1Jacob is comforted by God at Beer-sheba. 5He goeth thence with his family into Egypt. 8The number of those that went with him. 28Joseph meeteth Jacob. 31He instructeth his brethren how to answer Pharaoh.
1AND Israel 1took his journey with all that he had, and came to 2Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices 3unto the God of his father Isaac.
1 This happened about the year after the creation of the world, 2239, ten years after Isaac’s death, when Joseph was thirty-nine years of age. See Gen. 35:1.
2 See Gen. 21 on verse 31.
3 That is, to that God, Whom his father Isaac did worship and adore. Thereby he testified his steadfast faith in the promises of God, and his thankfulness for all His mercies, and prayed unto Him for his counsel and direction, help and assistance, in regard of this journey.
2And God spake unto Israel 4in the visions of the night, and said, 5Jacob, Jacob. And he said, 6Here am I.
4 The visions taken in general, whereby God in those times used to reveal Himself to men, happened sometimes without sleep, by seeing some shape or figure, which was represented either to the eyes of the body, as Gen. 15:1, 5, etc., or to the apprehension of the spirit, Zech. 3:1; sometimes in sleep, by some kind of dreams, as Gen. 20:3; Job 33:15, 16. Both sorts might happen, either by day, as Acts 10:9, 10, or by night, as Gen. 15:15, and here.
5 He calls him twice together, to rouse him up to the more ready and accurate attention; as Gen. 22:11 and 1 Sam. 3:10.
6 See Gen. 22:1.
3And he said, Iaam God, the God of thy father: 7fear not to go down into Egypt; forb I will there make of thee a great nation:
a Gen. 26:24; 28:13; 32:9.
7 In regard namely, that thou and thy seed shall for a time depart now out of that land, which I promised to thee and thine, Gen. 28:13, into a land, wherein thy grandfather has dwelled heretofore with a great deal of fear and perplexity; Gen. 12:12.
b Gen. 13:16; 16:10; 17:2; 22:17; 26:24; 35:11; 48:4.
4 Ic will 8go down with thee into Egypt; and 9I will also surely bring thee up again: 10and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.
c Num. 20:15; Deut. 10:22; Joshua 24:4, 5, 6; Psalm 105:23, 24, etc.; Isa. 52:4; Hosea 11:1.
8 Namely, to guide, conduct, and assist thee. Understand this likewise of the return. Compare Gen. 24:7; Exod. 23:20, and 32:34. Notice here once for all, that the words going up, or ascending, etc. likewise going down, descending, are used in regard of the geographical position of the countries, cities, and places, which are situated high or low. To go to a place which is located high, one ascends; and to a place which is low, one descends. See Gen. 12:10, and Gen. 13:1, and Gen. 35:1; Exod. 19:3; Mat. 20:18; Luke 10:30; Acts 3:1. Ascending and descending are said of God, after the manner of men.
9 This was indeed fulfilled in part, as to the dead body of Jacob, Gen. 47:29, 30, and Gen. 50:13, but chiefly in his posterity, when Moses led them forth out of Egypt and Joshua brought them into the land of Canaan.
10 That is, Joseph shall be with thee at thy last departure, and (according to the custom of many nations) shall shut thine eyes after thy death. Here Jacob is ascertained of God that his dear son Joseph was alive yet indeed, and that he would die in peace in Joseph’s lifetime and presence.
5Andd Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba: 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.
d Acts 7:15.
6And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten 11in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him:
11 Understand additionally, and in Mesopotamia besides.
7His sons, and his sons' sons with him, 12his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.
12 Jacob had but one daughter, to wit, Dinah, verse 15, and but one son’s daughter, verse 17. The Holy Scripture does sometimes make use of the plural for the singular, as also Gen. 21:7, and below here verse 23; Num. 26:8; 1 Chron. 2:8, 31.
8¶Ande13these are the names 14of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.
e Exod. 1:2; 6:13; Num. 26:5; 1 Chron. 5:1; 6:1; 7:1; 8:1, etc.
13 This genealogy is so carefully set down here and elsewhere by Moses, first, to show the wonderful working of God in multiplying the seed of Abraham; secondly, to distinguish the tribes, in regard of the priesthood, the royal dignity, and the division of the land of Canaan; thirdly, and principally, to trace the coming forth of the Messiah, after the flesh.
14 That is, sons and sons’ sons; likewise the daughter, and granddaughter.
9And the sons of Reuben; 15Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.
15 Compare the names of this register with the repetitions thereof, Numbers 26; 1 Chronicles 6; 7; 8.
10¶Andf the sons of Simeon; 16Jemuel, and Jamin, and 17Ohad, and 18Jachin, and 19Zohar, and Shaul the son of a 20Canaanitish woman.
f Exod. 6:14; 1 Chron. 4:24.
16 Also called Nemuel, Num. 26:12.
17 Who is not recorded among the children of Simeon, neither in Num. 26:12, nor 1 Chron. 4:24. It seems that he and his were all dead before that time.
