Genesis 46 explained: Jacob's Family Moves to Egypt

Stopping at Beersheba (vv. 1-2)

Jacob stops at Beersheba, on Canaan's southern edge, where his father and grandfather had both worshiped, and offers sacrifices there. That night God calls him by name, perhaps because he was uneasy, since his father Isaac had once been told not to go to Egypt.

God's promise for the journey (vv. 3-4)

God tells him not to fear, promising to make his family a great nation there, to go down with him, to bring him back, and that Joseph will close his eyes when he dies. Jacob does die in Egypt but is later carried home for burial, and many readers also see this promise of return reaching his descendants.

The whole household travels (vv. 5-7)

Now very old, Jacob rides in the carts Pharaoh had sent, while his sons handle the move. They bring their animals and goods, so they arrive as a family with means rather than empty handed.

The family list (vv. 8-27)

This roll of names records who went down, grouped by the four mothers of Jacob's sons, and many of these grandsons later appear as clan heads within the tribes of Israel. The total of seventy seems to count Jacob, Joseph and Joseph's two sons along with the sixty-six travelers, and some scholars think seventy also works as a round number meaning a complete family.

Father and son meet (vv. 28-30)

Judah goes ahead to get directions, and Joseph rides out in his chariot, embraces his father and weeps for a long time. Jacob, who had believed for years that Joseph was dead, says he is now ready to die.

Joseph's plan for Goshen (vv. 31-34)

Joseph coaches his family to tell Pharaoh plainly that they are herders, so they will be settled in Goshen, good grazing land in the Nile delta somewhat apart from Egyptian towns. The text says Egyptians found shepherds detestable, but the reason is not certain, and outside evidence for this attitude is limited.

Key verse: Genesis 46:3

Something to think about

Jacob was heading toward something he had longed for and was still afraid, so what fears tend to travel along with even the best changes in a life?