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46 So Israel set out with all his possessions, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices there to the God of his father, Isaac. During the night God spoke to him in a vision.

“Jacob! Jacob!” he called.

“Yes?” Jacob answered.

3-4 “I am God,” the voice replied, “the God of your father. Don’t be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will see to it that you become a great nation there. And I will go down with you into Egypt and I will bring your descendants back again; but you shall die in Egypt with Joseph at your side.”

So Jacob left Beer-sheba, and his sons brought him to Egypt, along with their little ones and their wives, in the wagons Pharaoh had provided for them. They brought their livestock, too, and all their belongings accumulated in the land of Canaan, and came to Egypt—Jacob and all his children, sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters—all his loved ones.

8-14 Here are the names of his sons and grandchildren who went with him into Egypt:

Reuben, his oldest son;

Reuben’s sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

Simeon and his sons: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul (Shaul’s mother was a girl from Canaan).

Levi and his sons: Gershon, Kohath, Merari.

Judah and his sons: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, Zerah (however, Er and Onan died while still in Canaan, before Israel went to Egypt).

The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.

Issachar and his sons: Tola, Puvah, Iob, Shimron.

Zebulun and his sons: Sered, Elon, Jahleel.

15 So these descendants of Jacob and Leah, not including their daughter Dinah, born to Jacob in Paddan-aram, were thirty-three in all.

16-17 Also accompanying him were:

Gad and his sons: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.

Asher and his sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and a sister, Serah.

Beriah’s sons were Heber and Malchiel.

18 These sixteen persons were the sons of Jacob and Zilpah, the slave girl given to Leah by her father, Laban.

19-22 Also in the total of Jacob’s household were these fourteen sons and descendants of Jacob and Rachel:

Joseph and Benjamin;

Joseph’s sons, born in the land of Egypt, were Manasseh and Ephraim (their mother was Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis);

Benjamin’s sons: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.

23-25 Also in the group were these seven sons and descendants of Jacob and Bilhah, the slave girl given to Rachel by her father, Laban:

Dan and his son: Hushim.

Naphtali and his sons: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

26 So the total number of those going to Egypt, of his own descendants, not counting the wives of Jacob’s sons, was sixty-six. 27 With Joseph and his two sons included, the total number of people in Jacob’s household there in Egypt was seventy.

28 Jacob sent Judah on ahead to tell Joseph that they were on the way, and would soon arrive in Goshen—which they did. 29 Joseph jumped into his chariot and journeyed to Goshen to meet his father and they fell into each other’s arms and wept a long while.

30 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, for I have seen you again and know you are alive.”

31 And Joseph said to his brothers and to all their households, “I’ll go and tell Pharaoh that you are here, and that you have come from the land of Canaan to join me. 32 And I will tell him, ‘These men are shepherds. They have brought with them their flocks and herds and everything they own.’ 33 So when Pharaoh calls for you and asks you about your occupation, 34 tell him, ‘We have been shepherds from our youth, as our fathers have been for many generations.’ When you tell him this, he will let you live here in the land of Goshen.” For shepherds were despised and hated in other parts of Egypt.

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)

And God spoke to Israel(E) in a vision at night(F) and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”

“Here I am,”(G) he replied.

“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) 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)

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. 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. Jacob brought with him to Egypt(U) his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.(V)

These are the names of the sons of Israel(W) (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt:

Reuben the firstborn(X) of Jacob.

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.

23 The son of Dan:(BK)

Hushim.(BL)

24 The sons of Naphtali:(BM)

Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.

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)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 46:13 Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 7:1); Masoretic Text Puvah
  2. Genesis 46:13 Samaritan Pentateuch and some Septuagint manuscripts (see also Num. 26:24 and 1 Chron. 7:1); Masoretic Text Iob
  3. Genesis 46:15 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  4. Genesis 46:16 Samaritan Pentateuch and Septuagint (see also Num. 26:15); Masoretic Text Ziphion
  5. Genesis 46:20 That is, Heliopolis
  6. Genesis 46:27 Hebrew; Septuagint the nine children
  7. Genesis 46:27 Hebrew (see also Exodus 1:5 and note); Septuagint (see also Acts 7:14) seventy-five
  8. Genesis 46:29 Hebrew around him