Worthy.Bible » DARBY » Genesis » Chapter 46 » Verse 8

Genesis 46:8 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

- Read this chapter

8 And these are the names of the sons of Israel who came into Egypt: Jacob and his sons. Jacob's firstborn, Reuben.

Cross Reference

Exodus 1:1-5 DARBY

KJV ASV YLT WEB BBE STRONG

And these are the names of the sons of Israel who had come into Egypt; with Jacob had they come, each with his household: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher. And all the souls that had come out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls; and Joseph was in Egypt.

1 Chronicles 2:1-55 DARBY

KJV ASV YLT WEB BBE STRONG

These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah, Issachar and Zebulun, Dan, Joseph and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad and Asher. The sons of Judah: Er, and Onan, and Shelah: [which] three were born to him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Jehovah; and he slew him. And Tamar his daughter-in-law bore him Pherez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five. The sons of Pherez: Hezron and Hamul. And the sons of Zerah: Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara: five of them in all. And the sons of Carmi: Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the accursed thing. And the sons of Ethan: Azariah. And the sons of Hezron, who were born to him: Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai. And Ram begot Amminadab; and Amminadab begot Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah; and Nahshon begot Salma, and Salma begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed, and Obed begot Jesse; and Jesse begot his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimea the third, Nethaneel the fourth, Raddai the fifth, Ozem the sixth, David the seventh; and their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah: Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three. And Abigail bore Amasa; and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite. And Caleb the son of Hezron had children by Azubah [his] wife, and by Jerioth: her sons are these: Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon. And Azubah died, and Caleb took him Ephrath, and she bore him Hur. And Hur begot Uri, and Uri begot Bezaleel. And afterwards Hezron went to the daughter of Machir, the father of Gilead, and he took her when he was sixty years old; and she bore him Segub. And Segub begot Jair, who had twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead; and Geshur and Aram took the villages of Jair from them, with Kenath and its dependent towns, sixty cities. All these were sons of Machir the father of Gilead. And after the death of Hezron in Caleb-Ephratah, Abijah, Hezron's wife, bore him Ashhur, the father of Tekoa. And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were: Ram the firstborn, and Bunah, and Oren, and Ozem, of Ahijah. And Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam. And the sons of Ram, the firstborn of Jerahmeel, were Maaz, and Jamin, and Eker. And the sons of Onam were Shammai and Jada. And the sons of Shammai: Nadab and Abishur. And the name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail, and she bore him Ahban and Molid. And the sons of Nadab: Seled and Appaim; and Seled died without sons. And the sons of Appaim: Jishi; and the sons of Jishi: Sheshan; and the sons of Sheshan: Ahlai. And the sons of Jada, the brother of Shammai: Jether and Jonathan; and Jether died without sons. And the sons of Jonathan: Peleth and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel. And Sheshan had no sons, but daughters; and Sheshan had an Egyptian servant, whose name was Jarha; and Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant as wife, and she bore him Attai. And Attai begot Nathan, and Nathan begot Zabad, and Zabad begot Ephlal, and Ephlal begot Obed, and Obed begot Jehu, and Jehu begot Azariah, and Azariah begot Helez, and Helez begot Elasah, and Elasah begot Sismai, and Sismai begot Shallum, and Shallum begot Jekamiah, and Jekamiah begot Elishama. And the sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph; and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron. And the sons of Hebron: Korah, and Tappuah, and Rekem, and Shema. And Shema begot Raham, the father of Jorkeam. And Rekem begot Shammai; and the son of Shammai was Maon; and Maon was the father of Beth-zur. And Ephah, Caleb's concubine, bore Haran, and Moza, and Gazez; and Haran begot Gazez. And the sons of Jehdai: Regem, and Jotham, and Geshan, and Pelet, and Ephah, and Shaaph. Maachah, Caleb's concubine, bore Sheber and Tirhanah; and she bore Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbena and the father of Gibea. And the daughter of Caleb was Achsah. These are the sons of Caleb. The sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah: Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim, Salma the father of Bethlehem, Hareph the father of Beth-gader. And Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim had sons: Haroeh, Hazi-Hammenuhoth. And the families of Kirjath-jearim were the Jithrites, and the Puthites, and the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; of them came the Zoreathites and the Eshtaolites. The sons of Salma: Bethlehem, and the Netophathites. Atroth-Beth-Joab, and the Hazi-Hammana-hethites, the Zorites; and the families of the scribes who dwelt at Jabez: the Tireathites, the Shimeathites, the Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.

