Jacob's Family Settles in Egypt
Jacob sets out for Egypt with his whole household and stops at Beersheba to offer sacrifices, where God tells him not to fear the journey — a nation will be made of him there, and he will be brought back. Seventy people go down.
Joseph settles them in Goshen, in the eastern Delta, and coaches them on what to tell Pharaoh: that they are keepers of livestock, a trade Egyptians held at arm's length, which would let them live apart. The old man is presented at court and blesses Pharaoh, and gives his age as a hundred and thirty hard years.
Exodus opens by picking up the same list of names and adding the detail that turns a family into a problem for a later dynasty: they were fruitful and multiplied and filled the land.
Where in scripture
[1] Israel traveled with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father, Isaac. [2] God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He said, “Here I am.” [3] He said, “I am God, the God of your father. Don’t be afraid to go down into Egypt, for there I will make of you a great nation. [4] I will go down with you into Egypt. I will also surely bring you up again. Joseph will close your eyes.” [5] Jacob rose up from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried Jacob, their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. [6] They took their livestock, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt—Jacob, and all his offspring with him, …
Genesis 46:1–34 — opening verses
[1] Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers, with their flocks, their herds, and all that they own, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of Goshen.” [2] From among his brothers he took five men, and presented them to Pharaoh. [3] Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we, and our fathers.” [4] They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as foreigners in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks. For the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.” [5] Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. …
Genesis 47:1–12 — opening verses
[1] Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt (every man and his household came with Jacob): [2] Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, [3] Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, [4] Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. [5] All the souls who came out of Jacob’s body were seventy souls, and Joseph was in Egypt already. [6] Joseph died, as did all his brothers, and all that generation. [7] The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.
Exodus 1:1–7
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.
