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Genesis 46-47
New Century Version
Genesis 46-47
New Century Version
Jacob Goes to Egypt
46 So Israel[a] took all he had and started his trip. He went to Beersheba, where he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 During the night God spoke to Israel in a vision and said, “Jacob, Jacob.”
And Jacob answered, “Here I am.”
3 Then God said, “I am God, the God of your father. Don’t be afraid to go to Egypt, because I will make your descendants a great nation there. 4 I will go to Egypt with you, and I will bring you out of Egypt again. Joseph’s own hands will close your eyes when you die.”
5 Then Jacob left Beersheba. The sons of Israel loaded their father, their children, and their wives in the wagons the king of Egypt had sent. 6 They also took their farm animals and everything they had gotten in Canaan. So Jacob went to Egypt with all his descendants— 7 his sons and grandsons, his daughters and granddaughters. He took all his family to Egypt with him.
Jacob’s Family
8 Now these are the names of the children of Israel who went into Egypt (Jacob and his descendants).
Reuben was Jacob’s first son. 9 Reuben’s sons were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
10 Simeon’s sons were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul (Simeon’s son by a Canaanite woman).
11 Levi’s sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
12 Judah’s sons were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan). Perez’s sons were Hezron and Hamul.
13 Issachar’s sons were Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.
14 Zebulun’s sons were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
15 These are the sons of Leah and Jacob born in Northwest Mesopotamia, in addition to his daughter Dinah. There were thirty-three persons in this part of Jacob’s family.
16 Gad’s sons were Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
17 Asher’s sons were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah, and their sister was Serah. Beriah’s sons were Heber and Malkiel.
18 These are Jacob’s sons by Zilpah, the slave girl whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah. There were sixteen persons in this part of Jacob’s family.
19 The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. 20 In Egypt, Joseph became the father of Manasseh and Ephraim by his wife Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
21 Benjamin’s sons were Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.
22 These are the sons of Jacob by his wife Rachel. There were fourteen persons in this part of Jacob’s family.
23 Dan’s son was Hushim.
24 Naphtali’s sons were Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
25 These are Jacob’s sons by Bilhah, the slave girl whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel. There were seven persons in this part of Jacob’s family.
26 So the total number of Jacob’s direct descendants who went to Egypt was sixty-six, not counting the wives of Jacob’s sons. 27 Joseph had two sons born in Egypt, so the total number in the family of Jacob in Egypt was seventy.
Jacob Arrives in Egypt
28 Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to see Joseph in Goshen. When Jacob and his people came into the land of Goshen, 29 Joseph prepared his chariot and went to meet his father Israel in Goshen. As soon as Joseph saw his father, he hugged him, and cried there for a long time.
30 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, because I have seen your face and I know you are still alive.”
31 Joseph said to his brothers and his father’s family, “I will go and tell the king you are here. I will say, ‘My brothers and my father’s family have left the land of Canaan and have come here to me. 32 They are shepherds and take care of farm animals, and they have brought their flocks and their herds and everything they own with them.’ 33 When the king calls you, he will ask, ‘What work do you do?’ 34 This is what you should tell him: ‘We, your servants, have taken care of farm animals all our lives. Our ancestors did the same thing.’ Then the king will allow you to settle in the land of Goshen, away from the Egyptians, because they don’t like to be near shepherds.”
Jacob Settles in Goshen
47 Joseph went in to the king and said, “My father and my brothers have arrived from Canaan with their flocks and herds and everything they own. They are now in the land of Goshen.” 2 Joseph chose five of his brothers to introduce to the king.
3 The king said to the brothers, “What work do you do?”
And they said to him, “We, your servants, are shepherds, just as our ancestors were.” 4 They said to the king, “We have come to live in this land, because there is no grass in the land of Canaan for our animals to eat, and the hunger is terrible there. So please allow us to live in the land of Goshen.”
5 Then the king said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you, 6 and you may choose any place in Egypt for them to live. Give your father and your brothers the best land; let them live in the land of Goshen. And if any of them are skilled shepherds, put them in charge of my sheep and cattle.”
7 Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and introduced him to the king, and Jacob blessed the king.
8 Then the king said to Jacob, “How old are you?”
9 Jacob said to him, “My life has been spent wandering from place to place. It has been short and filled with trouble—only one hundred thirty years. My ancestors lived much longer than I.” 10 Then Jacob blessed the king and left.
11 Joseph obeyed the king and gave his father and brothers the best land in Egypt, near the city of Rameses. 12 And Joseph gave his father, his brothers, and everyone who lived with them the food they needed.
