Genesis 46:21-31

21 And 1the sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.
22 These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob--fourteen persons in all.
23 The sons of Dan: Hushim.
24 2The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
25 3These are the sons of Bilhah, 4whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob--seven persons in all.
26 All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who were his own descendants, not including 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. 5All the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy.

Jacob and Joseph Reunited

28 He had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to show the way before him in Goshen, and they came 6into the land of Goshen.
29 Then Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He presented himself to him and 7fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.
30 Israel said to Joseph, 8"Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive."
31 Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, 9"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.

Genesis 46:21-31 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 46

In this chapter we are told, that Jacob with all his family and substance took a journey to Egypt to see his son Joseph, as he determined, in which he was encouraged to proceed by a vision from God, Ge 46:1-7; and an account is given of all his sons, his sons' sons and daughters that went thither with him, Ge 46:8-27; when he came near to Egypt he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to acquaint him of his coming, who met him at Goshen, where there was a most affectionate interview between them, Ge 46:28-30; and when he gave directions and instructions what answers to give to Pharaoh's questions, when they should appear before him, to whom he proposed to go and inform him of their being come into Egypt, Ge 46:31-34.

Cross References 9

  • 1. See Numbers 26:38-40; 1 Chronicles 7:6-12; 1 Chronicles 8:1
  • 2. 1 Chronicles 7:13
  • 3. See Genesis 30:5-8
  • 4. Genesis 29:29
  • 5. Exodus 1:5; Deuteronomy 10:22; [Acts 7:14]
  • 6. See Genesis 45:10
  • 7. [Genesis 45:14]
  • 8. [Luke 2:29, 30]
  • 9. Genesis 47:1
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.