Genesis 46:2-12

2 And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!” “Here I am,” he replied.

3 “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.

4 I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”

5 Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel’s sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him.

6 So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt, taking with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan.

7 Jacob brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.

8 These are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben the firstborn of Jacob.

9 The sons of Reuben: Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.

10 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.

11 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

12 The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.

Genesis 46:2-12 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

• 1. S Genesis 17:5
• 2. S Genesis 15:1; Job 33:14-15
• 3. S Genesis 22:1; Genesis 31:11
• 4. S Genesis 28:13
• 5. S Genesis 15:1
• 6. Genesis 26:2
• 7. S Genesis 12:2; Deuteronomy 26:5
• 8. Exodus 1:7
• 9. S Genesis 15:16; S Genesis 28:13; Genesis 28:15; Genesis 48:21; Exodus 3:8
• 10. ver 29; Genesis 45:14-15; Genesis 50:1; Ge Genesis 50:1,24
• 11. S Genesis 21:14
• 12. ver 1
• 13. S Genesis 45:19
• 14. S Genesis 45:20
• 15. S Genesis 12:5
• 16. Numbers 20:15; Deuteronomy 26:5; Joshua 24:4; Psalms 105:23; Isaiah 52:4; Acts 7:15
• 17. Genesis 13:10
• 18. ver 6; Genesis 45:10
• 19. S Genesis 35:26; Exodus 1:1; Numbers 26:4
• 20. S Genesis 29:32
• 21. Exodus 6:14; Numbers 1:20; Numbers 26:7; 1 Chronicles 5:3
• 22. Numbers 26:5; 1 Chronicles 5:3
• 23. Numbers 26:6
• 24. S Genesis 29:33; Numbers 26:14
• 25. Exodus 6:15; Numbers 26:12
• 26. Numbers 26:13
• 27. S Genesis 29:34; S Numbers 3:17
• 28. Exodus 6:16; Numbers 3:21; Numbers 4:38
• 29. Exodus 6:16; Numbers 3:27; 1 Chronicles 23:12
• 30. Exodus 6:19; Numbers 3:20,33; Numbers 4:29; Numbers 26:57; 1 Chronicles 6:19
• 31. S Genesis 29:35
• 32. S Genesis 38:3
• 33. S Genesis 38:4
• 34. S Genesis 38:29
• 35. S Genesis 38:30
• 36. S Genesis 38:7; Numbers 26:19
• 37. 1 Chronicles 2:5; Matthew 1:3