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Genesis Chapter
Forty-six
Genesis 46
Outlines
New King James Version
(NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO
GENESIS 46
In this chapter we are
told
that Jacob with all his family and substance took a journey to Egypt to
see his son Joseph
as he determined
in which he was encouraged to proceed by
a vision from God
Genesis 46:1; and
an account is given of all his sons
his sons' sons and daughters that went
thither with him
Genesis 46:8; when
he came near to Egypt he sent Judah before him to Joseph
to acquaint him of
his coming
who met him at Goshen
where there was a most affectionate
interview between them
Genesis 46:28; and
when he gave directions and instructions what answers to give to Pharaoh's
questions
when they should appear before him
to whom he proposed to go and
inform him of their being come into Egypt
Genesis 46:31.
Genesis 46:1. So Israel took his journey with all that he had
and came to
Beersheba
and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
YLT 1And Israel journeyeth
and
all that he hath
and cometh in to Beer-Sheba
and sacrificeth sacrifices to
the God of his father Isaac;
And Israel took
his journey with all that he had
....
Set forward in it
immediately
as soon as possible after he had resolved to take it
and with him
he took all his children and grandchildren
and all his cattle and goods; which
shows that he took his journey not only to see his son Joseph
but to continue
in Egypt
at least during the years of famine
as his son desired he would
otherwise there would have been no occasion of taking all along with him:
and came to
Beersheba:
where he and his ancestors
Abraham and Isaac had formerly lived; a place where sacrifices had often been
offered up
and the worship of God performed
and much communion enjoyed with
him. This is said to be sixteen miles from HebronF14Bunting's
Travels
p. 72.
where Jacob dwelt
and according to Musculus was six German
miles from it:
and offered
sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac;
which were attended with
prayer and praise; with praise for hearing that his son Joseph was alive
and
with prayer that he might have a good
safe
and prosperous journey.
Genesis 46:2. 2 Then
God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night
and said
“Jacob
Jacob!” And
he said
“Here I am.”
YLT 2and God speaketh to Israel
in visions of the night
and saith
`Jacob
Jacob;' and he saith
`Here [am]
I.'
And God spake
unto Israel in the visions of the night
....
He appeared to Jacob as he
lay upon his bed in the night season
and with an articulate voice spoke to him
as follows:
and said
Jacob
Jacob:
not "Israel"
the more honourable name he had given him
but Jacob
putting him in mind of
his former low estate; and doubling this name
either out of love and affection
to him
as Jarchi intimates; or rather in order to awake him
at least to stir
up his attention to what he was about to say to him:
and he said
here am I;
signifying his readiness
to hearken to him in what he should say to him
and to obey him in whatsoever
he should command him.
Genesis 46:3. 3 So
He said
“I am God
the God of your father; do not fear to go down to
Egypt
for I will make of you a great nation there.
YLT 3And He saith
`I [am] God
God of thy father
be not afraid of going down to Egypt
for for a great nation
I set thee there;
And he said
I am
God
the God of thy father
....
His father Isaac
who was
now dead
and who is the rather mentioned
because in him Abraham's seed was to
be called
and in his line the promise both of the land of Canaan
and of the
Messiah
ran
and from him Jacob received the blessing; and this might be a
confirmation of it to him
in that Jehovah calls himself his God; he first
declares himself to be his God
and so able to perform whatever he should
promise him
and his father's God
who would show him favour
as he had to him:
fear not to go
down into Egypt;
Jacob might have many
fears arise in his mind about this journey
as interpreters generally observe;
as lest it should not be agreeable to the will of God
since his father Isaac
was forbidden to go into Egypt
when in like circumstances with him
Genesis 26:1; as
well as he
might fear it would be too great a journey for him in his old age
some evil would befall him
or he die by the way and not see his son; or lest
going with his family thither
and there continuing for some time
they might
be tempted with the pleasantness and fruitfulness of the land
and settle
there
and forget and neglect the promised land of Canaan; and especially lest
they should be drawn into the idolatry of the Egyptians
and forsake the
worship of the true God; and very probably he might call to mind the prophecy
delivered to Abraham
of his seed being strangers and servants
and afflicted
in a land not theirs for the space of four hundred years
Genesis 15:13; and
Jacob might fear this step he was now taking would bring on
as indeed it did
the completion of this prediction
by which his offspring would be oppressed
and diminished. The Targum of Jonathan makes this to be Jacob's principal
fear;"fear not to go down into Egypt
because of the business of the
servitude decreed with Abraham;'as also he might fear his going thither might
seem to be a giving up his title to
and expectation of the promised land: to
remove which fears the following is said:
for I will
there make of thee a great nation:
as he did; for though in
process of time his seed were greatly afflicted here
yet the more they were
afflicted
the more they multiplied; and their increase in Egypt was vastly
greater than it had been in a like space of time before; for in the space of
two hundred fifteen years before their descent into Egypt
they were become no
more than seventy persons
whereas in the like number of years in Egypt
they
became 600
000
besides children; see Genesis 46:27 Exodus 12:37.