18 Called likewise Jarib, 1 Chron. 4:24.
19 Also Zerah, Num. 26:13.
20 Being of an accursed nation with whom God’s people were forbidden to marry. This is recorded to the disgrace of Simeon, as likewise Judah his case, Genesis 38, and to the honor of the rest who did not follow these examples.
11¶Andg the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
g 1 Chron. 6:1.
12¶And theh sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zerah: but Er and Onan 21died in the land of Canaan. Andi the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul.
h Gen. 38:3, 4, 5.
21 See Gen. 38:7, 10. These indeed are named here, but not to make up the number specified, mentioned verse 15.
i 1 Chron. 2:5.
13¶And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and 22Job, and Shimron.
22 Differently called, Jaschub, Num. 26:24. This Job is to be distinguished from him, whose life and history is recorded in the book of Job. The names are likewise differently written in the Hebrew.
14¶And the sons of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel.
15These be the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in 23Padan-aram, with his daughter Dinah: all 24the souls of his sons and his daughters were 25thirty and three.
23 See Gen. 25:20. Leah’s children were all born in Padan-aram, but the progeny of her sons recounted here, were born afterwards in Canaan.
24 That is, men or persons. See Gen. 12 on verse 5.
25 Jacob’s person is reckoned among these, and Er and Onan excluded. See verse 12.
16¶Andj the sons of Gad; 26Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and 27Arodi, and Areli.
j 1 Chron. 5:11.
26 Hebr. Tsiphion, otherwise, Zephon. Num. 26:15, and so in the sequel Ezbon, for Eshbon, and verse 10, Zohar for Tsohar, etc.
27 Other, Arod, Num. 26:17.
17¶Andk the sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serah their sister: and the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel.
k 1 Chron. 7:30.
18These are the sons of Zilpah, whoml Laban 28gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, even 29sixteen souls.
l Gen. 29:24.
28 Namely, for an handmaid, see Gen. 29:24.
29 Namely, thirteen sons, two grandsons, and one daughter.
19The sons of Rachel 30Jacob’s wife; Joseph, and Benjamin.
30 Thus Rachel is called particularly, because Jacob had chosen her, and had sought her at Laban, according to God’s institution. See Gen. 29:18.
20¶And unto Josephm in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath 31the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On bare unto him.
m Gen. 41:50; 48:5.
31 See Gen. 41 on verse 45.
21¶Andn the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard.
n 1 Chron. 7:6; 8:1.
22These are the sons of Rachel, which were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen.
23¶And the 32sons of Dan; 33Hushim.
32 That is, son. See on verse 7.
33 Called likewise Shuham, Num. 26:42.
24¶Ando the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem.
o 1 Chron. 7:13.
25These are the sons of Bilhah, whichp Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven.
p Gen. 29:29.
26All the souls that came 34with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his 35loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls were 36threescore and six;
34 Other, belonged to Jacob, or thus, All the souls of Jacob that came into Egypt.
35 That is, who were born out of his flesh and blood. See the same phrase Exod. 1:5; Judges 8:30, which is as much as to be come forth out of one’s loins. See Gen. 35:11.
36 The aforementioned four sums, namely, of 33 (in verse 15), of 16 (in verse 18), of 14 (in verse 22), and of 7 (in verse 25) do make up seventy together. But here are only counted those who were born out of Jacob, and came with him into Egypt, so that here must be excluded, first Jacob himself, who was not born out of himself, and Joseph with his two sons, who were not come into Egypt with Jacob.
27And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: allq the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were 37threescore and ten.
q Deut. 10:22; Acts 7:14.
37 In this sum are now comprehended Jacob and Joseph, with his two sons.
28¶And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, 38to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of 39Goshen.
38 To wit, how and where they might best pitch down in the Goshen.
39 See Gen. 45:10.
29And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and 40presented himself unto him; 41and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a 42good while.
40 It seems that Joseph, being come near his father, has shown himself extraordinary friendly and respectful, that he might be known of him.
41 See Gen. 33:4; 45:14; Luke 15:20; Acts 20:37.
42 Other, for a time. Hebr. yet.
30And Israel said unto Joseph, 43Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, 44because thou art yet alive.
43 Hebr. this time. The sense is, I am now willing and ready to die.
44 Or, because, by reason.
31And 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;
32And the men are shepherds, for their 45trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.
45 Hebr. men of cattle, or, cattlemen, that is, such as deal and negotiate with cattle, so below verse 34. Thus men of ships, 1 Kings 9:27, that is, such as live by shipping, mariners, or seafaring men. Compare likewise the annotation at Gen. 9 on verse 20.
33And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation?
34That 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; forr every shepherd is 46an abomination unto the Egyptians.
r Gen. 43:32; Exod. 8:26.
46 See Gen. 43:32. This contemptible occupation has, through God’s providence and guidance, provided the Israelites a threefold advantage: 1. that they got a very good, fat pasture land for their animals; 2. that they all were kept together in a body, and so might live quietly and peacefully among themselves; 3. that being separated from the idolatrous Egyptians, they might with the more freedom exercise the pure worship of God.