Genesis 29:1-30 DARBY

KJV ASV YLT WEB BBE STRONG

And Jacob continued his journey, and went into the land of the children of the east. And he looked, and behold, there was a well in the fields, and behold there, three flocks of sheep were lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks, and a great stone was at the mouth of the well. And when all the flocks were gathered there, they rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again on the mouth of the well in its place. And Jacob said to them, My brethren, whence are ye? And they said, Of Haran are we. And he said to them, Do ye know Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We do know [him]. And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, [He is] well; and behold, there comes Rachel his daughter with the sheep. And he said, Behold, it is yet high day; it is not time that the cattle should be gathered together; water the sheep, and go, feed [them]. And they said, We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well, and we water the sheep. While he was still speaking to them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. And it came to pass when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the sheep of Laban his mother's brother. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. And Jacob told Rachel that he was a brother of her father, and that he was Rebecca's son; and she ran and told her father. And it came to pass when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house; and he told Laban all these things. And Laban said to him, Thou art indeed my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him a month's time. And Laban said to Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou serve me for nothing? tell me, what shall be thy wages? And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger, Rachel. And the eyes of Leah were tender; but Rachel was of beautiful form and beautiful countenance. And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they were in his eyes as single days, because he loved her. And Jacob said to Laban, Give [me] my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in to her. And Laban gave to her Zilpah, his maidservant, to be maidservant to Leah his daughter. And it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done to me? Have I not served thee for Rachel? Why then hast thou deceived me? And Laban said, It is not so done in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn. Fulfil the week [with] this one: then we will give thee the other one also, for the service that thou shalt serve me yet seven other years. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled the week [with] this one, and he gave him Rachel his daughter to be his wife. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, Bilhah, his maidservant, to be her maidservant. And he went in also to Rachel; and he loved also Rachel more than Leah. And he served with him yet seven other years.

Genesis 35:22-23 DARBY

KJV ASV YLT WEB BBE STRONG

And it came to pass when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father's concubine; and Israel heard of it. And the sons of Jacob were twelve. The sons of Leah: Reuben -- Jacob's firstborn -- and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun.

