1And Isra’el took his journey with all that he had, and came to Be’er-Sheva, and offered sacrifices unto the God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] of his father Yitz’chak [Laughter].

2And God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] spoke unto Isra’el in the visions of the night, and said, Ya’akov, Ya’akov. And he said, Here [am] I.

3And he said, I [am] God-El [The Powerful Living Word], the God-Elohe [The Living Word - The Many Powered] of youri father: fear not to go down into Mitzrayim [Egypt]; for I will there make of youi a great nation:

4I will go down with youi into Mitzrayim [Egypt]; and I will also surely bring youi up [again]: and Yosef shall put his hand upon youri eyes.

5And Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) rose up from Be’er-Sheva (well of the sevenfold oath): and the sons of Isra’el (he who holds onto God-The Creator) carried Ya’akov their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh (Great House) had sent to carry him.

6And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Kena’an (merchant; trader; or that humbles and subdues), and came into Mitzrayim [Egypt], Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of), and all his seed with him:

7His sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Mitzrayim [Egypt]

8And these [are] the names of the children of Isra’el (he who holds onto God-The Creator), which came into Mitzrayim [Egypt] (Double Distress or Double Stronghold, Black Land), Egypt, Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) and his sons: Re’uven (behold a son), Ya’akov’s firstborn.

9And the sons of Re’uven (behold a son); Hanokh (Dedicated), and Pallu (distinguished), and Hetzron (enclosed), and Karmi (my vineyard).

10And the sons of Shim’on (heard; he who hears; man of hearing); Y’mu’el (God’s Day; son of God [EL]), and Yamin (right hand; south wind), and Ohad (united in praise), and Yakhin, and Tzochar (shining oil; brightness), and Shaul the son of a Kena’ani woman.

11And the sons of Levi (Levite) [Joined to] (joined); Gershon (exile), K’hat (assembly; congregation), and M’rari (bitter; to provoke).

12And the sons of Y’hudah (Let the Powerful One be Praised [Yah]); ‘Er (watchful; watchman), and Onan (strong; pain, force, iniquity), and Shelah (Sent Out, Branch or Javelin; to prosper, rest), and Peretz (a breach (breaking forth; a break; opening, inlet); divided; rupture), and Zerach (a rising as the sun): but ‘Er and Onan died in the land of Kena’an (merchant; trader; or that humbles and subdues). And the sons of Peretz (a breach (breaking forth; a break; opening, inlet); divided; rupture) were Hetzron (enclosed) and Hamul (spared; godly; merciful).

13And the sons of Yissakhar (there is recompense); Tola (worm; grub; scarlet stuff), and Puvah (splendid; mouth), and Yov, (aka: Ya’Shuv; he turns; a controversy), and Shimron [Watch-Height] (watch-height).

14And the sons of Z’vulun (exalted; Glorious Dwelling Place); Sered (fear; fright), and Elon (terebinth; mighty), and Yachle’el (waiting for, or beseeching, or hope in- God [EL]).

15These [be] the sons of Le’ah (weary; grieved), which she bore unto Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) in Paddan-aram (a place of height; field; plain), with his daughter Dinah (judgment): all the souls of his sons and his daughters [were] thirty and three.

16And the sons of Gad (troop; good fortune with much effort); Tzifyon (treasure; observer), and Haggi (festive), Shuni (fortunate; changed), and Etzbon (hasting to discern: I will be enlargement), ‘Eri (watchful), and Arodi (I shall subdue: I shall roam), and Ar’eli (lion of my God).

17And the sons of Asher (happy); Yimnah (prosperity), and Yishvah (he will resemble; he is quiet), and Yishvi (he resembles me), and B’ri’ah (with a friend in envy), and Serach (abundance; song; the prince breathed) their sister: and the sons of B’ri’ah (with a friend in envy); Hever (comrade; with a friend), and Malki’el (My God is King or Counselor).

18These [are] the sons of Zilpah (a tickling; a sprinkle), whom Lavan (to be white; white guy) gave to Le’ah (weary; grieved) his daughter, and these she bore unto Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of), [even] sixteen souls.

19The sons of Rachel (ewe) Ya’akov’s (he who holds onto the heel of) wife; Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]), and Binyamin (This Son Is Strength).

