461 And Israel journeyeth, and all that he hath, and cometh in to Beer-Sheba, and sacrificeth sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac; 2 and God speaketh to Israel in visions of the night, and saith, 'Jacob, Jacob;' and he saith, 'Here 'am' I.' 3 And He saith, 'I 'am' God, God of thy father, be not afraid of going down to Egypt, for for a great nation I set thee there; 4 I—I go down with thee to Egypt, and I—I also certainly bring thee up, and Joseph doth put his hand on thine eyes.'
5 And Jacob riseth from Beer-Sheba, and the sons of Israel bear away Jacob their father, And their infants, and their wives, in the waggons which Pharaoh hath sent to bear him, 6 and they take their cattle, and their goods which they have acquired in the land of Canaan, and come into Egypt—Jacob, and all his seed with him, 7 his sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, yea, all his seed he brought with him into Egypt. 8 And these 'are' the names of the sons of Israel who are coming into Egypt: Jacob and his sons, Jacob's first-born, Reuben. 9 And sons of Reuben: Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi. 10 And sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul son of the Canaanitess. 11 And sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12 And sons of Judah: Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zarah, (and Er and Onan die in the land of Canaan.) And sons of Pharez are Hezron and Hamul. 13 And sons of Issachar: Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron. 14 And sons of Zebulun: Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel. 15 These 'are' sons of Leah whom she bare to Jacob in Padan-Aram, and Dinah his daughter; all the persons of his sons and his daughters 'are' thirty and three. 16 And sons of Gad: Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli. 17 And sons of Asher: Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serah their sister. And sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel. 18 These 'are' sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and she beareth these to Jacob—sixteen persons. 19 Sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife: Joseph and Benjamin. 20 And born to Joseph in the land of Egypt (whom Asenath daughter of Poti-Pherah, priest of On, hath borne to him) 'are' Manasseh and Ephraim. 21 And sons of Benjamin: Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard. 22 These 'are' sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob; all the persons 'are' fourteen. 23 And sons of Dan: Hushim. 24 And sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem. 25 These 'are' sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter; and she beareth these to Jacob—all the persons 'are' seven. 26 All the persons who are coming to Jacob to Egypt, coming out of his thigh, apart from the wives of Jacob's sons, all the persons 'are' sixty and six. 27 And the sons of Joseph who have been born to him in Egypt 'are' two persons. All the persons of the house of Jacob who are coming into Egypt 'are' seventy.
28 And Judah he hath sent before him unto Joseph, to direct before him to Goshen, and they come into the land of Goshen; 29 and Joseph harnesseth his chariot, and goeth up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and appeareth unto him, and falleth on his neck, and weepeth on his neck again; 30 and Israel saith unto Joseph, 'Let me die this time, after my seeing thy face, for thou 'art' yet alive.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 46:1-30
Commentary on Genesis 46:1-4
(Read Genesis 46:1-4)
Even as to those events and undertakings which appear most joyful, we should seek counsel, assistance, and a blessing from the Lord. Attending on his ordinances, and receiving the pledges of his covenant love, we expect his presence, and that peace which it confers. In all removals we should be reminded of our removal out of this world. Nothing can encourage us to fear no evil when passing through the valley of the shadow of death, but the presence of Christ.
Commentary on Genesis 46:5-27
(Read Genesis 46:5-27)
We have here a particular account of Jacob's family. Though the fulfilling of promises is always sure, yet it is often slow. It was now 215 years since God had promised Abraham to make of him a great nation, 2; yet that branch of his seed, to which the promise was made sure, had only increased to seventy, of whom this particular account is kept, to show the power of God in making these seventy become a vast multitude.
Commentary on Genesis 46:28-34
(Read Genesis 46:28-34)
It was justice to Pharaoh to let him know that such a family was come to settle in his dominions. If others put confidence in us, we must not be so base as to abuse it by imposing upon them. But how shall Joseph dispose of his brethren? Time was, when they were contriving to be rid of him; now he is contriving to settle them to their advantage; this is rendering good for evil. He would have them live by themselves, in the land of Goshen, which lay nearest to Canaan. Shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptians. Yet Joseph would have them not ashamed to own this as their occupation before Pharaoh. He might have procured places for them at court or in the army. But such preferments would have exposed them to the envy of the Egyptians, and might have tempted them to forget Canaan and the promise made unto their fathers. An honest calling is no disgrace, nor ought we to account it so, but rather reckon it a shame to be idle, or to have nothing to do. It is generally best for people to abide in the callings they have been bred to and used to. Whatever employment and condition God in his providence has allotted for us, let us suit ourselves to it, satisfy ourselves with it, and not mind high things. It is better to be the credit of a mean post, than the shame of a high one. If we wish to destroy our souls, or the souls of our children, then let us seek for ourselves, and for them, great things; but if not, it becomes us, having food and raiment, therewith to be content.