Genesis Chapter 46

At a Glance

  • Genesis 46 unfolds as a pivotal moving chapter in the story of Jacob and his family, bridging the homeland in Canaan and the dramatic transition into life in Egypt.
  • Genesis 46 sits within the broader narrative arc of Genesis: the patriarchal era, the testing of faith, and the formation of a chosen people.
  • - Divine Guidance and Assurance: God’s promise to Jacob and the assurance that He will be with him as he travels and as the family settles in Egypt.
  • - God’s Faithfulness Across Generations: The genealogical detail foregrounds the birth and continuity of the tribes as the unfolding of God’s plan.
  • - Exile as Preparation for Destiny: The move to Goshen situates God’s people in a foreign land where they will grow in number, acquire resources, and maintain distinctiveness.

Genesis 46 unfolds as a pivotal moving chapter in the story of Jacob and his family, bridging the homeland in Canaan and the dramatic transition into life in Egypt. After a night-vision reassurance from God, Israel (Jacob) sets out with his family, livestock, and possessions toward the Nile, trusting God’s promise that He will make Jacob into a great nation in a new land and that He will go with him and eventually bring him back. The journey culminates in a public, formal introduction: Jacob’s family arrives in Goshen, and a meticulous genealogical census follows. The chapter lists the names of Jacob’s sons, their sons, and the broader kinsfolk who travel with him—the generations and tribes that will shape Israel’s future. This census isn’t just record-keeping; it marks the birth of a nation in exile, preserving the tribes and their identities within the security of Egyptian administration. Alongside the logistical details, there are intimate moments: Jacob’s blessing and recognition of his beloved son Joseph, and Joseph’s reverent care as he presents his family to Pharaoh, seeking a favorable settlement in the land of Goshen. The themes of divine fidelity, familial blessing, and the dual movement of exile and vocation—God’s people in a foreign land—are set in motion. The chapter also underscores the theme of leadership transition: Joseph’s rise, Jacob’s blessing, and the slow, memory-laden weaving of a people who will become the people of Israel.

Genesis 46 sits within the broader narrative arc of Genesis: the patriarchal era, the testing of faith, and the formation of a chosen people. Traditionally dated to the final centuries BCE in the sense of the narrative’s composition and as part of the priestly source (P), the chapter uses genealogy as a literary device to establish legitimate tribal identities and territorial expectations. It functions as a bridge between the story of Joseph’s successes in Egypt and the eventual settlement of the tribes in the land God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The genre combines historical narrative with genealogical lists to emphasize divine faithfulness across generations. In the larger book, this chapter marks a transition from patriarchal family drama to the proto-nation-building phase that will shape Israel’s identity in Egypt and set the stage for the exodus.

- Divine Guidance and Assurance: God’s promise to Jacob and the assurance that He will be with him as he travels and as the family settles in Egypt.

- God’s Faithfulness Across Generations: The genealogical detail foregrounds the birth and continuity of the tribes as the unfolding of God’s plan.

- Exile as Preparation for Destiny: The move to Goshen situates God’s people in a foreign land where they will grow in number, acquire resources, and maintain distinctiveness.

- Blessing and Legitimacy: Jacob’s blessing of Pharaoh and the transfer of leadership and blessing through genealogies emphasize rightful authority and belonging within God’s plan.

- Identity Formation: The meticulous naming of sons and descendants reinforces tribal identities that will soon become the organizational backbone of Israel.

Genesis 46 speaks to contemporary readers about faith in times of transition and uncertainty. When facing big life moves—changing jobs, relocation for ministry, or cultural displacement—this chapter invites trust in God’s presence and purpose, even when the destination is unclear. It highlights the importance of preserving identity and legacy under pressure: naming and remembering who you are and who your people are sustains community through exile. The humility and care shown in presenting one’s family to authority (as Joseph presents his kin to Pharaoh) offer a model for navigating power responsibly: seek the good of the vulnerable, secure stability for loved ones, and honor God above national or personal advancement. The emphasis on blessing—Jacob blessing Pharaoh, and by extension blessing the future generations—reminds readers that leadership, lineage, and faith are interwoven. Lastly, the chapter invites readers to see their own “Goshen” moments as opportunities for relative safety, growth, and preparation for God’s next act, even when the immediate landscape looks foreign or challenging.

- Genesis 45 (Joseph’s reconciliation and providence; foreshadows blessing and protection)

- Genesis 47 (settlement of the family in Goshen; famine context)

- Genesis 49 (Jacob’s prophetic blessings shaping tribal identities)

- Exodus 1 (the descendants in Egypt and the beginnings of a nation)

- Psalm 105:24-25 (God’s people multiplied and God’s guidance in times of exile)

- Joseph (for leadership, wisdom in exile, and care for family)

- Jacob/Israel (for faith under burden, blessing, and legacy formation)

- Moses (as the new leader who will shepherd a people through a foreign land)

Key Themes

Divine Guidance and Assurance: God’s promise to Jacob and the assurance that He will be with him as he travels and as the family settles in Egypt.God’s Faithfulness Across Generations: The genealogical detail foregrounds the birth and continuity of the tribes as the unfolding of God’s plan.Exile as Preparation for Destiny: The move to Goshen situates God’s people in a foreign land where they will grow in number, acquire resources, and maintain distinctiveness.Blessing and Legitimacy: Jacob’s blessing of Pharaoh and the transfer of leadership and blessing through genealogies emphasize rightful authority and belonging within God’s plan.

Chapter Text

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.

2

And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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 Zarah: 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.

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.

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.

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;

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.

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.

30

And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.

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.

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