Genesis 46:1-34

Israel packed up all he had and went to Beersheba, where he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. God spoke to him in visions of the night, and called, “Jacob, Jacob!” “Yes, I’m here,” he answered. “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go to Egypt; for I will make your descendants a great nation there. I will go with you to Egypt, and I will bring your descendants back to this land. And the hand of Joseph will be there to close your eyes when you die.” Then Jacob set out from Beersheba. His sons put him, their little ones, and their wives in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent. They took their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan and went to Egypt. Jacob took all his descendants with him: his sons, his grandsons, his daughters, his granddaughters. Now these are the names of Jacob’s descendants, the Israelites who went to Egypt with him: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and his sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. Simeon and his sons: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul (the son of a Canaanite woman). Levi and his sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Judah and his sons: Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. (Judah’s other sons, Er and Onan, had died in Canaan.) Perez’s sons were Hezron and Hamul. Issachar and his sons: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron. Zebulun and his sons: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. These thirty-three were the sons that Jacob and Leah had while in Paddan-Aram, besides his daughter Dinah. Gad and his sons: Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. Asher and his sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. Beriah’s sons were Heber and Malchiel. These sixteen were the descendants of Jacob and Zilpah (the slave woman whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah). Jacob’s sons with Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. In Egypt, Joseph had two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, by Asenath (the daughter of Potiphera, a priest of On). Benjamin’s sons were Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. These fourteen were the descendants of Jacob by Rachel. Dan and his son: Hushim. Naphtali and his sons: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. These seven are the descendants of Jacob and Bilhah (the slave woman Laban gave to his daughter Rachel). The total number of the direct descendants of Jacob who went to Egypt was sixty-six, not including his sons’ wives. Two sons were born to Joseph in Egypt, bringing the total number of Jacob’s family who went there to seventy. Jacob sent Judah ahead to ask Joseph to lead them in Goshen. When they arrived, Joseph got in his chariot and rode to Goshen to meet his father, Israel. As soon as Joseph saw his father, he threw his arms around his father’s neck and wept for a long time. Israel said to Joseph, “I am ready to die, now that I have seen you and know that you are still alive.” Then Joseph said to his brothers and all his father’s family, “I must go and tell the king that my brothers and all my father’s family have come to me from Canaan. I will tell him that you are shepherds and take care of livestock and that you have brought with you your flocks and herds and all you own. When the king calls for you and asks what your occupation is, be sure to tell him that you and your fathers before you have herded livestock all your lives. Then he will let you live in the region of Goshen.” Joseph said this because Egyptians despise shepherds.