Add parallel Print Page Options

Jacob Goes to Egypt

46 So Jacob, also called Israel, took all he had and started his trip. He went to Beersheba. There he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. During the night God spoke to Israel in a vision. He said, “Jacob, Jacob.”

And Jacob answered, “Here I am.”

Then God said, “I am God, the God of your father. Don’t be afraid to go to Egypt. I will make your descendants a great nation there. 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.”

Then Jacob left Beersheba. The sons of Israel loaded their father, their children and their wives. They put them in the wagons the king of Egypt had sent. They also took their farm animals and everything they had gotten in Canaan. So Jacob went to Egypt with all his descendants. He took his sons and grandsons, his daughters and granddaughters. He took all his family to Egypt with him.

Jacob’s Family

Now these are the names of the children of Israel who went into Egypt. (They are Jacob and his descendants.)

Reuben was Jacob’s first son. Reuben’s sons were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.

10 Simeon’s sons were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul. (Shaul was 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. His daughter Dinah was also born there. There were 33 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. Their sister was Serah. Beriah’s sons were Heber and Malkiel.

18 These are Jacob’s sons by Zilpah. She was the slave girl whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah. There were 16 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. She was 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 14 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. She was the slave girl whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel. There were 7 persons in this part of Jacob’s family.

26 So the total number of Jacob’s direct descendants who went to Egypt was 66. (The wives of Jacob’s sons were not counted in this number.) 27 Joseph had 2 sons born in Egypt. So the total number in the family of Jacob in Egypt was 70.

Jacob Arrives in Egypt

28 Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to see Joseph in Goshen. Then 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 his neck. And he cried there for a long time.

30 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die. I have seen your face. And I know that 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. They 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. This is away from the Egyptians. They don’t like to be near shepherds.”

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