Jacob's Family Moves to Egypt

Israel, that is, Jacob, travelled with all that he had and came to Beersheba. There he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. In visions of the night, God called, “Jacob, Jacob,” and told him not to be afraid to go down to Egypt. God promised to go with him, to make him a great nation there, and said Joseph would close his eyes at the end of his life.

So Jacob rose up from Beersheba. His sons carried their father, their little ones, and their wives in the wagons Pharaoh had sent. They took their livestock and the goods they had gained in Canaan, and they came into Egypt. Jacob brought his sons, grandsons, daughters, granddaughters, and all his offspring with him.

The passage carefully records the family names. It lists Jacob’s descendants through Leah, Zilpah, Rachel, and Bilhah. It also includes Joseph’s two sons born in Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim. The total given is sixty-six direct descendants who came with Jacob, not counting his sons’ wives, and seventy for the whole house of Jacob.

Jacob sent Judah ahead to Joseph to show the way before him to Goshen. When they arrived, Joseph made ready his chariot and went to meet Israel his father in Goshen. Joseph embraced him and wept on him for a long time. Israel said that now he could die, since he had seen Joseph’s face and knew he was still alive.

Joseph told his brothers what to say to Pharaoh about their work as keepers of livestock, so they might dwell in Goshen. Joseph presented five brothers to Pharaoh, and they asked to live there because the famine was severe in Canaan. Pharaoh agreed and told Joseph to settle them in the best of the land. Joseph also brought Jacob before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Then Joseph gave his family a possession in Egypt and provided bread for the household according to their families.