Genesis 49:1-33 DARBY

KJV ASV YLT WEB BBE STRONG

And Jacob called his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, and I will tell you what will befall you at the end of days. Assemble yourselves, and hear, ye sons of Jacob, And listen to Israel your father. Reuben, thou art my firstborn, My might, and the firstfruits of my vigour: Excellency of dignity, and excellency of strength. Impetuous as the waters, thou shalt have no pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father's couch: Then defiledst thou [it]: he went up to my bed. Simeon and Levi are brethren: Instruments of violence their swords. My soul, come not into their council; Mine honour, be not united with their assembly; For in their anger they slew men, And in their wantonness houghed oxen. Cursed be their anger, for it [was] violent; And their rage, for it [was] cruel! I will divide them in Jacob, And scatter them in Israel. Judah -- [as to] thee, thy brethren will praise thee; Thy hand will be upon the neck of thine enemies; Thy father's children will bow down to thee. Judah is a young lion; From the prey, my son, thou art gone up. He stoopeth, he layeth himself down as a lion, And as a lioness: who will rouse him up? The scepter will not depart from Judah, Nor the lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh come, And to him will be the obedience of peoples. He bindeth his foal to the vine, And his ass's colt to the choice vine; He washeth his dress in wine, And his garment in the blood of grapes. The eyes are red with wine, And the teeth [are] white with milk. Zebulun will dwell at the shore of the seas; Yea, he will be at the shore of the ships, And his side [toucheth] upon Sidon. Issachar is a bony ass, Crouching down between two hurdles. And he saw the rest that it was good, And the land that it was pleasant; And he bowed his shoulder to bear, And was a tributary servant. Dan will judge his people, As another of the tribes of Israel. Dan will be a serpent on the way, A horned snake on the path, Which biteth the horse's heels, So that the rider falleth backwards. I wait for thy salvation, O Jehovah. Gad -- troops will rush upon him; But he will rush upon the heel. Out of Asher, his bread shall be fat, And he will give royal dainties. Naphtali is a hind let loose; He giveth goodly words. Joseph is a fruitful bough; A fruitful bough by a well; [His] branches shoot over the wall. The archers have provoked him, And shot at, and hated him; But his bow abideth firm, And the arms of his hands are supple By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob. From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel: From the ùGod of thy father, and he will help thee; And from the Almighty, and he will bless thee -- With blessings of heaven from above, With blessings of the deep that lieth under, With blessings of the breast and of the womb. The blessings of thy father surpass the blessings of my ancestors, Unto the bounds of the everlasting hills: They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him that was separated from his brethren. Benjamin -- [as] a wolf will he tear to pieces; In the morning he will devour the prey, And in the evening he will divide the booty. All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them; and he blessed them: every one according to his blessing he blessed them. And he charged them, and said to them, I am gathered to my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is opposite to Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought of Ephron the Hittite along with the field for a possession of a sepulchre. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebecca his wife; and there I buried Leah. The purchase of the field, and of the cave that is in it, was from the children of Heth. And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered his feet into the bed, and expired, and was gathered to his peoples.

Exodus 6:14-18 DARBY

KJV ASV YLT WEB BBE STRONG

These are the heads of their fathers' houses: the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Enoch and Phallu, Hezron and Carmi: these are the families of Reuben. -- And the sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Saul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon. And these are the names of the sons of Levi, according to their generations: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari. And the years of the life of Levi were a hundred and thirty-seven years. The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families. And the sons of Kohath: Amram, and Jizhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel. And the years of the life of Kohath were a hundred and thirty-three years.

Numbers 1:20-21 DARBY

KJV ASV YLT WEB BBE STRONG

And the sons of Reuben, Israel's eldest son, their generations, after their families, according to their fathers' houses, by the number of the names, according to their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that went forth to military service: those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were forty-six thousand five hundred.

Numbers 2:10-13 DARBY

KJV ASV YLT WEB BBE STRONG

The standard of the camp of Reuben shall be southward according to their hosts; and the prince of the sons of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur; and his host, even those that were numbered thereof, forty-six thousand five hundred. And those that encamp by him shall be the tribe of Simeon; and the prince of the sons of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai; and his host, even those that were numbered of them, fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

Numbers 26:4-11 DARBY

KJV ASV YLT WEB BBE STRONG

From twenty years old and upward ...; as Jehovah had commanded Moses and the children of Israel, who went forth out of the land of Egypt. Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: the children of Reuben: [of] Enoch, the family of the Enochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites; of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. These are the families of the Reubenites; and they that were numbered of them were forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty. And the sons of Pallu: Eliab; and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, summoned of the assembly, who contended against Moses and against Aaron in the band of Korah, when they contended against Jehovah. And the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that band died, when the fire devoured the two hundred and fifty men; and they became a sign. But the children of Korah died not.

