Israel Enters Egypt (Genesis 46)

Do God’s plans for us sometimes mean moving to new places? Do we have faith that God will provide? What did God say to Israel about moving to Egypt? Let’s look at Genesis 46.

And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes [meaning when you die]. (Genesis 46:1-4 KJV)

Did the whole clan move to Egypt? Did they also take all their possessions?

Then Jacob left Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob and their little ones and their wives in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. They also took their livestock and their possessions, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and came to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him: his sons and his grandsons with him, his daughters and his granddaughters, and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt. (Genesis 46:5-7 NASB)

Who were the descendants of Jacob and Leah? Who were the sons of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.

These are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben the firstborn of Jacob. The sons of Reuben: Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi. The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul. The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron. The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon and Jahleel. These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, besides his daughter Dinah. These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all. (Genesis 46:8-15 NIV)

Who were the sons born to Jacob and Zilpah? Who were the sons of Gad and Asher?

The sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. The sons of Asher were Jimnah, Ishuah, Isui, Beriah, and Serah, their sister. And the sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel. These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob: sixteen persons. (Genesis 46:16-18 NKJV)

Who were the sons born to Jacob and Rachel? Who were the sons of Joseph and Benjamin?

The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph’s sons, born in the land of Egypt, were Manasseh and Ephraim. Their mother was Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On. Benjamin’s sons were Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. These were the sons of Rachel and Jacob. The number of Jacob’s descendants through Rachel was fourteen. (Genesis 46:19-22 NLT)

Who were the sons born to Jacob and Bilhah? Who were the sons of Dan and Naphtali?

The son of Dan: Hushim. The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel, his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob: all the souls were seven. (Genesis 46:23-25 WEB)

How many men were in the clan all together? How many already resided in Egypt?

All of the persons going to Egypt with Jacob—his own children, excluding Jacob’s sons’ wives—totaled 66 persons. Joseph’s sons born to him in Egypt were 2 persons. Thus, all of the persons in Jacob’s household going to Egypt totaled 70. (Genesis 46:26-27 CEB)

What did Jacob say when he saw his long lost son? Was it akin to a dying wish?

Jacob had sent his son Judah ahead of him to ask Joseph to meet them in Goshen. So Joseph got in his chariot and went to meet his father. When they met, Joseph hugged his father around the neck and cried for a long time. Jacob said to Joseph, “Now that I have seen you and know you are still alive, I am ready to die.” (Genesis 46:28-30 CEV)

How did Joseph advise his family? What did they have to be careful not to say?

Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father's household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. And the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock, and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ When Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ in order that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.” (Genesis 46:31-34 ESV)

Do God’s plans for us sometimes mean moving to new places? Do we have faith that God will provide? You decide!