Genesis - Chapter 46
In Chapter 46 of the Book of Genesis, you can accompany Jacob on his journey to Egypt after hearing the news that Joseph is alive. Before leaving, Jacob receives God's reassurance in a vision at Beersheba, affirming God's promise to make him a great nation in Egypt. The chapter provides a detailed genealogical record of the seventy members of Jacob's family who go to Egypt, affirming God's promise of making Abraham's descendants as numerous as the stars. Upon arrival in Egypt, Jacob and Joseph share a tearful reunion after years of separation. The chapter ends with Joseph instructing his family on how to approach Pharaoh and request to live in the region of Goshen. This chapter illustrates God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises and His guidance even in difficult circumstances.
Exodus of Israel
1 So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
2 Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, "Jacob, Jacob!" And he said, "Here I am."
3 So He said, "I [am] God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there.
4 "I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up [again;] and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes."
5 Then Jacob arose from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives, in the carts which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
6 So they took their livestock and their goods, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him.
7 His sons and his sons' sons, his daughters and his sons' daughters, and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt.
Pedigree of Israel
8 Now these [were] the names of the children of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt: Reuben [was] Jacob's firstborn.
9 The sons of Reuben [were] Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
10 The sons of Simeon [were] Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman.
11 The sons of Levi [were] Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
12 The sons of Judah [were] 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 [were] Tola, Puvah, Job, and Shimron.
14 The sons of Zebulun [were] Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
15 These [were] the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the persons, his sons and his daughters, [were] thirty-three.
16 The sons of Gad [were] Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
17 The sons of Asher [were] Jimnah, Ishuah, Isui, Beriah, and Serah, their sister. And the sons of Beriah [were] Heber and Malchiel.
18 These [were] the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob: sixteen persons.
19 The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife, [were] Joseph and Benjamin.
20 And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him.
21 The sons of Benjamin [were] Belah, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.
22 These [were] the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: fourteen persons in all.
23 The son of Dan [was] Hushim.
24 The sons of Naphtali [were] Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
25 These [were] the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and she bore these to Jacob: seven persons in all.
26 All the persons who went with Jacob to Egypt, who came from his body, besides Jacob's sons' wives, [were] sixty-six persons in all.
27 And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt [were] two persons. All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy.
Meeting
28 Then he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to point out before him [the way] to Goshen. And they came to the land of Goshen.
29 So Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.
30 And Israel said to Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you [are] still alive."
Shepherds
31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, "I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and say to him, 'My brothers and those of my father's house, who [were] in the land of Canaan, have come to me.
32 'And the men [are] shepherds, for their occupation has been to feed livestock; and they have brought their flocks, their herds, and all that they have.'
33 "So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, 'What is your occupation?'
34 "that you shall say, 'Your servants' occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we [and] also our fathers,' that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd [is] an abomination to the Egyptians."