Genesis 46:4. 4 I
will go down with you to Egypt
and I will also surely bring you up again;
and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.”
YLT 4I -- I go down with thee to
Egypt
and I -- I also certainly bring thee up
and Joseph doth put his hand on
thine eyes.'
I will go down
with thee into Egypt
....
Which was enough to
silence all his fears; for if the presence of God went with him to protect and
defend hide
to bless and prosper him
and to direct
support
and comfort
he
had nothing to fear from any quarter:
and I will also
surely bring thee up again:
Jarchi takes this to be a
promise that he should be buried in the land of Canaan
which had its
fulfilment
when his corpse was carried out of Egypt to Machpelah
and there
interred; but rather this refers to the bringing up of his posterity from
thence in due time
for which Jacob might be most solicitous
and so the Targum
of Jonathan
"and I will bring up thy children from thence:"
and Joseph
shall put his hand upon thine eyes:
and so close them when he
was dead; this
as Aben Ezra says
was a custom of the living to the dead
and
it used to be done by the nearest relations and friends
though now with us
commonly by strangers
or those that are not akin: this was a custom among the
Greeks and Romans
as appears from HomerF15Odyss. 11.
VirgilF16Aeneid.
l. 9.
OvidF17Trist. l. 1. Eleg. 2.
and other writersF18Vid.
Kirchman
de Funer. Rom. l. 1. c. 6. & Kipping. Rom. Antiqu. l. 4. c. 6. ;
and so
among the Jews
Tobias is said to shut the eyes of his wife's father
and mother
and to bury them honourably
"Where he became old with honour
and he buried his father and mother in law honourably
and he inherited their
substance
and his father Tobit's.' (Tobit 14:13)Of the
Vulgate Latin version: MaimonidesF19Hilchot Ebel
l. 4. sect. 1.
reckons this of closing the eyes of the dead
among the rites used towards
them
and so in the TalmudF20T. Bab. Sabbat
fol. 151. 2. : now by
this expression Jacob was assured that Joseph was alive
and that he should
live to see him
and that Joseph would outlive him
and do this last office for
him; and
as Ben Melech observes
by this he had the good news told him that
Joseph should remain behind him
to sustain and support his sons
and his sons'
sons
all the years that he should live after him.
Genesis 46:5. 5 Then
Jacob arose from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob
their little ones
and their wives
in the carts which Pharaoh had sent to
carry him.
YLT 5And Jacob riseth from
Beer-Sheba
and the sons of Israel bear away Jacob their father
And their
infants
and their wives
in the waggons which Pharaoh hath sent to bear him
And Jacob rose
up from Beersheba
....
In high spirits
and
proceeded on in his journey
being encouraged and animated by the promises of
God now made unto him:
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;
it may be wondered at that
Joseph did not send his chariot to fetch his father; it could not be for want
of due respect and honour to him
but it may be such a carriage was not fit for
so long a journey
and especially to travel in
in some parts of the road
through which they went: no mention being made of Jacob's wives
it may be
presumed they were all now dead; it is certain Rachel was
see Genesis 35:19; and
it is more than probable that Leah died before this time
since Jacob says he
buried her himself in Machpelah in Canaan
Genesis 49:31; and
it is very likely also that his two concubine wives Bilhah and Zilpah were also
dead
since no notice is taken of them.
Genesis 46:6. 6 So
they took their livestock and their goods
which they had acquired in the land
of Canaan
and went to Egypt
Jacob and all his descendants with him.
YLT 6and they take their cattle
and their goods which they have acquired in the land of Canaan
and come into
Egypt -- Jacob
and all his seed with him
And they took
their cattle
and their goods
which they had gotten in the land of Canaan
....
Some interpreters add
by
way of explanation
and in Mesopotamia; much of Jacob's substance being yet
there
though the greatest part was got in Canaan
and so that is put for the
whole; and Jarchi supposes that Jacob gave all that he got in Padanaram to Esau
for his part in the cave of Machpelah
and therefore mention is only made of
his substance in Canaan; but there is no need of any such additions or
suppositions
since the text only speaks of the substance of Jacob's sons
and
what they had was only gotten in Canaan
into which they came very young; all
which they brought with them as being their property
and not obliged to leave
it behind to strangers; though they were bid not to regard their stuff
yet
they were not willing to live upon others
but upon their own
and as much as
they could independent of others; and that they might not be upbraided
hereafter that they came into Egypt poor and destitute of everything:
and came into
Egypt
Jacob
and all his seed with him;
safe and well.