1 Chronicles 8:1-40 DARBY

KJV ASV YLT WEB BBE STRONG

And Benjamin begot Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, and Aharah the third, Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. And Bela had sons: Addar, and Gera, and Abihud, and Abishua, and Naaman, and Ahoah, and Gera, and Shephuphan, and Huram. -- And these are the sons of Ehud (these were the chief fathers of the inhabitants of Geba; and they carried them away to Manahath; even Naaman, and Ahijah, and Gera; he removed them), and he begot Uzza and Ahihud. And Shaharaim begot [children] in the land of Moab after he had sent away Hushim and Baara his wives. And he begot of Hodesh his wife: Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcham, and Jeuz, and Shobia, and Mirmah; these were his sons, chief fathers. And of Hushim he begot Abitub, and Elpaal. And the sons of Elpaal: Eber, and Misham, and Shemer, who built Ono, and Lod and its dependent villages; and Beriah, and Shema, who were chief fathers of the inhabitants of Ajalon; they drove away the inhabitants of Gath. And Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth, and Zebadiah, and Arad, and Eder, and Michael, and Jishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah. And Zebadiah, and Meshullam, and Hiski, and Heber, and Jishmerai, and Jizliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal. And Jakim, and Zichri, and Zabdi, and Elienai, and Zilthai, and Eliel, and Adaiah, and Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei. And Jishpah, and Eber, and Eliel, and Abdon, and Zichri, and Hanan, and Hananiah, and Elam, and Antothijah, and Jiphdeiah, and Penuel were the sons of Shashak. And Shamsherai, and Shehariah, and Athaliah, and Jaareshiah, and Elijah, and Zichri were the sons of Jeroham. These were the chief fathers, according to their generations, principal men; these dwelt in Jerusalem. And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon; and his wife's name was Maachah. And his son, the firstborn, was Abdon; and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Nadab, and Gedor, and Ahio, and Zecher. And Mikloth begot Shimeah. And these also dwelt beside their brethren in Jerusalem, with their brethren. And Ner begot Kish; and Kish begot Saul; and Saul begot Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Esh-baal. And the son of Jonathan was Merib-Baal; and Merib-Baal begot Micah. And the sons of Micah: Pithon, and Melech, and Tarea, and Ahaz. And Ahaz begot Jehoaddah; and Jehoaddah begot Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begot Moza; and Moza begot Binea: Rapha was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. And Azel had six sons, and these are their names: Azrikam, Bochru, and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan; all these were sons of Azel. And the sons of Eshek his brother were Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third. And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valour, archers; and they had many sons, and sons' sons, a hundred and fifty. All these were of the sons of Benjamin.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 46

Commentary on Genesis 46 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill   Keil & Delitzsch   Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible  

Chapter 46

Jacob is here removing to Egypt in his old age, forced thither by a famine, and invited thither by a son. Here,

  • I. God sends him thither (v. 1-4).
  • II. All his family goes with him (v. 5-27).
  • III. Joseph bids him welcome (v. 28-34).

Gen 46:1-4

The divine precept is, In all thy ways acknowledge God; and the promise annexed to it is, He shall direct thy paths. Jacob has here a very great concern before him, not only a journey, but a removal, to settle in another country, a change which was very surprising to him (for he never had any other thoughts than to live and die in Canaan), and which would be of great consequence to his family for a long time to come. Now here we are told,

