Genesis 46:28

Jacob Arrives in Egypt

28 Now Jacob had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to prepare for his arrival[a] at Goshen. When they came to the land of Goshen,

Genesis 46:28 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 46:28

And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph
Who was the more honourable of his sons, and in greater esteem with Jacob than his elder brethren were, Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, who by their conduct had greatly displeased him: moreover, he was a man of a polite address, and had endeared himself to Joseph by his speech to him, in which he discovered so much affection both to his father, and his brother Benjamin, and was upon all accounts the fittest person to be sent to Joseph:

to direct his face unto Goshen;
to inform Joseph of his father's coming, that a place might be prepared for him to dwell in, as both the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase it; and particularly to direct what place in Goshen he would have him come to, and meet him at:

and they came into the land of Goshen;
which was the first part of the land of Egypt that lay nearest to Canaan: the Greek version of the whole verse is,

``he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to meet him at Heroopolis, or the city of the heroes, in the land of Rameses,''

which is confirmed by Josephus F24; (See Gill on Genesis 45:10).


FOOTNOTES:

F24 Antiqu. l. 2. c. 7. sect. 5.

Genesis 46:28 In-Context

26 The total number of persons belonging to Jacob-his direct descendants, not including the wives of Jacob's sons-who came to Egypt: 66.
27 And Joseph's sons who were born to him in Egypt: two persons. All those of Jacob's household who had come to Egypt: 70 persons.
28 Now Jacob had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to prepare for his arrival at Goshen. When they came to the land of Goshen,
29 Joseph hitched [the horses to] his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, threw his arms around him, and wept for a long time.
30 Then Israel said to Joseph, "At last I can die, now that I have seen your face [and know] you are still alive!"

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Lit to give directions before him
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