Genesis 46
Expanded Bible
Jacob Goes to Egypt
46 So ·Israel [C Jacob’s other name; 32:28] took all he had and ·started his trip [departed]. He went to Beersheba [21:14], 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 [L you] a great nation there [12:1–3]. 4 I will go to Egypt with you, and I will bring you ·out of Egypt [L up] 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 [little ones], and their wives in the wagons ·the king of Egypt [L Pharaoh] 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 [L seed]— 7 his sons and grandsons, his daughters and granddaughters. He took all his ·family [L seed] to Egypt with him.
Jacob’s Family
8 Now these are the names of the ·children [sons] of Israel who went into Egypt (Jacob and his descendants).
Reuben was Jacob’s ·first son [L firstborn]. 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 [38:1–11]). 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 ·northwestern Mesopotamia [L Paddan-aram], in addition to his daughter Dinah [34:1]. 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 [29:24]. 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 [41:45].
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 [29:29]. There were seven persons in this part of Jacob’s family.
26 So the total number of ·Jacob’s direct descendants [L those who came from the thigh/loins of Jacob] 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 [or lead the way to] Joseph in Goshen [45:10]. 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 [L fell on his neck], 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 [household], “I will go and tell ·the king [L Pharaoh] you are here. I will say, ‘My brothers and my father’s ·family [household] have left the land of Canaan and have come here to me. 32 They are shepherds and take care of ·farm animals [livestock], and they have brought their flocks and their herds and everything they own with them.’ 33 When ·the king [L Pharaoh] 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 [livestock] all our lives. Our ·ancestors [fathers] did the same thing.’ Then ·the king [L he] will allow you to settle in the land of Goshen, ·away from the Egyptians, because they don’t like to be near shepherds [L for all shepherds of flocks are an abomination to the Egyptians].”
Genesis 46
English Standard Version
Joseph Brings His Family to Egypt
46 So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to (A)Beersheba, and offered sacrifices (B)to the God of his father Isaac. 2 And God spoke to Israel (C)in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” 3 Then he said, “I am God, (D)the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will (E)make you into a great nation. 4 I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also (F)bring you up again, and (G)Joseph'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 (H)that 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 (I)came 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 (J)Now (K)these are the names of the descendants of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. (L)Reuben, 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 (M)Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12 The sons of (N)Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but (O)Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan); and the sons of (P)Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13 (Q)The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Yob, and Shimron. 14 The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15 These are the sons of Leah, (R)whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, together with his daughter Dinah; altogether his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three.
16 The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 17 (S)The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, with Serah their sister. And the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel. 18 (T)These are the sons of Zilpah, (U)whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob—sixteen persons.
19 The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife: Joseph and Benjamin. 20 And (V)to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of (W)On, bore to him. 21 And (X)the sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22 These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob—fourteen persons in all.
23 The son[a] of Dan: Hushim. 24 (Y)The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25 (Z)These are the sons of Bilhah, (AA)whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob—seven persons in all.
26 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 And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two. (AB)All the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy.
Jacob and Joseph Reunited
28 He had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to show the way before him in Goshen, and they came (AC)into the land of Goshen. 29 Then Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He presented himself to him and (AD)fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while. 30 Israel said to Joseph, (AE)“Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.” 31 Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, (AF)“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 (AG)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 and says, (AH)‘What is your occupation?’ 34 you shall say, (AI)‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock (AJ)from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ in order that you may dwell (AK)in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is (AL)an abomination to the Egyptians.”
Footnotes
- Genesis 46:23 Hebrew sons
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