  • I. How he acknowledged God in this way. He came to Beersheba, from Hebron, where he now dwelt; and there he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac, v. 1. He chose that place, in remembrance of the communion which his father and grandfather had with God in that place. Abraham called on God there (ch. 21:33), so did Isaac (ch. 26:25), and therefore Jacob made it the place of his devotion, the rather because it lay in his way. In his devotion,
    • 1. He had an eye to God as the God of his father Isaac, that is, a God in covenant with him; for by Isaac the covenant was entailed upon him. God had forbidden Isaac to go down to Egypt when there was a famine in Canaan (ch. 26:2), which perhaps Jacob calls to mind when he consults God as the God of his father Isaac, with this thought, "Lord, though I am very desirous to see Joseph, yet if thou forbid me to go down to Egypt, as thou didst my father Isaac, I will submit, and very contentedly stay where I am.'
    • 2. He offered sacrifices, extraordinary sacrifices, besides those at his stated times; these sacrifices were offered,
      • (1.) By way of thanksgiving for the late blessed change of the face of his family, for the good news he had received concerning Joseph, and for the hopes he had of seeing him. Note, We should give God thanks for the beginnings of mercy, though they are not yet perfected; and this is a decent way of begging further mercy.
      • (2.) By way of petition for the presence of God with him in his intended journey; he desired by these sacrifices to make his peace with God, to obtain the forgiveness of sin, that he might take no guilt along with him in this journey, for that is a bad companion. By Christ, the great sacrifice, we must reconcile ourselves to God, and offer up our requests to him.
      • (3.) By way of consultation. The heathen consulted their oracles by sacrifice. Jacob would not go till he had asked God's leave: "Shall I go down to Egypt, or back to Hebron?' Such must be our enquiries in doubtful cases; and, though we cannot expect immediate answers from heaven, yet, if we diligently attend to the directions of the word, conscience, and providence, we shall find it is not in vain to ask counsel of God.
  • II. How God directed his paths: In the visions of the night (probably the very next night after he had offered his sacrifices, as 2 Chr. 1:7) God spoke unto him, v. 2. Note, Those who desire to keep up communion with God shall find that it never fails on his side. If we speak to him as we ought, he will not fail to speak to us. God called him by name, by his old name, Jacob, Jacob, to remind him of his low estate; his present fears did scarcely become an Israel. Jacob, like one well acquainted with the visions of the Almighty, and ready to obey them, answers, "Here I am, ready to receive orders:' and what has God to say to him?
    • 1. He renews the covenant with him: I am God, the God of thy father (v. 3); that is, "I am what thou ownest me to be: thou shalt find me a God, a divine wisdom and power engaged for thee; and thou shalt find me the God of thy father, true to the covenant made with him.'
    • 2. He encourages him to make this removal of his family: Fear not to go down into Egypt. It seems, though Jacob, upon the first intelligence of Joseph's life and glory in Egypt, resolved, without any hesitation, I will go and see him; yet, upon second thoughts, he saw some difficulties in it, which he knew not well how to get over. Note, Even those changes that seem to have in them the greatest joys and hopes, yet have an alloy of cares and fears, Nulla est sincera voluptas-There is no unmingled pleasure. We must always rejoice with trembling. Jacob had many careful thoughts about this journey, which God took notice of.
      • (1.) He was old, 130 years old; and it is mentioned as one of the infirmities of old people that they are afraid of that which is high, and fears are in the way, Eccl. 12:5. It was a long journey, and Jacob was unfit for travel, and perhaps remembered that his beloved Rachel died in a journey.
      • (2.) He feared lest his sons should be tainted with the idolatry of Egypt, and forget the God of their fathers, or enamoured with the pleasures of Egypt, and forget the land of promise.
      • (3.) Probably he thought of what God had said to Abraham concerning the bondage and affliction of his seed (ch. 15:13), and was apprehensive that his removal to Egypt would issue in that. Present satisfactions should not take us off from the consideration and prospect of future inconveniences, which possibly may arise from what now appears most promising.
      • (4.) He could not think of laying his bones in Egypt. But, whatever his discouragements were, this was enough to answer them all, Fear not to go down into Egypt.
    • 3. He promises him comfort in the removal.
      • (1.) That he should multiply in Egypt: "I will there, where thou fearest that thy family will sink and be lost, make it a great nation. That is the place Infinite Wisdom has chosen for the accomplishment of that promise.'
      • (2.) That he should have God's presence with him: I will go down with thee into Egypt. Note, Those that go whither God sends them shall certainly have God with them, and that is enough to secure them wherever they are and to silence their fears; we may safely venture even into Egypt if God go down with us.
      • (3.) That neither he nor his should be lost in Egypt: I will surely bring thee up again. Though Jacob died in Egypt, yet this promise was fulfilled,
        • [1.] In the bringing up of his body, to be buried in Canaan, about which, it appears, he was very solicitous, ch. 49:29, 32.
        • [2.] In the bringing up of his seed to be settled in Canaan. Whatever low or darksome valley we are called into at any time, we may be confident, if God go down with us into it, that he will surely bring us up again. If he go with us down to death, he will surely bring us up again to glory.
      • (4.) That living and dying, his beloved Joseph should be a comfort to him: Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. This is a promise that Joseph should live as long as he lived, that he should be with him at his death, and close his eyes with all possible tenderness and respect, as the dearest relations used to do. Probably Jacob, in the multitude of this thought within him, had been wishing that Joseph might do this last office of love for him: Ille meos oculos comprimat-Let him close my eyes; and God thus answered him in the letter of his desire. Thus God sometimes gratifies the innocent wishes of his people, and makes not only their death happy, but the very circumstances of it agreeable.