Genesis 46:7. 7 His
sons and his sons’ sons
his daughters and his sons’ daughters
and all his
descendants he brought with him to Egypt.
YLT 7his sons
and his sons'
sons with him
his daughters
and his sons' daughters
yea
all his seed he
brought with him into Egypt.
His sons
and
his sons' sons with him
....
His eleven sons
and their
sons
his grandchildren:
and his
daughters;
his own daughter Dinah
and his daughters in law
the wives of his sons; for these came with him into
Egypt
as appears from Genesis 46:5;
though the plural may be put for the singular
as in Genesis 46:23
and his sons'
daughters;
and mention is made of
Sarah the daughter of Asher
Genesis 46:17;
Jarchi adds
Jochebed
the daughter of Levi
but it is certain she was born in
Egypt
Numbers 26:59
and all his
seed brought he with him into Egypt;
left none behind him in
Canaan
son or daughter; no mention is made of servants
though no doubt many
came along with him: the design of the historian is to give an account of
Jacob's children
who they were
and their number
when they came into Egypt
that the increase of them might be observed.
Genesis 46:8. 8 Now
these were the names of the children of Israel
Jacob and his sons
who
went to Egypt: Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn.
YLT 8And these [are] the names
of the sons of Israel who are coming into Egypt: Jacob and his sons
Jacob's
first-born
Reuben.
And these are
the names of the children of Israel which came into Egypt
....
Not meaning precisely
Jacob's seed and offspring
but the body of the people of Israel
as they were
when they went into Egypt
including Jacob himself:
Jacob and his
sons;
for he went with them to
Egypt
and was the head and principal of them:
Reuben
Jacob's
firstborn;
see Genesis 29:32.
Genesis 46:9. 9 The
sons of Reuben were Hanoch
Pallu
Hezron
and Carmi.
YLT 9And sons of Reuben: Hanoch
and Phallu
and Hezron
and Carmi.
And the sons of
Reuben
Hanoch
and Phallu
and Hezron
and Carmi.
From whom came the families
named after them
of which they were the heads
Numbers 26:5.
Genesis 46:10. 10 The
sons of Simeon were Jemuel
[a] Jamin
Ohad
Jachin
[b] Zohar
[c] and Shaul
the son of a Canaanite woman.
YLT 10And sons of Simeon: Jemuel
and Jamin
and Ohad
and Jachin
and Zohar
and Shaul son of the Canaanitess.
And the sons of
Simeon
....
Who was the second son of
Jacob:
Jemuel
and
Jamin
and Ohad
and Jachin
and Zohar;
the first of these is
called Nemuel
Numbers 26:12; the
third
Ohad
is omitted in the places referred to
he dying without children
as may be supposed
and so was not the head of any family; and the fourth
Jachin
is called Jarib
1 Chronicles 4:24;
and the fifth is called Zerah
in the above place
by a transposition of
letters:
and Shaul the
son of a Canaanitish woman;
whom Simeon married
very
probably after the death of his first wife
by whom he had the above five sons
or she was his concubine: many Jewish writersF21Jarchi in loc.
Bereshit Rabba
sect. 80. fol. 70. 3. Shalshalet Hakabala
fol. 3. 2. say
this
was Dinah
married to a Canaanite
but this is impossible: according to the
Targum of Jonathan
this Shaul was Zimri
who did the work of the Canaanites at
Shittim
Numbers 25:14
which is not at all likely
the distance of time will not admit of it.
Genesis 46:11. 11 The sons of Levi were
Gershon
Kohath
and Merari.
YLT 11And sons of Levi: Gershon
Kohath
and Merari.
And the sons of
Levi
Gershon
Kohath
and Merari.
From these sprung the
priests and Levites
see Numbers 3:1.
Genesis 46:12. 12 The
sons of Judah were Er
Onan
Shelah
Perez
and Zerah (but Er and Onan
died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
YLT 12And sons of Judah: Er
and
Onan
and Shelah
and Pharez
and Zarah
(and Er and Onan die in the land of
Canaan.) And sons of Pharez are Hezron and Hamul.
And the sons of
Judah
Er
and Onan
and Shelah
and Pharez
and Zarah
....
