in his family with him—sons and grandsons, daughters and granddaughters. Everyone.

8These are the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his descendants, who went to Egypt:

Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.

9Reuben’s sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

10Simeon’s sons: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.

11Levi’s sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

12Judah’s sons: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (Er and Onan had already died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.

13Issachar’s sons: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.

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

15These are the sons that Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram. There was also his daughter Dinah. Altogether, sons and daughters, they numbered thirty-three.

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

17Asher’s sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. Also their sister Serah, and Beriah’s sons, Heber and Malkiel.

18These are the children that Zilpah, the maid that Laban gave to his daughter Leah, bore to Jacob—sixteen of them.

19-21The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph was the father of two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, from his marriage to Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. They were born to him in Egypt. Benjamin’s sons were Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.

22These are the children born to Jacob through Rachel—fourteen.

23Dan’s son: Hushim.

24Naphtali’s sons: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

25These are the children born to Jacob through Bilhah, the maid Laban had given to his daughter Rachel—seven.

26-27Summing up, all those who went down to Egypt with Jacob—his own children, not counting his sons’ wives—numbered sixty-six. Counting in the two sons born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family who ended up in Egypt numbered seventy.

* * *

28-29Jacob sent Judah on ahead to get directions to Goshen from Joseph. When they got to Goshen, Joseph gave orders for his chariot and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. The moment Joseph saw him, he threw himself on his neck and wept. He wept a long time.

30Israel said to Joseph, “I’m ready to die. I’ve looked into your face—you are indeed alive.”

31-34Joseph then spoke to his brothers and his father’s family. “I’ll go and tell Pharaoh, ‘My brothers and my father’s family, all of whom lived in Canaan, have come to me. The men are shepherds; they’ve always made their living by raising livestock. And they’ve brought their flocks and herds with them, along with everything else they own.’ When Pharaoh calls you in and asks what kind of work you do, tell him, ‘Your servants have always kept livestock for as long as we can remember—we and our parents also.’ That way he’ll let you stay apart in the area of Goshen—for Egyptians look down on anyone who is a shepherd.”

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Genesis 46

Genesis 46