UNROLL
Night at Beersheba: a low fire on an altar of uncut stones beside a well’s stone curb, dark tents and resting animals around, under a vast starry sky.

The Book of

Genesis 46

An old man leaves the land God promised him for Egypt. Before he crosses, God speaks to him in the night.

34 verses≈ 5 min3 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–11BeginningsCreation, fall, flood, Babel
  2. 12–24AbrahamThe call and the promise
  3. 25–36Isaac and JacobThe promise passed on
  4. 37–50JosephGod meant it for goodChapter 46

Jacob’s Journey to Egypt

So Israel set out with all that he had, and when he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

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God

And that night God spoke to Israel in a vision: “Jacob, Jacob!” He said.

Jacob

“Here I am,” replied Jacob.

God

“I am God,” He said, “the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will surely bring you back.

Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will surely bring you back.

Genesis 46:3–4

And Joseph’s own hands will close your eyes.”

Then Jacob departed from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel took their father Jacob in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him, along with their children and wives. They also took the livestock and possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt.

GoshenEgyptHebronBeersheba

Stylised map · locations approximate

On the map

Into Egypt

Jacob had been living at Hebron. He stopped at Beersheba, on the southern edge of the land, to offer sacrifices, then went on across the desert to Goshen in Egypt’s eastern delta. Goshen’s exact bounds are approximate.

Those Who Went to Egypt

A large family on the move seen from behind: gray-haired men, women with infants, children on donkeys, flocks ahead and the desert road in long morning light.

Jacob took with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons, and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.

Pray

Go down with me

Jacob was old, and Egypt was a long way from the land God had promised. At Beersheba God met him in the night: “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt,” and “I will go down with you to Egypt.” Bring God the move, the change or the unknown road in front of you. Ask Him to go with you, and thank Him that He keeps His word, as He did for Jacob.

The Children of Leah

Family line

The children of Leah

  1. Reuben
    • Hanoch
    • Pallu
    • Hezron
    • Carmi

    Jacob’s firstborn

    Now these are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.

    The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

  2. Simeon
    • Jemuel
    • Jamin
    • Ohad
    • Jachin
    • Zohar
    • Shaul

    Shaul’s mother a Canaanite

    The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.

  3. Levi
    • Gershon
    • Kohath
    • Merari

    The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

    • Er
    • Onan
    • Shelah
    • Perez
    • Zerah

    Er and Onan died in Canaan

    The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

  5. Perez
    • Hezron
    • Hamul

    The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.

  6. Issachar
    • Tola
    • Puvah
    • Job
    • Shimron

    The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Job, and Shimron.

  7. Zebulun
    • Sered
    • Elon
    • Jahleel

    The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

  8. Dinah

    Leah’s daughter

    These are the sons of Leah born to Jacob in Paddan-aram, in addition to his daughter Dinah.

    • 33 in all

    Sons and daughters

    The total number of sons and daughters was thirty-three.

The Children of Zilpah

Family line

The children of Zilpah

  1. Gad
    • Ziphion
    • Haggi
    • Shuni
    • Ezbon
    • Eri
    • Arodi
    • Areli

    The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.

  2. Asher
    • Imnah
    • Ishvah
    • Ishvi
    • Beriah

    With their sister Serah

    The children of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah.

  3. Beriah
    • Heber
    • Malchiel

    The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel.

    • 16 in all

    Born to Zilpah

    These are the sons of Jacob born to Zilpah—whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah—sixteen in all.

The Children of Rachel

Family line

The children of Rachel

  1. Rachel
    • Joseph
    • Benjamin

    Jacob’s wife

    The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.

  2. Married Asenath

    • Manasseh
    • Ephraim

    Sons born in Egypt

    Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.

  3. Benjamin
    • Bela
    • Becher
    • Ashbel
    • Gera
    • Naaman
    • Ehi
    • Rosh
    • Muppim
    • Huppim
    • Ard

    The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.

    • 14 in all

    Born to Rachel

    These are the sons of Rachel born to Jacob—fourteen in all.

The Children of Bilhah

Family line

The children of Bilhah

  1. Dan

    The son of Dan: Hushim.

  2. Naphtali
    • Jahzeel
    • Guni
    • Jezer
    • Shillem

    The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

    • 7 in all

    Born to Bilhah

    These are the sons of Jacob born to Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel—seven in all.

All those belonging to Jacob who came to Egypt—his direct descendants, besides the wives of Jacob’s sons—numbered sixty-six persons. And with the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family who went to Egypt were seventy in all.

Four mothers, one family

Leah33, with Dinah(46:8–15)Zilpah16 (46:16–18)Jacob (Israel)and his descendants(46:8)Rachel14 (46:19–22)Bilhah7 (46:23–25)Seventy in all33 + 16 + 14 + 7(46:27)

Whiteboard

Leah thirty-three, Zilpah sixteen, Rachel fourteen, Bilhah seven: “seventy in all.” The text counts two ways (26–27): sixty-six who traveled with Jacob, and seventy once Jacob himself and Joseph and his two sons, already in Egypt, are included.

Reflect

Every name kept

It’s easy to skim a list like this. But every name is a person God kept through the famine: Hanoch and Pallu, Hushim, “their sister Serah.” Seventy people, and from them God would make “a great nation.” Not one of them was too small to be written down. Where do you feel overlooked or forgotten? Write down what it means to you that God knows your name.

Jacob Arrives in Egypt

Now Jacob had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When Jacob’s family arrived in the land of Goshen,

On green pasture in Goshen, beside a halted Egyptian chariot, a man in white linen and an old man in a wool robe hold each other in an embrace.

Joseph prepared his chariot and went there to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, embraced him, and wept profusely.

Then Israel said to Joseph, “Finally I can die, now that I have seen your face and know that you are still alive!”

0:17

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Joseph

Question

Quick question

One brother goes ahead of the family into Egypt.

Whom did Jacob send ahead to Joseph to get directions to Goshen?

You’ve experienced

Genesis 46

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A verse to carry with you

Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will surely bring you back.

Genesis 46:3–4

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