Five of them:
but Er and Onan
died in the land of Canaan;
and so did not go with
Jacob into Egypt; and which is observed that they might not be reckoned among
them
though it was proper to take notice of them in the genealogy:
and the sons of
Pharez were Hezron and Hamul;
some think that these
could not be born in Canaan
but in Egypt; and that they are mentioned among
those that went down to Egypt
because they went there in the loins of their
father
and to supply the places of Er and Onan
who died before
and have the
honour to be here named
because they might be the first of Jacob's great
grandchildren born there; though others suppose that Pharez was at this time
fourteen years of age
and instances are given of some
who before that age
have been fathers of children; the difficulty is not easily solved: the Targum
of Jonathan expressly says
"Shelah and Zarah did not beget children in
Canaan
but there were two sons of Pharez who went down into Egypt
Hezron and
Hamul.'
Genesis 46:13. 13 The
sons of Issachar were Tola
Puvah
[d] Job
[e] and
Shimron.
YLT 13And sons of Issachar: Tola
and Phuvah
and Job
and Shimron.
And the sons of
Issachar
Tola
and Phuvah; and Job
and Shimron.
The first of these was the
father of a numerous race in the days of David
their number was 22
600; See
Gill on 1 Chronicles 7:2;
the second is called Puah
and the third Jashub
and the fourth Shimrom
1 Chronicles 7:1;
and were all the heads of families
as appears from the places referred to.
Genesis 46:14. 14 The
sons of Zebulun were Sered
Elon
and Jahleel.
YLT 14And sons of Zebulun: Sered
and Elon
and Jahleel.
And the sons of
Zebulun
Sered
and Elon
and Jahleel.
Whose names are the same
in Numbers 26:26.
Genesis 46:15. 15 These
were the sons of Leah
whom she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram
with his
daughter Dinah. All the persons
his sons and his daughters
were
thirty-three.
YLT 15These [are] sons of Leah
whom she bare to Jacob in Padan-Aram
and Dinah his daughter; all the persons
of his sons and his daughters [are] thirty and three.
These are the
sons of Leah
which she bare unto Jacob in Padanaram
....
Which must be restrained
to the six sons only
who were properly Leah's
and not to their sons' sons
for they were not born in Padanaram
but in Canaan:
with his
daughter Dinah;
who also was by Leah:
all the souls
of his sons and daughters were thirty and three;
that is
together with
himself
or otherwise it will be difficult to give the exact number; if all
before mentioned are to be reckoned there will be thirty four
wherefore some
are for excluding Dinah; but she is not only expressly mentioned
but is the
only one intended by his daughters here
the plural being put for the singular;
and there is as much reason for retaining her here
as Sarah the daughter of
Asher hereafter: some think Er and Onan are to be excluded
as indeed they are
because they died in the land of Canaan
and then there will be but thirty two;
wherefore some are for adding Jochebed the daughter of Levi
but she is neither
mentioned in the genealogy
nor did she go with Jacob into Egypt
but was born
in Egypt long after: it seems best therefore to take Jacob himself into the account
as several Jewish writers doF23Aben Ezra
Gersom
& Abarbinel.
and who is expressly named and set at the head of this account
Genesis 46:8
which
will make thirty three.
Genesis 46:16. 16 The
sons of Gad were Ziphion
[f] Haggi
Shuni
Ezbon
[g] Eri
Arodi
[h] and Areli.
YLT 16And sons of Gad: Ziphion
and Haggi
Shuni
and Ezbon
Eri
and Arodi
and Areli.
And the sons of
Gad
....
A son of Jacob by Zilpah
Leah's maid; for the historian
before he proceeds to give an account of his
sons by Rachel
finishes the account of all his sons by Leah and her maid:
Ziphion
and
Haggi
Shuni
and Ezbon
and Eri
and Arodi
and Areli;
in all seven; the same
number is given
and in the same order
Numbers 26:15.
Genesis 46:17. 17 The
sons of Asher were Jimnah
Ishuah
Isui
Beriah
and Serah
their
sister. And the sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel.
YLT 17And sons of Asher: Jimnah
and Ishuah
and Isui
and Beriah
and Serah their sister. And sons of Beriah:
Heber and Malchiel.
And the sons of
Asher
....
Another son of Jacob by
Leah's maid Zilpah
whose sons were:
Jimnah
and
Ishuah
and Isui
and Beriah
and Serah their sister;
who is called Sarah
Numbers 26:46
and
by the Septuagint here. She seems to have been a person of some note
being so
particularly remarked in both places:
and the sons of
Beriah
Heber and Malchiel;
this Beriah seems to be
the youngest son of Asher
and yet had two sons; who
as the Targum of Jonathan
adds
went down into Egypt; he must marry
and have sons when very young; the
thing is not impossible: See Gill on Genesis 46:12;
Genesis 46:18. 18 These
were the sons of Zilpah
whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these
she bore to Jacob: sixteen persons.
YLT 18These [are] sons of Zilpah
whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter
and she beareth these to Jacob -- sixteen
persons.