Gen 46:5-27

Old Jacob is here flitting. Little did he think of ever leaving Canaan; he expected, no doubt, to die in his nest, and to leave his seed in actual possession of the promised land: but Providence orders it otherwise. Note, Those that think themselves well settled may yet be unsettled in a little time. Even old people, who think of no other removal than that to the grave (which Jacob had much upon his heart, ch. 37:35; 42:38), sometimes live to see great changes in their family. It is good to be ready, not only for the grave, but for whatever may happen betwixt us and the grave. Observe,

  • 1. How Jacob was conveyed; not in a chariot, though chariots were then used, but in a wagon, v. 5. Jacob had the character of a plain man, who did not affect any thing stately or magnificent; his son rode in a chariot (ch. 41:43), but a wagon would serve him.
  • 2. The removal of what he had with him.
    • (1.) His effects (v. 6), cattle and goods; these he took with him that he might not wholly be beholden to Pharaoh for a livelihood, and that it might not afterwards be said of them, "that they came beggars to Egypt.'
    • (2.) His family, all his seed, v. 7. It is probable that they had continued to live together in common with their father; and therefore when he went they all went, which perhaps they were the more willing to do, because, though they had heard that the land of Canaan was promised them, yet, to this day, they had none of it in possession. We have here a particular account of the names of Jacob's family, his sons' sons, most of whom are afterwards mentioned as heads of houses in the several tribes. See Num. 26:5, etc. Bishop Patrick observes that Issachar called his eldest son Tola, which signifies a worm, probably because when he was born he was a very little weak child, a worm, and no man, not likely to live; and yet there sprang from him a very numerous offspring, 1 Chr. 7:2. Note, Living and dying do not go by probability. The whole number that went down into Egypt was sixty-six (v. 26), to which add Joseph and his two sons, who were there before, and Jacob himself, the head of the family, and you have the number of seventy, v. 27. The Septuagint makes them seventy-five, and Stephen follows them (Acts 7:14), the reason of which we leave to the conjecture of the critics; but let us observe,
      • [1.] Masters of families ought to take care of all under their charge, and to provide for those of their own house food convenient both for body and soul. When Jacob himself removed to a land of plenty, he would not leave any of his children behind him to starve in a barren land.
      • [2.] Though the accomplishment of promises is always sure, yet it is often slow. It was now 215 years since God had promised Abraham to make of him a great nation (ch. 12:2); and yet that branch of his seed on which the promise was entailed had increased only to seventy, of which this particular account is kept, that the power of God in multiplying these seventy to so vast a multitude, even in Egypt, may appear the more illustrious. When God pleases, a little one shall become a thousand, Isa. 60:22.

