Genesis 46
The Voice
46 Israel set out on his journey to Egypt with all of his belongings, and when he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrificial gifts to the God of his father, Isaac. 2 God spoke there to Israel in visions during the night.
God: Jacob, Jacob!
Jacob: I’m here. I’m listening!
God: 3 I am the True God, the God of your father. Don’t be afraid to go down to Egypt and leave the land I promised you, for I am going to make you into a great nation there. 4 I will go down with you to Egypt, and one day I will be the One to bring you back again. And something else—Joseph’s own hands will be the ones to close your eyes at the time of your death.
5 Then Jacob got up and continued on from Beersheba toward Egypt, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little children, and their wives in the wagons Pharaoh sent with them. 6-7 They also brought their livestock and the goods they had acquired in the land of Canaan. And at last, Jacob and his family arrived in Egypt. His sons, his grandsons, his daughters, and his granddaughters—all of his descendants came with him to Egypt.
8 Here are the names of the descendants of Israel—that is, Jacob and his family—who settled in Egypt. Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn son) 9 and his sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 10 Simeon and his sons: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul (the son of a Canaanite woman). 11 Levi and his sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12 Judah and his sons: Er and Onan (who both died in the land of Canaan), Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; Perez and his sons (Judah’s grandchildren): Hezron and Hamul. 13 Issachar and his sons: Tola, Puvvah, Iob, and Shimron. 14 Zebulun and his sons: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15 These sons, along with his daughter Dinah, are the 33 sons and daughters born to Jacob by Leah in Paddan-aram.
16 Gad and his sons: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 17 Asher and his sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah; Beriah and his sons (Gad’s grandchildren): Heber and Malchiel. 18 These are the 16 children born to Jacob by Zilpah. (Zilpah was the servant Laban gave to his daughter, Leah, when she married Jacob.)
19 Jacob’s sons by Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. 20 Joseph had Manasseh and Ephraim in the land of Egypt with his wife Asenath (daughter of Potiphera, priest of On). 21 Benjamin and his sons: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22 These are the 14 children born to Jacob by Rachel.
23 Dan had only one son: Hushim. 24 Naphtali and his sons: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25 These are the 7 children born to Jacob by Bilhah. (Bilhah was the servant Laban gave to his daughter, Rachel, when she married Jacob.)
26 So all of Jacob’s children and grandchildren who came to Egypt—those who were in some way his offspring, but not the wives of his sons—were 66 in all. 27 Joseph had two sons who were born in Egypt. All of the people directly related to Jacob who now lived in Egypt numbered 70 people.
28 Now Israel decided to send Judah ahead to Joseph in order to learn the way into Goshen. When they came to the land of Goshen, they stopped. 29 Joseph got into his chariot and went out to meet his father, Israel. When he saw him, he fell on his neck and wept for a long time.
Jacob (to Joseph): 30 I can die now in peace, because I’ve seen your face and I know you are alive.
31 Joseph gathered his brothers and his father’s household and told them his plans.
Joseph: I’m going now to let Pharaoh know you are here. I will tell him, “My brothers and my father’s household have arrived from Canaan. 32 The men are shepherds. They make their living by keeping livestock, and they’ve brought their flocks and herds and all of their belongings.” 33 When Pharaoh calls you to the court and asks your occupation, 34 tell him, “Your servants keep livestock. We start in the family business when we are just boys. That is what we and our ancestors have always done.” That way, you’ll be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen because Egyptians can’t stand to be around shepherds.
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 Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society 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.