These are
the sons of Zilpah
whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter
....
To be her maid
when she
was married to Jacob
by whom he had Gad and Asher:
and these she
bare unto Jacob
even sixteen souls;
not that Zilpah bare
sixteen children to Jacob
for she bore but two; but the children and
grandchildren of these two with them made sixteen.
Genesis 46:19. 19 The
sons of Rachel
Jacob’s wife
were Joseph and Benjamin.
YLT 19Sons of Rachel
Jacob's
wife: Joseph and Benjamin.
The sons
Rachel
Jacob's wife
....
The wife of his affection
and choice
his principal wife
yea
his only lawful wife; Zilpah and Bilhah
were his concubines
and as for Leah
she was imposed and forced upon him:
Joseph and
Benjamin;
the first was in Egypt
already
the other now went down with Jacob.
Genesis 46:20. 20 And
to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim
whom Asenath
the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On
bore to him.
YLT 20And born to Joseph in the
land of Egypt (whom Asenath daughter of Poti-Pherah
priest of On
hath borne
to him) [are] Manasseh and Ephraim.
And unto Joseph
in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim
....
And therefore not to be
reckoned with those that went down with Jacob thither; for which reason the
clause
"in the land of Egypt"
is inserted
see Genesis 41:50
which Asenath
the daughter of Potipherah
priest of On
bare unto him;
here again the Targum of
Jonathan makes Asenath to be the daughter of Dinah
who it says was educated in
the house of Potipherah prince of Tanis; See Gill on Genesis 41:50.
Genesis 46:21. 21 The
sons of Benjamin were Belah
Becher
Ashbel
Gera
Naaman
Ehi
Rosh
Muppim
Huppim
[i] and Ard.
YLT 21And sons of Benjamin:
Belah
and Becher
and Ashbel
Gera
and Naaman
Ehi
and Rosh
Muppim
and
Huppim
and Ard.
And the sons of
Benjamin
....
The second son of Jacob by
his wife Rachel; whose sons
were Belah
and Becher
and Ashbel
Gera
and Naaman
Ehi
and Rosh
Muppim
and
Huppim
and Ard;
in all one hundred and
ten. It is a difficulty to account for it
that Benjamin
Jacob's youngest son
often called a lad at this time
and generally supposed to be about twenty
three or four years of age
should have so many sons: some think he had more
wives than one
which is not likely
since we never read of any of Jacob's sons
that had more than one at a time; and others
that his sons were born twins
and so had them in a little time
which is a much better solution of the
difficulty: but others are of opinion
that though the greater part of them
might be born in Canaan
yet others might be born in Egypt; and being
denominated from the greater part
and that being put for the whole
may be
reckoned among the descendants into Egypt; and even those that were in Egypt
being born while Jacob was alive
might be said to descend there in his loins;
which may be the best of the ways proposed for removing this difficulty: though
I should rather think they were all born before the descent into Egypt
the
whole narrative seems to require this of them all; for otherwise many more
might be
said to descend in the loins of Jacob
or in the loins of his sons
which would greatly increase the number of those said to go down with him
after mentioned: to which it may be added
that Benjamin was at least thirty
two years of age
and so may very well be thought to have had these children
before he went to Egypt.
Genesis 46:22. 22 These
were the sons of Rachel
who were born to Jacob: fourteen persons in
all.
YLT 22These [are] sons of Rachel
who were born to Jacob; all the persons [are] fourteen.
These are the
sons of Rachel
which were born to Jacob
....
That is
sons and
grandsons:
all the souls were
fourteen;
two sons
Joseph and
Benjamin; twelve grandsons
two of Joseph's
and ten of Benjamin's.
Genesis 46:23. 23 The
son of Dan was Hushim.[j]
YLT 23And sons of Dan: Hushim.
And the sons of
Dan
Hushim.
He had but one son
wherefore the plural is put for the singular
see Genesis 46:7; Aben
Ezra thinks he had two sons
and that one of them was dead
and therefore not
mentioned; but the other way best accounts for the expression; though
as
Schmidt observes
the plural may be indefinitely put
and the sense be this
as
for the sons of Dan
there was only one
whose name was Hushim. Dan was a son
of Jacob by Bilhah
Rachel's maid
as the following was another.
Genesis 46:24. 24 The
sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel
[k] Guni
Jezer
and Shillem.[l]
YLT 24And sons of Naphtali:
Jahzeel
and Guni
and Jezer
and Shillem.
And the sons of
Naphtali
Jahzeel
and Guni
and Jezer
and Shillem.
The last is called Shallum
in 1 Chronicles 7:13.
Genesis 46:25. 25 These
were the sons of Bilhah
whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter
and she
bore these to Jacob: seven persons in all.
