Genesis 46:1-11

Joseph Brings His Family to Egypt

1 So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to ¹Beersheba, and offered sacrifices ²to the God of his father Isaac.

2 And God spoke to Israel ³in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob. ” And he said, “Here I am. ”

3 Then he said, “I am God, ⁴the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will ⁵make you into a great nation.

4 I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also ⁶bring you up again, and ⁷Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes. ”

5 Then Jacob set out from Beersheba. The sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons ⁸that Pharaoh had sent to carry him.

6 They also took their livestock and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and ⁹came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him,

7 his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters. All his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.

8 ¹⁰Now ¹¹these are the names of the descendants of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. ¹²Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn,

9 and the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

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

11 The sons of ¹³Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

Genesis 46:1-11 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. 46:1 ch. 21:31, 33; 26:33; 28:10
• 2. 46:1 ch. 26:24, 25; 28:13; 31:42
• 3. 46:2 ch. 15:1; Job 33:14, 15
• 4. 46:3 ch. 28:13
• 5. 46:3 ch. 35:11; [ch. 12:2; Ex. 1:7, 9; Deut. 26:5]
• 6. 46:4 ch. 15:16; 28:15; 48:21; 50:24; Ex. 3:8
• 7. 46:4 ch. 50:1
• 8. 46:5 ch. 45:19, 21, 27
• 9. 46:6 Josh. 24:4; Ps. 105:23; Isa. 52:4; Acts 7:14, 15
• 10. 46:8 For ver. 8-11, see Ex. 6:14-16
• 11. 46:8 Ex. 1:1-5
• 12. 46:8 Num. 26:5; 1 Chr. 5:1-3
• 13. 46:11 1 Chr. 6:1