Israel Sets out for Egypt
Israel stops at Beersheba to sacrifice, and our Father meets him there: don't be afraid to go down; I will go with you and bring you back. The household is counted, seventy in all, and Joseph weeps a long time on his father's neck.
46 1So Israel set out with all he had, came to Beersheba, and sacrificed to our Father, whom his father Isaac had worshiped.
2And our Father spoke to Israel in visions of the night, "Jacob, Jacob." He said, "Here I am."
3He said, "I am your Father, whom your father worshiped. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you a great nation. 4I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will surely bring you back; and Joseph's own hand will close your eyes." a a v4 Our Father pledges to go down with Israel into Egypt and to bring his people out again — the first promise of his accompanying presence in exile, fulfilled centuries later in the Exodus.
5Jacob set out from Beersheba. Israel's sons carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives in the wagons Pharaoh had sent for him. 6They took their livestock and the goods they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and came to Egypt—Jacob and all his offspring with him.
7His sons and grandsons, daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring he brought with him to Egypt.
8These are the names of Israel's sons who came into Egypt—Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn. 9The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 10The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. 11The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12Judah's sons: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, Zerah; but Er and Onan died in Canaan. Perez's sons: Hezron and Hamul. 13The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Iob, and Shimron. 14The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15These are Leah's sons, born to Jacob in Paddan-aram, with his daughter Dinah; his sons and daughters numbered thirty-three.
16The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 17Asher's sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. Beriah's sons: Heber and Malchiel. 18These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah; she bore these to Jacob—sixteen in all.
19The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife: Joseph and Benjamin. 20Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in Egypt by Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. 21The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22These are the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob—fourteen persons in all.
23The sons of Dan: Hushim. 24The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25These are Bilhah's sons, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel; she bore these to Jacob—seven in all. 26Jacob's direct descendants who came to Egypt—excluding his sons' wives—totaled sixty-six. 27Joseph had two sons born in Egypt. Jacob's household that came to Egypt numbered seventy in all.
The Road to Goshen
28Jacob sent Judah ahead to Joseph to lead the way to Goshen; they reached the land of Goshen. 29Joseph readied his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel. He appeared to him, fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a long time. 30Israel said to Joseph, "Now let me die, since I've seen your face and you're still alive."
31Joseph told his brothers and his father's household, "I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and say to him, 'My brothers and my father's household, who were in Canaan, have come to me. 32The men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock; they've brought their flocks, herds, and all they have.' 33When Pharaoh calls you and says, 'What is your occupation?' 34you will say, 'Your servants have raised livestock from our youth until now, we and our fathers,' so you may settle in Goshen; for every shepherd is detestable to the Egyptians."
