Genesis 46 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

Jacob’s Journey to Egypt

(Exo 6:14–25 )

Gen 46:1So Jacob[fn] set out for Egypt with all his possessions. And when he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father, Isaac.

Gen 46:2

Gen 46:2During the night God spoke to him in a vision. “Jacob! Jacob!” he called.
“Here I am,” Jacob replied.

Gen 46:3

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

Gen 46:4

Gen 46:4I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring you back again. You will die in Egypt, but Joseph will be with you to close your eyes.”

Gen 46:5

Gen 46:5So Jacob left Beersheba, and his sons took him to Egypt. They carried him and their little ones and their wives in the wagons Pharaoh had provided for them.

Gen 46:6

Gen 46:6They also took all their livestock and all the personal belongings they had acquired in the land of Canaan. So Jacob and his entire family went to Egypt—

Gen 46:7

Gen 46:7sons and grandsons, daughters and granddaughters—all his descendants.

Gen 46:8

Gen 46:8These are the names of the descendants of Israel—the sons of Jacob—who went to Egypt: Reuben was Jacob’s oldest son.

Gen 46:9

Gen 46:9The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

Gen 46:10

Gen 46:10The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul. (Shaul’s mother was a Canaanite woman.)

Gen 46:11

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

Gen 46:12

Gen 46:12The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (though Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.

Gen 46:13

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

Gen 46:14

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

Gen 46:15

Gen 46:15These were the sons of Leah and Jacob who were born in Paddan-aram, in addition to their daughter, Dinah. The number of Jacob’s descendants (male and female) through Leah was thirty-three.

Gen 46:16

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

Gen 46:17

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

Gen 46:18

Gen 46:18These were the sons of Zilpah, the servant given to Leah by her father, Laban. The number of Jacob’s descendants through Zilpah was sixteen.

Gen 46:19

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

Gen 46:20

Gen 46:20Joseph’s sons, born in the land of Egypt, were Manasseh and Ephraim. Their mother was Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On.[fn]

Gen 46:21

Gen 46:21Benjamin’s sons were Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.

Gen 46:22

Gen 46:22These were the sons of Rachel and Jacob. The number of Jacob’s descendants through Rachel was fourteen.

Gen 46:23

Gen 46:23The son of Dan was Hushim.

Gen 46:24

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

Gen 46:25

Gen 46:25These were the sons of Bilhah, the servant given to Rachel by her father, Laban. The number of Jacob’s descendants through Bilhah was seven.

Gen 46:26

Gen 46:26The total number of Jacob’s direct descendants who went with him to Egypt, not counting his sons’ wives, was sixty-six.

Gen 46:27

Gen 46:27In addition, Joseph had two sons[fn] who were born in Egypt. So altogether, there were seventy[fn] members of Jacob’s family in the land of Egypt.

Jacob’s Family Arrives in Goshen

Gen 46:28

Gen 46:28As they neared their destination, Jacob sent Judah ahead to meet Joseph and get directions to the region of Goshen. And when they finally arrived there,

Gen 46:29

Gen 46:29Joseph prepared his chariot and traveled to Goshen to meet his father, Jacob. When Joseph arrived, he embraced his father and wept, holding him for a long time.

Gen 46:30

Gen 46:30Finally, Jacob said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen your face again and know you are still alive.”

Gen 46:31

Gen 46:31And Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s entire family, “I will go to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘My brothers and my father’s entire family have come to me from the land of Canaan.

Gen 46:32

Gen 46:32These men are shepherds, and they raise livestock. They have brought with them their flocks and herds and everything they own.’”

Gen 46:33

Gen 46:33Then he said, “When Pharaoh calls for you and asks you about your occupation,

Gen 46:34

Gen 46:34you must tell him, ‘We, your servants, have raised livestock all our lives, as our ancestors have always done.’ When you tell him this, he will let you live here in the region of Goshen, for the Egyptians despise shepherds.”