Joseph Buys Land for the King
13 The hunger became worse, and since there was no food anywhere in the land, Egypt and Canaan became very poor. 14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan. People paid for the grain they were buying, and he brought that money to the king’s palace. 15 After some time, when the people in Egypt and Canaan had no money left, they went to Joseph and said, “Please give us food. Our money is gone, and if we don’t eat, we will die here in front of you.”
16 Joseph answered, “Since you have no money, give me your farm animals, and I will give you food in return.” 17 So people brought their farm animals to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys. And he kept them alive by trading food for their farm animals that year.
18 The next year the people came to Joseph and said, “You know we have no money left, and all our animals belong to you. We have nothing left except our bodies and our land. 19 Surely both we and our land will die here in front of you. Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we will be slaves to the king, together with our land. Give us seed to plant so that we will live and not die, and the land will not become a desert.”
20 So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for the king. Every Egyptian sold Joseph his field, because the hunger was very great. So the land became the king’s, 21 and Joseph made the people slaves from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 The only land he did not buy was the land the priests owned. They did not need to sell their land because the king paid them for their work. So they had money to buy food.
23 Joseph said to the people, “Now I have bought you and your land for the king, so I will give you seed and you can plant your fields. 24 At harvest time you must give one-fifth to the king. You may keep four-fifths for yourselves to use as seed for the field and as food for yourselves, your families, and your children.”
25 The people said, “You have saved our lives. If you like, we will become slaves of the king.”
26 So Joseph made a law in Egypt, which continues today: One-fifth of everything from the land belongs to the king. The only land the king did not get was the priests’ land.
“Don’t Bury Me in Egypt”
27 The Israelites continued to live in the land of Goshen in Egypt. There they got possessions and had many children and grew in number.
28 Jacob[b] lived in Egypt seventeen years, so he lived to be one hundred forty-seven years old. 29 When Israel knew he soon would die, he called his son Joseph to him and said to him, “If you love me, put your hand under my leg.[c] Promise me you will not bury me in Egypt. 30 When I die, carry me out of Egypt, and bury me where my ancestors are buried.”
Joseph answered, “I will do as you say.”
31 Then Jacob said, “Promise me.” And Joseph promised him that he would do this. Then Israel worshiped as he leaned on the top of his walking stick.
Genesis 46-47
New International Version
Genesis 46-47
New International Version
Jacob Goes to Egypt
46 So Israel(A) set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba,(B) he offered sacrifices(C) to the God of his father Isaac.(D)
2 And God spoke to Israel(E) in a vision at night(F) and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”
“Here I am,”(G) he replied.
3 “I am God, the God of your father,”(H) he said. “Do not be afraid(I) to go down to Egypt,(J) for I will make you into a great nation(K) there.(L) 4 I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again.(M) And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.(N)”
5 Then Jacob left Beersheba,(O) and Israel’s(P) sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts(Q) that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. 6 So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt,(R) taking with them their livestock and the possessions(S) they had acquired(T) in Canaan. 7 Jacob brought with him to Egypt(U) his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.(V)
8 These are the names of the sons of Israel(W) (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt:
Reuben the firstborn(X) of Jacob.
9 The sons of Reuben:(Y)
Hanok, Pallu,(Z) Hezron and Karmi.(AA)
10 The sons of Simeon:(AB)
Jemuel,(AC) Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar(AD) and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.
11 The sons of Levi:(AE)
Gershon,(AF) Kohath(AG) and Merari.(AH)
12 The sons of Judah:(AI)
Er,(AJ) Onan,(AK) Shelah, Perez(AL) and Zerah(AM) (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan).(AN)
The sons of Perez:(AO)
Hezron and Hamul.(AP)
13 The sons of Issachar:(AQ)
Tola, Puah,[a](AR) Jashub[b](AS) and Shimron.
14 The sons of Zebulun:(AT)
Sered, Elon and Jahleel.
15 These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram,[c](AU) besides his daughter Dinah.(AV) These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all.
16 The sons of Gad:(AW)
Zephon,[d](AX) Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.
17 The sons of Asher:(AY)
Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah.
Their sister was Serah.
The sons of Beriah:
Heber and Malkiel.
18 These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah,(AZ) whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah(BA)—sixteen in all.
19 The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel:(BB)
Joseph and Benjamin.(BC) 20 In Egypt, Manasseh(BD) and Ephraim(BE) were born to Joseph(BF) by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.[e](BG)
21 The sons of Benjamin:(BH)
Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.(BI)
22 These were the sons of Rachel(BJ) who were born to Jacob—fourteen in all.
25 These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah,(BN) whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel(BO)—seven in all.
