Genesis 46 :: New International Version (NIV)

Jacob Goes to Egypt

(Exo 6:14–25 )

Gen 46:1So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

Gen 46:2

Gen 46:2And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!” “Here I am,” he replied.

Gen 46:3

Gen 46:3“I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.

Gen 46:4

Gen 46:4I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”

Gen 46:5

Gen 46:5Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel’s sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him.

Gen 46:6

Gen 46:6So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt, taking with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan.

Gen 46:7

Gen 46:7Jacob brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.

Gen 46:8

Gen 46:8These are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben the firstborn of Jacob.

Gen 46:9

Gen 46:9The sons of Reuben: Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.

Gen 46:10

Gen 46:10The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.

Gen 46:11

Gen 46:11The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

Gen 46:12

Gen 46:12The 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.

Gen 46:13

Gen 46:13The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah,[fn] Jashub[fn] and Shimron.

Gen 46:14

Gen 46:14The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon and Jahleel.

Gen 46:15

Gen 46:15These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram,[fn] besides his daughter Dinah. These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all.

Gen 46:16

Gen 46:16The sons of Gad: Zephon,[fn] Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.

Gen 46:17

Gen 46:17The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malkiel.

Gen 46:18

Gen 46:18These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah—sixteen in all.

Gen 46:19

Gen 46:19The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.

Gen 46:20

Gen 46:20In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.[fn]

Gen 46:21

Gen 46:21The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.

Gen 46:22

Gen 46:22These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob—fourteen in all.

Gen 46:23

Gen 46:23The son of Dan: Hushim.

Gen 46:24

Gen 46:24The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.

Gen 46:25

Gen 46:25These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel—seven in all.

Gen 46:26

Gen 46:26All those who went to Egypt with Jacob—those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons’ wives—numbered sixty-six persons.

Gen 46:27

Gen 46:27With the two sons[fn] who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy[fn] in all.

Gen 46:28

Gen 46:28Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen,

Gen 46:29

Gen 46:29Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father[fn] and wept for a long time.

Gen 46:30

Gen 46:30Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”

Gen 46:31

Gen 46:31Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan, have come to me.

Gen 46:32

Gen 46:32The men are shepherds; they tend livestock, and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’

Gen 46:33

Gen 46:33When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’

Gen 46:34

Gen 46:34you should answer, ‘Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”