Gen 46:28-34

We have here,

  • I. The joyful meeting between Jacob and his son Joseph, in which observe,
    • 1. Jacob's prudence in sending Judah before him to Joseph, to give him notice of his arrival in Goshen. This was a piece of respect owing to the government, under the protection of which these strangers had come to put themselves, v. 28. We should be very careful not to give offence to any, especially not to the higher powers.
    • 2. Joseph's filial respect to him. He went in his chariot to met him, and, in the interview, showed,
      • (1.) How much he honoured him: He presented himself unto him. Note, It is the duty of children to reverence their parents, yea, though Providence, as to outward condition, has advanced them above their parents.
      • (2.) How much he loved him. Time did not wear out the sense of his obligations, but his tears which he shed abundantly upon his father's neck, for joy to see him, were real indications of the sincere and strong affection he had for him. See how near sorrow and joy are to each other in this world, when tears serve for the expression of both. In the other world weeping will be restrained to sorrow only; in heaven there is perfect joy, but no tears of joy: all tears, even those, shall there be wiped away, because the joys there are, as no joys are here, without any alloy. When Joseph embraced Benjamin he wept upon his neck, but when he embraced his father he wept upon his neck a good while; his brother Benjamin was dear, but his father Jacob must be dearer.
    • 3. Jacob's great satisfaction in this meeting: Now let me die, v. 30. Not but that it was further desirable to live with Joseph, and to see his honour and usefulness; but he had so much pleasure and satisfaction in this first meeting that he thought it too much to desire or expect any more in this world, where our comforts must always be imperfect. Jacob wished to die immediately, and lived seventeen years longer, which, as our lives go now, is a considerable part of a man's age. Note, Death will not always come just when we call for it, whether in a passion of sorrow or in a passion of joy. Our times are in God's hand, and not in our own; we must die just when God pleases, and not either just when we are surfeited with the pleasures of life or just when we are overwhelmed with its griefs.
  • II. Joseph's prudent care concerning his brethren's settlement. It was justice to Pharaoh to let him know that such a colony had come to settle in his dominions. Note, If others repose a confidence in us, we must not be so base and disingenuous as to abuse it by imposing upon them. If Jacob and his family should come to be a charge to the Egyptians, yet it should never be said that they came among them clandestinely and by stealth. Thus Joseph took care to pay his respects to Pharaoh, v. 31. But how shall he dispose of his brethren? Time was when they were contriving to get rid of him; now he is contriving to settle them to their satisfaction and advantage: This is rendering good for evil. Now,
    • 1. He would have them to live by themselves, separate as much as might be from the Egyptians, in the land of Goshen, which lay nearest to Canaan, and which perhaps was more thinly peopled by the Egyptians, and well furnished with pastures for cattle. He desired they might live separately, that they might be in the less danger both of being infected by the vices of the Egyptians and of being insulted by the malice of the Egyptians. Shepherds, it seems, were an abomination to the Egyptians, that is, they looked upon them with contempt, and scorned to converse with them; and he would not send for his brethren to Egypt to be tramped upon. And yet,
    • 2. He would have them to continue shepherds, and not to be ashamed to own that as their occupation before Pharaoh. He could have employed them under himself in the corn-trade, or perhaps, by his interest in the king, might have procured places for them at court or in the army, and some of them, at least, were deserving enough; but such preferments would have exposed them to the envy of the Egyptians, and would have tempted them to forget Canaan and the promise made unto their fathers; therefore he contrives to continue them in their old employment. Note,
      • (1.) An honest calling is no disparagement, nor ought we to account it so either in ourselves or in our relations, but rather reckon it a shame to be idle, or to have nothing to do.
      • (2.) It is generally best for people to abide in the callings that they have been bred to, and used to, 1 Cor. 7:24. Whatever employment or condition God, in his providence, has allotted for us, let us accommodate ourselves to it, and satisfy ourselves with it, and not mind high things. It is better to be the credit of a mean post than the shame of a high one.