26 All those who went to Egypt with Jacob—those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons’ wives—numbered sixty-six persons.(BP) 27 With the two sons[f] who had been born to Joseph in Egypt,(BQ) the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy[g] in all.(BR)
28 Now Jacob sent Judah(BS) ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen.(BT) When they arrived in the region of Goshen, 29 Joseph had his chariot(BU) made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel.(BV) As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father[h] and wept(BW) for a long time.(BX)
30 Israel(BY) said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”(BZ)
31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan,(CA) have come to me.(CB) 32 The men are shepherds;(CC) they tend livestock,(CD) and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’(CE) 33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’(CF) 34 you should answer, ‘Your servants(CG) have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’(CH) Then you will be allowed to settle(CI) in the region of Goshen,(CJ) for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.(CK)”
47 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan(CL) and are now in Goshen.”(CM) 2 He chose five of his brothers and presented them(CN) before Pharaoh.
3 Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?”(CO)
“Your servants(CP) are shepherds,(CQ)” they replied to Pharaoh, “just as our fathers were.” 4 They also said to him, “We have come to live here for a while,(CR) because the famine is severe in Canaan(CS) and your servants’ flocks have no pasture.(CT) So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen.”(CU)
5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you, 6 and the land of Egypt is before you; settle(CV) your father and your brothers in the best part of the land.(CW) Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability,(CX) put them in charge of my own livestock.(CY)”
7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him(CZ) before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed[i] Pharaoh,(DA) 8 Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”
9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty.(DB) My years have been few and difficult,(DC) and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.(DD)” 10 Then Jacob blessed[j] Pharaoh(DE) and went out from his presence.
11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land,(DF) the district of Rameses,(DG) as Pharaoh directed. 12 Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children.(DH)
Joseph and the Famine
13 There was no food, however, in the whole region because the famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted away because of the famine.(DI) 14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying,(DJ) and he brought it to Pharaoh’s palace.(DK) 15 When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone,(DL) all Egypt came to Joseph(DM) and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes?(DN) Our money is all gone.”
16 “Then bring your livestock,(DO)” said Joseph. “I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone.(DP)” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses,(DQ) their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys.(DR) And he brought them through that year with food in exchange for all their livestock.
18 When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone(DS) and our livestock belongs to you,(DT) there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we perish before your eyes(DU)—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food,(DV) and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh.(DW) Give us seed so that we may live and not die,(DX) and that the land may not become desolate.”
20 So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe(DY) for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, 21 and Joseph reduced the people to servitude,[k](DZ) from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 However, he did not buy the land of the priests,(EA) because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment(EB) Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.
23 Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed(EC) for you so you can plant the ground.(ED) 24 But when the crop comes in, give a fifth(EE) of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children.”
25 “You have saved our lives,” they said. “May we find favor in the eyes of our lord;(EF) we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”(EG)
26 So Joseph established it as a law concerning land in Egypt—still in force today—that a fifth(EH) of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the priests that did not become Pharaoh’s.(EI)
27 Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen.(EJ) They acquired property there(EK) and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.(EL)
28 Jacob lived in Egypt(EM) seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven.(EN) 29 When the time drew near for Israel(EO) to die,(EP) he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes,(EQ) put your hand under my thigh(ER) and promise that you will show me kindness(ES) and faithfulness.(ET) Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I rest with my fathers,(EU) carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.”(EV)
“I will do as you say,” he said.
31 “Swear to me,”(EW) he said. Then Joseph swore to him,(EX) and Israel(EY) worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.[l](EZ)
Footnotes
- Genesis 46:13 Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 7:1); Masoretic Text Puvah
- Genesis 46:13 Samaritan Pentateuch and some Septuagint manuscripts (see also Num. 26:24 and 1 Chron. 7:1); Masoretic Text Iob
- Genesis 46:15 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
- Genesis 46:16 Samaritan Pentateuch and Septuagint (see also Num. 26:15); Masoretic Text Ziphion
- Genesis 46:20 That is, Heliopolis
- Genesis 46:27 Hebrew; Septuagint the nine children
- Genesis 46:27 Hebrew (see also Exodus 1:5 and note); Septuagint (see also Acts 7:14) seventy-five
- Genesis 46:29 Hebrew around him
- Genesis 47:7 Or greeted
- Genesis 47:10 Or said farewell to
- Genesis 47:21 Samaritan Pentateuch and Septuagint (see also Vulgate); Masoretic Text and he moved the people into the cities
- Genesis 47:31 Or Israel bowed down at the head of his bed
New Century Version (NCV) 
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
New International Version (NIV) 
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