YLT 25These [are] sons of Bilhah
whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter; and she beareth these to Jacob -- all
the persons [are] seven.
These are
the sons of Bilhah
which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter
....
To be her maid
when she
was married to Jacob:
and she bare
these unto Jacob
all the souls were seven;
not that she bare seven
sons to Jacob
she bore but two
Dan and Naphtali; but the children of these
with them made seven
one of Dan's
and four of Naphtali's
who went down with
Jacob into Egypt.
Genesis 46:26. 26 All
the persons who went with Jacob to Egypt
who came from his body
besides
Jacob’s sons’ wives
were sixty-six persons in all.
YLT 26All the persons who are
coming to Jacob to Egypt
coming out of his thigh
apart from the wives of
Jacob's sons
all the persons [are] sixty and six.
All the souls that
came with Jacob into Egypt
....
These are in parcels
before mentioned
but here they are brought to a sum total; and by this phrase
are excluded those that died before
as Er and Onan
and those that were in
Egypt before
as Joseph and his two sons; and I should think also all that were
born in Egypt afterwards
even while Jacob was living: those reckoned are only
such:
which came out
of his loins:
such as were his seed and
offspring. This is observed for the sake of what follows
and to exclude them:
besides Jacob's
sons' wives;
these do not come into the
account
because they did not spring from him:
all the souls were
threescore and six;
thirty two of Leah's
leaving out Er and Onan
sixteen of Zilpah's
fourteen of Rachel's
and seven
of Bilhah's
make sixty nine; take out of them Joseph and his two sons
who
were in Egypt before
and you have the exact number of sixty six.
Genesis 46:27. 27 And
the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two persons. All
the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy.
YLT 27And the sons of Joseph who
have been born to him in Egypt [are] two persons. All the persons of the house
of Jacob who are coming into Egypt [are] seventy.
And the sons of
Joseph
which were born in Egypt
were two souls
....
Ephraim and Manasseh;
which is observed to show that they do not come into the above reckoning
but
are to be taken into another that follows:
all the souls
of the house of Jacob
which came into Egypt
were threescore and ten;
here it may be observed
the phrase is varied; it is not said
"all the souls which came out of the
loins of Jacob"
but "all the souls of the house" or family of
Jacob; all that that consisted of
and takes in Jacob himself
the head of his
house or family; nor is it said
"which came with Jacob into Egypt"
as before
but "which came into Egypt"; not which came with him
thither
but yet were there by some means or another
as Joseph and his two
sons; Joseph by being brought down
and sold there
and his two sons by being
born there; if therefore Jacob
Joseph
and his two sons
are added to the
above number of sixty six
it will make seventy; as for the account of Stephen
making the number seventy five; see Gill on Acts 7:14.
Genesis 46:28. 28 Then
he sent Judah before him to Joseph
to point out before him the way to
Goshen. And they came to the land of Goshen.
YLT 28And Judah he hath sent
before him unto Joseph
to direct before him to Goshen
and they come into the
land of Goshen;
And he sent
Judah before him unto Joseph
....
Who was the more
honourable of his sons
and in greater esteem with Jacob than his elder
brethren were
Reuben
Simeon
and Levi
who by their conduct had greatly
displeased him: moreover
he was a man of a polite address
and had endeared
himself to Joseph by his speech to him
in which he discovered so much
affection both to his father
and his brother Benjamin
and was upon all
accounts the fittest person to be sent to Joseph:
to direct his
face unto Goshen;
to inform Joseph of his
father's coming
that a place might be prepared for him to dwell in
as both
the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase it; and particularly to direct
what place in Goshen he would have him come to
and meet him at:
and they came
into the land of Goshen;
which was the first part
of the land of Egypt that lay nearest to Canaan: the Greek version of the whole
verse is
"he sent Judah before him to Joseph
to meet him at Heroopolis
or the city of the heroes
in the land of Rameses
'which is confirmed by
JosephusF24Antiqu. l. 2. c. 7. sect. 5. ; See Gill on Genesis 45:10.
Genesis 46:29. 29 So
Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel;
and he presented himself to him
and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a
good while.
YLT 29and Joseph harnesseth his
chariot
and goeth up to meet Israel his father
to Goshen
and appeareth unto
him
and falleth on his neck
and weepeth on his neck again;
And Joseph made
ready his chariot
....
