Genesis 45:28-46:27

Common English Bible

²⁸Then Israel said, “This is too much! My son Joseph is still alive! Let me go and see him before I die.”

Jacob’s household moves to Egypt

46 Israel packed up everything he owned and traveled to Beer-sheba. There he offered sacrifices to his father Isaac’s God. ²God said to Israel in a vision at night, “Jacob! Jacob!” and he said, “I’m here.” ³He said, “I am El,^[a] your father’s God. Don’t be afraid to go down to Egypt because I will make a great nation of you there. ⁴I will go down to Egypt with you, and I promise to bring you out again. Joseph will close your eyes when you die.” ⁵Then Jacob left Beer-sheba. Israel’s sons put their father Jacob, their children, and their wives on the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him. ⁶They took their livestock and their possessions that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and arrived in Egypt, Jacob and all of his children with him. ⁷His sons and grandsons, his daughters and his granddaughters—all of his descendants he brought with him to Egypt.

⁸These are the names of the Israelites who went to Egypt, including Jacob and his sons. Jacob’s oldest son was Reuben. ⁹Reuben’s sons were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. ¹⁰Simeon’s sons were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, whose mother was a Canaanite. ¹¹Levi’s sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. ¹²Judah’s sons were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. Er and Onan both died in the land of Canaan. Perez’s sons were Hezron and Hamul. ¹³Issachar’s sons were Tola, Puvah, Iob, and Shimron. ¹⁴Zebulun’s sons were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. ¹⁵These are the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram. Her daughter was Dinah. All of these persons, including his sons and daughters, totaled 33.

¹⁶Gad’s sons were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. ¹⁷Asher’s sons were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. Beriah’s sons were Heber and Malchiel. ¹⁸These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah. She bore these to Jacob, a total of 16 persons.

¹⁹The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. ²⁰To Joseph, in the land of Egypt, were born Manasseh and Ephraim. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis,^[b] bore them to him. ²¹Benjamin’s sons were Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. ²²These are Rachel’s sons who were born to Jacob, a total of 14 persons.

²³Dan’s son^[c] was Hushim. ²⁴Naphtali’s sons were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. ²⁵These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel. She bore these to Jacob, a total of 7 persons. ²⁶All of the persons going to Egypt with Jacob—his own children, excluding Jacob’s sons’ wives—totaled 66 persons. ²⁷Joseph’s sons born to him in Egypt were 2 persons. Thus, all of the persons in Jacob’s household going to Egypt totaled 70.