The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 So Israel set out on the journey with everything he owned. He arrived at Beersheba and worshiped, offering sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
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So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
2 God spoke to Israel in a vision that night: "Jacob! Jacob!" "Yes?" he said. "I'm listening."
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And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob. ” And he said, “Here I am. ”
3 God said, "I am the God of your father. Don't be afraid of going down to Egypt. I'm going to make you a great nation there.
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Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation.
4 I'll go with you down to Egypt; I'll also bring you back here. And when you die, Joseph will be with you; with his own hand he'll close your eyes."
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I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes. ”
5 Then Jacob left Beersheba. Israel's sons loaded their father and their little ones and their wives on the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
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Then Jacob set out from Beersheba. The sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
6 They arrived in Egypt with the livestock and the wealth they had accumulated in Canaan. Jacob brought everyone in his family with him
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They also took their livestock and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him,
7 - sons and grandsons, daughters and granddaughters. Everyone.
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his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters. All his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.
8 These are the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his descendants, who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.
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Now these are the names of the descendants of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn,
9 Reuben's sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
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and the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
10 Simeon's sons: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.
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The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman.
11 Levi's sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
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The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
12 Judah's sons: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (Er and Onan had already died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
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The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan); and the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
13 Issachar's sons: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.
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The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Yob, and Shimron.
14 Zebulun's sons: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
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The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
15 These are the sons that Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram. There was also his daughter Dinah. Altogether, sons and daughters, they numbered thirty-three.
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These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, together with his daughter Dinah; altogether his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three.
16 Gad's sons: Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
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The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
17 Asher's sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. Also their sister Serah, and Beriah's sons, Heber and Malkiel.
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The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, with Serah their sister. And the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel.
18 These are the children that Zilpah, the maid that Laban gave to his daughter Leah, bore to Jacob - sixteen of them.
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These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob—sixteen persons.
19 The sons of Jacob's wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.
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The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife: Joseph and Benjamin.
20 Joseph was the father of two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, from his marriage to Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. They were born to him in Egypt.
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And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of On, bore to him.
21 Benjamin's sons were Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.
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And the sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.
22 These are the children born to Jacob through Rachel - fourteen.
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These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob—fourteen persons in all.
23 Dan's son: Hushim.
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The son of Dan: Hushim.
24 Naphtali's sons: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
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The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
25 These are the children born to Jacob through Bilhah, the maid Laban had given to his daughter Rachel - seven.
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These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob—seven persons in all.
26 Summing up, all those who went down to Egypt with Jacob - his own children, not counting his sons' wives - numbered sixty-six.
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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 Counting in the two sons born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob's family who ended up in Egypt numbered seventy.
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And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two. All the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy.
28 Jacob sent Judah on ahead to get directions to Goshen from Joseph. When they got to Goshen,
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He had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to show the way before him in Goshen, and they came into the land of Goshen.
29 Joseph gave orders for his chariot and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. The moment Joseph saw him, he threw himself on his neck and wept. He wept a long time.
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Then Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He presented himself to him and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.
30 Israel said to Joseph, "I'm ready to die. I've looked into your face - you are indeed alive."
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Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive. ”
31 Joseph then spoke to his brothers and his father's family. "I'll go and tell Pharaoh, 'My brothers and my father's family, all of whom lived in Canaan, have come to me.
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Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “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.
32 The men are shepherds; they've always made their living by raising livestock. And they've brought their flocks and herds with them, along with everything else they own.'
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And the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock, and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have. ’
33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks what kind of work you do,
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When Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation? ’
34 tell him, 'Your servants have always kept livestock for as long as we can remember - we and our parents also.' That way he'll let you stay apart in the area of Goshen - for Egyptians look down on anyone who is a shepherd."
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you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers, ’ in order that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians. ”
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025