Or "bound"F25ויאסר "et ligavit"
Pagninus
Montanus
Vatablus;
"tum alligavit"
Schmidt. it
fastened the horses to it
harnessed
them
and put them to; this he did not himself
as Jarchi thinks
for the
honour of his father; but rather
as Aben Ezra
by ordering his servants to do
it:
and went up to
meet Israel his father in Goshen;
that being higher than the
other part of Egypt
as it must be
if it was in Thebes
or upper Egypt
as
some Jewish writers sayF26Hieron. Quaestion. in Genesim
fol. 72. M.
tom. 3. ; and Fium
supposed to be the place the Israelites dwelt in
see Genesis 47:11
stood very highF1Leo. African. Descriptio Africae
l. 8. p. 722. :
and presented
himself unto him;
alighted from his chariot
and came up to his father
and stood before him
and showed himself to him
declaring who he was:
and he fell on
his neck
and wept on his neck a good while:
either Jacob fell on the
neck of Joseph
and wept over him a good while before he could speak to him
as
the father of the prodigal son fell on his neck and kissed him
Luke 15:20; or
as
Jarchi
Joseph fell on his father's neck
as he had done upon his brethren
before
but wept over him longer; their embraces were no doubt mutual and
extremely affectionate
that for a while they were not able to speak a word to
each other.
Genesis 46:30. 30 And
Israel said to Joseph
“Now let me die
since I have seen your face
because
you are still alive.”
YLT 30and Israel saith unto
Joseph
`Let me die this time
after my seeing thy face
for thou [art] yet
alive.'
And Israel said
unto Joseph
....
He broke silence first:
now let me die
since I have seen thy face;
not that he was impatient
to die
and not desirous to live any longer; for it could not but yield
pleasure to him
and make the remainder of his life more comfortable to live with
such a son
his darling
and now in so much honour and grandeur; but this he
said to express his great satisfaction at the sight of him
that he could now
be content to die
having all his heart could wish for
an interview with his
beloved son:
because thou art
yet alive;
whom he had looked upon as
dead
and the receiving him now was as life from the dead
and could not but
fill him with the greatest joy
see Luke 15:23; Jacob
lived after this seventeen years
Genesis 47:28.
Genesis 46:31. 31 Then Joseph said to his
brothers and to his father’s household
“I will go up and tell Pharaoh
and say
to him
‘My brothers and those of my father’s house
who were in the
land of Canaan
have come to me.
YLT 31And Joseph saith unto his
brethren
and unto the house of his father
`I go up
and declare to Pharaoh
and say unto him
My brethren
and the house of my father who [are] in the land
of Canaan have come in unto me;
And Joseph said
unto his brethren
and to his father's house
....
To them and their
families
after he had paid his filial respects to his father
in honour
reverence
and affection:
I will go up
and shew Pharaoh;
acquaint him that his
father and all his family were come to Egypt; he says
"I will go
up"; which same phrase is used of him
Genesis 46:29; when
he came
and carries some difficulty in it how to account for it
that he
should be said to go up when he came
and to go up when he returned. Some have
thought of upper Egypt
others of the upper part of the Nile
and others
that
Pharaoh's palace was situated on an eminence; but then
as it is to be supposed
he went the same road he came
it would have been said
that when he came
he
came down; what Ben Melech suggests seems most agreeable
I will go up to my
chariot
mount that
and return to Pharaoh
and give him an account of his
father's arrival
which it was very proper
prudent
and politic to do:
and say unto
him
my brethren
and my father's house
which were in the land of
Canaan
are come unto me;
not merely to pay him a
visit
but to continue there.
Genesis 46:32. 32 And
the men are shepherds
for their occupation has been to feed livestock;
and they have brought their flocks
their herds
and all that they have.’
YLT 32and the men [are] feeders
of a flock
for they have been men of cattle; and their flock
and their herd
and all that they have
they have brought.'
And the men are
shepherds
....
That was their occupation
and employment
by which they got their livelihood. Joseph was not ashamed of
the business his father and brethren followed
even though mean; and besides
such men were an abomination to the Egyptians: this he thought proper to tell
Pharaoh
lest he should think of putting them into some offices of the court or
army
which would expose them to the envy of the Egyptians
and might endanger
the corruption of their religion and manners
as well as be the means of
separating them one from another
which he was careful to guard against
as
JosephusF2Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 2. c. 7. sect. 5.) the historian
suggests:
for their trade
hath been to feed cattle;
this was what they were
brought up to from their youth
and were always employed in
and for which only
they were fit:
and they have
brought their flocks and their herds
and all that they have;
in order to carry on the
same business
and lead the same course of life.
Genesis 46:33. 33 So
it shall be
when Pharaoh calls you and says
‘What is your occupation?’
YLT 33`And it hath come to pass
when Pharaoh calleth for you
and hath said
What [are] your works?
And it shall
come to pass
when Pharaoh shall call you
....
