1Israel packed up everything he owned and traveled to Beer-sheba. There he offered sacrifices to his father Isaac’s God. 2God said to Israel in a vision at night, “Jacob! Jacob!” and he said, “I’m here.” 3He said, “I am El,#46.3 Or God your father’s God. Don’t be afraid to go down to Egypt because I will make a great nation of you there. 4I will go down to Egypt with you, and I promise to bring you out again. Joseph will close your eyes when you die.” 5Then Jacob left Beer-sheba. Israel’s sons put their father Jacob, their children, and their wives on the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6They took their livestock and their possessions that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and arrived in Egypt, Jacob and all of his children with him. 7His sons and grandsons, his daughters and his granddaughters—all of his descendants he brought with him to Egypt.

8These are the names of the Israelites who went to Egypt, including Jacob and his sons. Jacob’s oldest son was Reuben. 9Reuben’s sons were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 10Simeon’s sons were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, whose mother was a Canaanite. 11Levi’s sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12Judah’s sons were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. Er and Onan both died in the land of Canaan. Perez’s sons were Hezron and Hamul. 13Issachar’s sons were Tola, Puvah, Iob, and Shimron. 14Zebulun’s sons were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15These are the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram. Her daughter was Dinah. All of these persons, including his sons and daughters, totaled 33.

16Gad’s sons were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 17Asher’s sons were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. Beriah’s sons were Heber and Malchiel. 18These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah. She bore these to Jacob, a total of 16 persons.

19The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. 20To Joseph, in the land of Egypt, were born Manasseh and Ephraim. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis,#46.20 Heb On bore them to him. 21Benjamin’s sons were Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22These are Rachel’s sons who were born to Jacob, a total of 14 persons.

23Dan’s son#46.23 Or sons was Hushim. 24Naphtali’s sons were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel. She bore these to Jacob, a total of 7 persons. 26All of the persons going to Egypt with Jacob—his own children, excluding Jacob’s sons’ wives—totaled 66 persons. 27Joseph’s sons born to him in Egypt were 2 persons. Thus, all of the persons in Jacob’s household going to Egypt totaled 70.

28Israel had sent Judah ahead to Joseph so that Joseph could explain the way to Goshen. Then they arrived in the land of Goshen. 29Joseph hitched up his chariot and went to meet his father Israel in Goshen. When he arrived, he threw his arms around his neck and wept, embracing him for a long time. 30Israel said to Joseph, “I can die now after seeing your face. You are really still alive!”

Jacob’s household settles in Egypt

31Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “Let me go up and inform Pharaoh and tell him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household who were in the land of Canaan have arrived. 32The men are shepherds, because they own livestock. They’ve brought with them their flocks and herds and everything they own.’ 33When Pharaoh summons you and says, ‘What do you do?’ 34say, ‘Your servants have owned livestock since we were young, both we and our ancestors,’ so that you will be able to settle in the land of Goshen, since Egyptians think all shepherds are beneath their dignity.”

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Genesis 46

Jacob Moves to Egypt

1So Israel set out with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2And God spoke to Israel #46.2: Lit in the visionsin visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” 3Then He said, “I am 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. 4I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also assuredly bring you up again; and Joseph will #46.4: Lit put his hand onclose your eyes.”

5Then Jacob left Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob and their little ones and their wives in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6They also took their livestock and their possessions, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and came to Egypt, Jacob and all his #46.6: Lit seeddescendants with him: 7his sons and his grandsons with him, his daughters and his granddaughters, and all his #46.7: Lit seeddescendants he brought with him to Egypt.

Those Who Came to Egypt

8Now these are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn. 9And the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 10And the sons of Simeon: #46.10: In Num 26:12 and 1 Chr 4:24, NemuelJemuel, Jamin, Ohad, #46.10: In 1 Chr 4:24, JaribJachin, #46.10: In Num 26:13 and 1 Chr 4:24, ZerahZohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. 11And the sons of Levi: #46.11: In 1 Chr 6:16, GershomGershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12And the sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan). And the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13And the sons of Issachar: Tola, #46.13: In Num 26:23, Puvah; in 1 Chr 7:1, PuahPuvvah, #46.13: In Num 26:24 and 1 Chr 7:1, JashubIob, and Shimron. 14And the sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, with his daughter Dinah; #46.15: Lit all the souls ofall his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three. 16And the sons of Gad: #46.16: In Num 26:15, ZephonZiphion, Haggi, Shuni, #46.16: In Num 26:16, OzniEzbon, Eri, #46.16: In Num 26:17, ArodArodi, and Areli. 17And the sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. And the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel. 18These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah; and she bore to Jacob these sixteen persons. 19The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 20Now to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him. 21And the sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, #46.21: In Num 26:38, AhiramEhi, Rosh, #46.21: In Num 26:39, Shephupham; in 1 Chr 7:12, ShuppimMuppim, #46.21: In Num 26:39, HuphamHuppim, and Ard. 22These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob; there were fourteen persons in all. 23And the sons of Dan: #46.23: In Num 26:42, ShuhamHushim. 24And the sons of Naphtali: #46.24: In 1 Chr 7:13, JahzielJahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and #46.24: In 1 Chr 7:13, ShallumShillem. 25These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel, and she bore these to Jacob; there were seven persons in all. 26All the people belonging to Jacob, who came to Egypt, #46.26: Lit who came out of his loinshis direct descendants, not including the wives of Jacob’s sons, were sixty-six persons in all, 27and the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were #46.27: Lit two soulstwo; all the people of the house of Jacob, who came to Egypt, were seventy.

28Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph, to #46.28: Lit instruct before himguide him to Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. 29And Joseph #46.29: Lit harnessedprepared his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; as soon as he appeared to him, Joseph threw himself on his neck and wept on his neck a long time. 30Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.” 31But Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “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; 32and the men are shepherds, for they have been #46.32: Lit menkeepers of livestock; and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ 33When Pharaoh calls for you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34you shall say, ‘Your servants have been #46.34: Lit menkeepers of livestock since our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ so that you may live in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”

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Genesis 46

Genesis 46