Genesis 46:28

28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph to direct his face unto Goshen, and they came into 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 All the souls who came with Jacob into Egypt, who came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls were threescore and six.
27 And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two souls; all the souls of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.
28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph to direct his face unto Goshen, and they came into the land of Goshen.
29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
30 And Israel said unto Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive."
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.