Genesis 46

Genesis 46:1-4

Jacob is here removing to Egypt in his old age, forced thither by a famine, and invited thither by a sin. 1. God finds him thither, ver. 1—4. 2. All his family goes with him, ver. 5—27. 3. Joseph bids him welcome, ver. 28—34.

1. AND Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-theba, 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.

We have here Jacob, removing, beg and baggage, to Egypt, with some singular events in the way.

1. His solemn sacrifice offered at Beer-theba. It was a place

where his fathers had enjoyed sweet communion with God; and he hoped there to enjoy the presence of the God of his fathers. With sharefulness, that he acknowledged the path, and particularly his late mercies, and begged the continuance of his blessing on his removal. Note, (1.) We must not neglect to worship God on a journey: as we need then peculiarly his care, we have a new call to interest his protection. (2.) Thanks for pall mercies, are an earnest of greater in those his us.

2. God graciously meets him there. Note, If our communion with God be interrupted, we must lay it to the door of our flesh and negligence. He calls him by his name, with the most gracious condescension, and speaks to him in terms of heart-receiving confidence. He is his covenant God, and will take care of him. 1. He silences his hurt. Many fears must needs attend such a change: fear for himself, an old man, and little able to bear the journey; fear for his family, least they should be so well pleased with Egypt, as to forget Canaan; or remembering Abraham’s vision, fearing this land of plenty may become a house of bondage. But one word from God quiets all. Note, If God says, fear not, we may well be at rest, whatever our difficulties are. 2. He encourages him with promises. His family shall increase, God’s presence shall be with him, and he will surely bring him back again, his bones shall lie in Canaan, his seed returns to this land of their possessions, and Joseph shall close his dying eyes. Note, (1.) It is an unspeakable comfort to a servant of Jesus going down to the grave, to have his promises to preserve him there, and bring him up from thence in a return to the day. (2.) It is pleasing even in death, when filial piety is at hand, to pay the last kind office to the beloved departing parent. It is a wish as natural as innocent, the most sculsi compress, Let him close my dying eyes.

3. And Jacob rose up from Beer-theba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the waggons 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 feed with him. 7. His sons, and his son’s sons with him, his daughters, and his son’s daughters, and all his seed brought the with him into Egypt. 8. ¶ And the sons of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob’s first-born. 9. And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hearon, and Carmi. 10. ¶ And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaui the son of a Canaanitib woman. 11. ¶ And the sons of Levi; Gerthon, Kohath, and Merari. 12. ¶ And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zerah: but Er, and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez, were Hearon and Hamid. 13. ¶ And the sons of Isfahan; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron. 14. ¶ And the sons of Zebulun, Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel. 15. These are the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Palan-aram, 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 Haggai, Shuni, and Exbon, Er, and Arodi, and Arefi. 17. ¶ And the sons of Asher; Jimmah, and Ithuah, and Ifisi, and Beriah, and Serah their sister: And the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Machiel. 18. These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Lahan gave to Leah his daughter: and these she bare unto Jacob, corn 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 Afenath the daughter of Poti-pherah; priest of On bare unto him. 21. ¶ And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Athbel, Gerah, and Naaman, Ehi, and Roth, 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; Mulhim. 24. ¶ And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Lezer, and Shillem. 25. These are the sons of Bilhah, which Lahan 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 son’s wives, all the souls were therefore 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 therefore and ten.

Genesis 46:5-27

Jacob and his family proceed on their journey. They amount to sixty-six, besides himself, his son Joseph, and his children Ephraim and Manasseh, which make up seventy: a small increase considering the promise, during the space of 315 years, but now they quickly become a great multitude. Note, After we have met God, and obtained his blessing, we may well go on our way rejoicing.

89. 36th They are men of cattle.