Order them to come before
him
to see them
and have some conversation with them:
and shall say
what is your occupation?
or your worksF3מעשיכם "opus vestrum"
Pagninus
Montanus
"opera vestra"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Drusius.
their
business and employment
whether they exercised any manufacture or handicraft
and what it was.
Genesis 46:34. 34 that
you shall say
‘Your servants’ occupation has been with livestock from our
youth even till now
both we and also our fathers
’ that you may dwell
in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the
Egyptians.”
YLT 34that ye have said
Thy
servants have been men of cattle from our youth
even until now
both we and
our fathers
-- in order that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen
for the
abomination of the Egyptians is every one feeding a flock.'
That ye shall
say
thy servants' trade hath been about cattle
....
Breeding
feeding
and
selling them:
from our youth
even until now:
this had been their
constant employment
they never followed any other:
both we
and
also our fathers;
their father
grandfather
and great grandfather
Abraham
Isaac
and Jacob
were all of the same
occupation:
that ye may
dwell in the land of Goshen;
Joseph instructed his
brethren to be very particular in the account of their occupation to Pharaoh
that it might be a direction to him how to dispose of them
and where to settle
them
namely
in the land of Goshen; which was a country that abounded with
good pasture
and so the fittest place for them to be fixed in: and besides
this
Joseph had some other reasons for placing them there
as that they might
be near to him
who might dwell at On or Heliopolis
to which place
or
province
Goshen belonged; and that being also the nearest part of the land to
Canaan
they might the more easily and sooner get away when there was an
occasion for it; as well as he was desirous they should not be brought into the
heart of the land
lest they should be corrupted with the superstition
and
idolatry
and vices of the people; and being afar off
both from the court
and
the body of the people
might be less subject to their contempt and insults
since it follows:
for every
shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians;
not because shepherds ate
of the milk and flesh of the creatures they fed
which the Egyptians abstained
from; for the Egyptians in those times did eat the flesh of slain beasts
see Genesis 43:16; nor
because they fed
and slew
and ate those creatures
which the Egyptians
worshipped as gods
as Jarchi; for it does not appear that the Egyptians were
so early worshippers of such creatures; nor is this phrase
"every
shepherd"
to be understood of any other than foreign shepherds; for one
of the three sorts of the people of Egypt
as distinct from
and under the
king
priests
and soldiers
according to Diodorus SiculusF4Bibliothec.
l. 1. p. 67.
were shepherds
and were not despised on that account; for
as
the same writer says
all the Egyptians were reckoned equally noble and
honourableF5lbid. p. 83. ; and such it is plain there were in Egypt
in the times of Joseph
see Genesis 47:6; and
goat herds were had in esteem and honour by those about Mendes
though swine
herds were notF6Herodot. Euterpe
sive
l. 2. p. 46
47. : wherefore
this must be understood of foreign shepherds
the Egyptians having been greatly
distressed by such
who either came out of Ethiopia
and lived by plunder and
robberyF7Gaulmin. Not. in Dfore Hayamim
p. 267.
or out of
Phoenicia or Arabia; for
according to ManethoF8Apud Joseph. contr.
Apion. l. 1. sect. 14.
it was said that they were Arabians or Phoenicians who
entered into Egypt
burnt their cities
&c. and set up kings of their own
called their Hycsi
or pastor kings: and therefore Joseph might the rather fear
his brethren and father's family would be the more contemptible in that they
came from Canaan
which was near to Arabia and Phoenicia; but Dr. LightfootF9Works:
vol. 1. p. 694. is of opinion
that the Egyptians
being plagued for Abraham's
and Sarah's sake
made a law
that for the future none should converse with
Hebrews
nor with foreign shepherds
so familiarly as to eat or drink with
them.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New
King James Version (NKJV)
a.
Genesis 46:10
Spelled Nemuel in 1 Chronicles 4:24
b.
Genesis 46:10
Called Jarib in 1 Chronicles 4:24
c.Genesis 46:10
Called Zerah in 1 Chronicles 4:24
d.
Genesis 46:13
Spelled Puah in 1 Chronicles 7:1
e.
Genesis 46:13
Same as Jashub in Numbers 26:24 and 1 Chronicles 7:1
f.
Genesis 46:16
Spelled Zephon in Samaritan Pentateuch
Septuagint
and Numbers 26:15
g.
Genesis 46:16
Called Ozni in Numbers 26:16
h.
Genesis 46:16
Spelled Arod in Numbers 26:17
i.
Genesis 46:21
Called Hupham in Numbers 26:39
j.
Genesis 46:23
Called Shuham in Numbers 26:42
k.Genesis 46:24
Spelled Jahziel in 1 Chronicles 7:13
l.
Genesis 46:24
Spelled Shallum in 1 Chronicles 7:13