20And unto Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]) in the land of Mitzrayim [Egypt] (Double Distress or Double Stronghold, Black Land) were born M’nasheh (causing to forget; from a debt) and Efrayim (Out of the Ashes I am Fruitful; fruitful in affliction), which Osnat (gift of the water) the daughter of Poti-Fera (belonging to the sun-god; he whom Ra gave) priest of On (meaning: sun-city; Heliopolis) bore unto him.

21And the sons of Binyamin (This Son Is Strength) [were] Belah (destruction), and Bekher (the firstborn; a young camel), and Ashbel (a man in God: a man of Ba’al [lord (a false god)]: fire of Bel: I will make a path), Gera [A Grain] (a grain), and Na’aman (pleasantness), Ehi (my brother), and Rosh (head; chief), Mupim (serpent; out of the mouth), and Hupim (protected; a chamber covered; the sea-shore), and Ard (I shall subdue).

22These [are] the sons of Rachel (ewe), which were born to Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of): all the souls [were] fourteen.

23And the sons of Dan (Judge); Hushim (who makes haste).

24And the sons of Naftali (My Wrestling); Yachtze’el (God divides or hastens [EL]), and Guni [A garden, a covering], and Yetzer (forming; purpose), and Shillem (repaid; requital; peace made).

25These [are] the sons of Bilhah (troubled; timid), which Lavan (to be white; white guy) gave unto Rachel (ewe) his daughter, and she bore these unto Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of): all the souls [were] seven.

26All the souls that came with Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) into Mitzrayim [Egypt] (Double Distress or Double Stronghold, Black Land), which came out of his waist, besides Ya’akov’s (he who holds onto the heel of) sons’ wives, all the souls [were] threescore and six;

27And the sons of Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]), which were born him in Mitzrayim [Egypt] (Double Distress or Double Stronghold, Black Land), [were] two souls: all the souls of the house of Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of), which came into Mitzrayim [Egypt] [were] threescore and ten.

28And he sent Y’hudah (Let the Powerful One be Praised [Yah]) before him unto Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]), to direct his face unto Goshen [Drawing Near] (approaching; drawing near); and they came into the land of Goshen [Drawing Near].

29And Yosef made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Isra’el his father, to Goshen [Drawing Near], and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

30And Isra’el (he who holds onto God-The Creator) said unto Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]), Now let me die, since I have seen youri face, because youi [are] yet alive.

31And Yosef said unto his brethren, and unto his father’s house, I will go up, and show Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father’s house, which [were] in the land of Kena’an (merchant; trader; or that humbles and subdues), are come unto me;

32And the men [are] shepherds, for their trade has been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.

33And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh (Great House) shall call you, and shall say, What [is] youri occupation?

34That you1sf shall say, youri servants’ trade has been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, [and] also our fathers: that you1sf may dwell in the land of Goshen [Drawing Near] (approaching; drawing near); for every shepherd [is] an abomination unto the Mitzrayimot [Egyptians] (People of the Black Land).

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Genesis 46

The Family of Jacob goes to Egypt

1 So Israel began his journey, taking with him all that he had.#tn Heb “and Israel journeyed, and all that was his.” When he came to Beer Sheba#sn Beer Sheba. See Gen 21:31; 28:10. he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 God spoke to Israel in a vision during the night#tn Heb “in visions of the night.” The plural form has the singular meaning, probably as a plural of intensity. and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He replied, “Here I am!” 3 He said, “I am God,#tn Heb “the God.” the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 4 I will go down with you to Egypt and I myself will certainly bring you back from there.#tn Heb “and I, I will bring you up, also bringing up.” The independent personal pronoun before the first person imperfect verbal form draws attention to the speaker/subject, while the infinitive absolute after the imperfect strongly emphasizes the statement: “I myself will certainly bring you up.” Joseph will close your eyes.”#tn Heb “and Joseph will put his hand upon your eyes.” This is a promise of peaceful death in Egypt with Joseph present to close his eyes.

5 Then Jacob started out#tn Heb “arose.” from Beer Sheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little children, and their wives in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent along to transport him. 6 Jacob and all his descendants took their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they went to Egypt.#tn Heb “and they took their livestock and their possessions which they had acquired in the land of Canaan and they went to Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons. 7 He brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons,#tn The Hebrew text adds “with him” here. This is omitted in the translation because it is redundant in English style (note the same phrase earlier in the verse). his daughters and granddaughters – all his descendants.

8 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt – Jacob and his sons:

Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob.

9 The sons of Reuben:

Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

10 The sons of Simeon:

Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar,

and Shaul (the son of a Canaanite woman).

