Note: When doing a study on a book in the Bible you use a lot of resources. The major influence for me on this study of Genesis is The Genesis Record by Henry Morris.
Pray. Either at the altars or at your pews.
In this chapter we are going to see the children of Israel migrating to Egypt. Always remember that Jacob was weary of going to Egypt. Why? probably because the Lord had told Isaac and Abraham not to go and they got into trouble by going.
Genesis 12:10. And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine [was] grievous in the land.
Genesis 26:2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into
Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
Genesis 46:1. And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.
Beersheba-Place of personal devotion used by Abraham in Gen 21:33, Isaac in Gen 26:25
So Israel begins his journey to the land of Egypt. At this time I believe that Jacob still has plans to return. He is going to see his son. Why do you think that God wanted the Israelites to be in Egypt and not in Caanan?
1) To gather them together and not be separated in all places
2) To isolate them from the world cf 43:42, 46:34
Why do you think he offered a sacrifice unto the Lord? To get a decision from God. He wanted to know that what he was doing was right. Do we sometimes have to offer sacrifices to the Lord so that he will give us the right decision to make?
2 And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here [am] I.
Notice how Jacob was listening for the Lord. The Lord did not have to search but he was there. Jacob was listening. This is a contrast to his life just a few years earlier when he was running away from God. But now he is more mature he is more ready.
3 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:
What beautiful words. "I am God . . . fear not".
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
God fulfills this promise to Jacob and all of his fathers in Exodus 1:7 and then finally by the end of Exodus.
Promise fulfilled
Exodus 1:7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
4 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.
The promise was to Jacob. God will go down with him to Egypt and God will surely bring him back out again. In the valley's that we face God says the same thing.
5. And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
Jacob has grown his life has changed. His growth began in Haran-running from the Lord. Then in Caanan-wrestling with the Lord. Now in Egypt walking by faith in the Lord. Haran- living in the flesh. Caanan-fighting for the Lord but by own power. Egypt totally walk wit the Lord.
6 And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him:
7 His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.
No one could survive the famine. All had to go to Egypt. This was God's plan.
Jacob's genealogy.
Children of Jacob by Leah
8 And these [are] the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.
9 And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.
10 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman.
11 And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
12 And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zerah: but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul.
13 And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron.
14 And the sons of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel.
15 These [be] the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padanaram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters [were] thirty and three.
Sons of Jacob bore unto him by Zilpah (Leah's maid)
16 And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli.
17 And the sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serah their sister: and the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel.
18 These [are] the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, [even] sixteen souls.
Sons of Jacob bore unto him by Rachel
19 The sons of Rachel Jacob's wife; Joseph, and Benjamin.
20 And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.
21 And the sons of Benjamin [were] Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard.
22 These [are] the sons of Rachel, which were born to Jacob: all the souls [were] fourteen.
Sons of Jacob bore unto him by Bilhah ( Rachel's maid)
23 And the sons of Dan; Hushim.
24 And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem.
25 These [are] the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls [were] seven.
26 All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls [were] threescore and six;
So we know that there were sixty six people coming into the land of Egypt with Joseph.
27 And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, [were] two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, [were] threescore and ten.
With Joseph included there were 70. Acts 7:14 mentions 75 which probably included his grandchildren.
All this is important because if we look at the life of Jesus we see his place and God's work in history.
28. And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.
29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
How long is a good while? How long would you cry and hug your son that you thought was dead and you would never see him again?
30 And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou [art] yet alive.
He has been satisfied. He is ready to die.
31 And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, which [were] in the land of Canaan, are come unto me;
32 And the men [are] shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.
33 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What [is] your occupation?
34 That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, [and] also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd [is] an abomination unto the Egyptians.
Shepherd's were not real popular to the Egyptians. They were rejected. Maybe because of their occupation. Maybe because of their dress who knows. They were rejected. Jesus is called a shepherd.
Let us look at some verses
John 10:11-AV I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Hebrews 13:20-AV Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
1Peter 5:4-AV And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
He was rejected and despised. He was isolated. But he still made it and is our savior today.
