Genesis 46:18-34

18 These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Lavan gave to Le'ah, his daughter, and these she bore to Ya`akov, even sixteen souls.

19 The sons of Rachel, Ya`akov's wife: Yosef and Binyamin.

20 To Yosef in the land of Mitzrayim were born Menashsheh and Efrayim, whom Asenat, the daughter of Potiphera, Kohen of On, bore to him.

21 The sons of Binyamin: Bela, Bekher, Ashbel, Gera, Na`aman, Echi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.

22 These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Ya`akov: all the souls were fourteen.

23 The sons of Dan: Hushim.

24 The sons of Naftali: Yachtze'el, Guni, Yetzer, and Shillem.

25 These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Lavan gave to Rachel, his daughter, and these she bore to Ya`akov: all the souls were seven.

26 All the souls who came with Ya`akov into Mitzrayim, who were his direct descendants, besides Ya`akov's sons' wives, all the souls were sixty-six.

27 The sons of Yosef, who were born to him in Mitzrayim, were two souls. All the souls of the house of Ya`akov, who came into Mitzrayim, were seventy.

28 He sent Yehudah before him to Yosef, to show the way before him to Goshen, and they came into the land of Goshen.

29 Yosef made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Yisra'el, his father, in Goshen. He presented himself to him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

30 Yisra'el said to Yosef, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive."

31 Yosef said to his brothers, and to his father's house, "I will go up, and speak with Par`oh, and will tell him, 'My brothers, and my father's house, who were in the land of Kana`an, have come to me.

32 These men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of cattle, and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.'

33 It will happen, when Par`oh summons you, and will say, 'What is your occupation?'

34 that you shall say, 'Your servants have been keepers of cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and our fathers:' that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Mitzrim."

Genesis 46:18-34 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.