11 The sons of Levi:

Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

12 The 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.

13 The sons of Issachar:

Tola, Puah,#tc The MT reads “Puvah” (cf. Num 26:23); the Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac read “Puah” (cf. 1 Chr 7:1). Jashub,#tc The MT reads “Iob,” but the Samaritan Pentateuch and some LXX mss read “Jashub” (see Num 26:24; 1 Chr 7:1). and Shimron.

14 The sons of Zebulun:

Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

15 These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, along with Dinah his daughter. His sons and daughters numbered thirty-three in all.#tn Heb “all the lives of his sons and his daughters, thirty-three.”

16 The sons of Gad:

Zephon,#tc The MT reads “Ziphion,” but see Num 26:15, the Samaritan Pentateuch and the LXX, all of which read “Zephon.” Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.

17 The sons of Asher:

Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah their sister.

The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malkiel.

18 These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, sixteen in all.

19 The sons of Rachel the wife of Jacob:

Joseph and Benjamin.

20 Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On,#sn On is another name for the city of Heliopolis. bore them to him.

21 The sons of Benjamin:#sn The sons of Benjamin. It is questionable whether youthful Benjamin had ten sons by the time he went into Egypt, but it is not impossible. If Benjamin was born when Joseph was six or seven, he was ten when Joseph was sold into Egypt, and would have been thirty-two at this point. Some suggest that the list originally served another purpose and included the names of all who were in the immediate family of the sons, whether born in Canaan or later in Egypt.

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

22 These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob, fourteen in all.

23 The son of Dan: Hushim.#tn This name appears as “Shuham” in Num 26:42. The LXX reads “Hashum” here.

24 The sons of Naphtali:

Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

25 These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, seven in all.

26 All the direct descendants of Jacob who went to Egypt with him were sixty-six in number. (This number does not include the wives of Jacob’s sons.)#tn Heb “All the people who went with Jacob to Egypt, the ones who came out of his body, apart from the wives of the sons of Jacob, all the people were sixty-six.”sn The number sixty-six includes the seventy-one descendants (including Dinah) listed in vv. 8-25 minus Er and Onan (deceased), and Joseph, Manasseh, and Ephraim (already in Egypt). 27 Counting the two sons#tn The LXX reads “nine sons,” probably counting the grandsons of Joseph born to Ephraim and Manasseh (cf. 1 Chr 7:14-20). of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt, all the people of the household of Jacob who were in Egypt numbered seventy.#tn Heb “And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two people; all the people belonging to the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy.”sn The number seventy includes Jacob himself and the seventy-one descendants (including Dinah, Joseph, Manasseh, and Ephraim) listed in vv. 8-25, minus Er and Onan (deceased). The LXX gives the number as “seventy-five” (cf. Acts 7:14).

28 Jacob#tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity. sent Judah before him to Joseph to accompany him to Goshen.#tn Heb “to direct before him to Goshen.” So they came to the land of Goshen. 29 Joseph harnessed his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. When he met him,#tn Heb “and he appeared to him.” he hugged his neck and wept on his neck for quite some time.

30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.”#tn Heb “after my seeing your face that you are still alive.” 31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh,#tn Heb “tell Pharaoh and say to him.” ‘My brothers and my father’s household who were in the land of Canaan have come to me. 32 The men are shepherds;#tn Heb “feeders of sheep.” they take care of livestock.#tn Heb “for men of livestock they are.” They have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ 33 Pharaoh will summon you and say, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 Tell him, ‘Your servants have taken care of cattle#tn Heb “your servants are men of cattle.” from our youth until now, both we and our fathers,’ so that you may live in the land of Goshen,#sn So that you may live in the land of Goshen. Joseph is apparently trying to stress to Pharaoh that his family is self-sufficient, that they will not be a drain on the economy of Egypt. But they will need land for their animals and so Goshen, located on the edge of Egypt, would be a suitable place for them to live. The settled Egyptians were uneasy with nomadic people, but if Jacob and his family settled in Goshen they would represent no threat. for everyone who takes care of sheep is disgusting#tn Heb “is an abomination.” The Hebrew word תּוֹעֵבָה (to’evah, “abomination”) describes something that is loathsome or off-limits. For other practices the Egyptians considered disgusting, see Gen 43:32 and Exod 8:22. to the Egyptians.”

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Genesis 46

Genesis 46