Advanced Commentary

Texts -- Genesis 46:1-24 (NET)

Context
The Family of Jacob goes to Egypt
46:1 So Israel began his journey , taking with him all that he had. When he came to Beer Sheba he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac . 46:2 God spoke to Israel in a vision during the night and said , “Jacob , Jacob !” He replied , “Here I am!” 46:3 He said , “I am God , the God of your father . Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt , for I will make you into a great nation there . 46:4 I will go down with you to Egypt and I myself will certainly bring bring you back from there. Joseph will close your eyes .” 46:5 Then Jacob started out from Beer Sheba , and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob , their little children , and their wives in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent along to transport him. 46:6 Jacob and all his descendants took their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan , and they went to Egypt . 46:7 He brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons , his daughters and granddaughters – all his descendants . 46:8 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt – Jacob and his sons : Reuben , the firstborn of Jacob . 46:9 The sons of Reuben : Hanoch , Pallu , Hezron , and Carmi . 46:10 The sons of Simeon : Jemuel , Jamin , Ohad , Jakin , Zohar , and Shaul (the son of a Canaanite woman). 46:11 The sons of Levi : Gershon , Kohath , and Merari . 46:12 The sons of Judah : Er , Onan , Shelah , Perez , and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan ). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul . 46:13 The sons of Issachar : Tola , Puah , Jashub , and Shimron . 46:14 The sons of Zebulun : Sered , Elon , and Jahleel . 46:15 These were the sons of Leah , whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram , along with Dinah his daughter . His sons and daughters numbered thirty-three in all . 46:16 The sons of Gad : Zephon , Haggi , Shuni , Ezbon , Eri , Arodi , and Areli . 46:17 The sons of Asher : Imnah , Ishvah , Ishvi , Beriah , and Serah their sister . The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malkiel . 46:18 These were the sons of Zilpah , whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter . She bore these to Jacob , sixteen in all. 46:19 The sons of Rachel the wife of Jacob : Joseph and Benjamin . 46:20 Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt . Asenath daughter of Potiphera , priest of On , bore them to him. 46:21 The sons of Benjamin : Bela , Beker , Ashbel , Gera , Naaman , Ehi , Rosh , Muppim , Huppim and Ard . 46:22 These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob , fourteen in all . 46:23 The son of Dan : Hushim . 46:24 The sons of Naphtali : Jahziel , Guni , Jezer , and Shillem .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Jacob

    [nave] JACOB Son of Isaac, and twin brother of Esau, Gen. 25:24-26; Josh. 24:4; 1 Chr. 1:34; Acts 7:8. Ancestor of Jesus, Matt. 1:2. Given in answer to prayer, Gen. 25:21. Obtains Esau's birthright for a some stew, Gen. 25:29-34...

  • GENESIS, 1-2

    [isbe] GENESIS, 1-2 - jen'-e-sis: I. GENERAL DATA 1. The Name 2. Survey of Contents 3. Connection with Succeeding Books II. COMPOSITION OF GENESIS IN GENERAL 1. Unity of the Biblical Text (1) The Toledhoth (2) Further Indication of...

  • GENEALOGY, 8 part 1

    [isbe] GENEALOGY, 8 part 1 - 8. Principal Genealogies and Lists: In the early genealogies the particular strata to which each has been assigned by reconstructive critics is here indicated by J, the Priestly Code (P), etc. The signs...

  • Joseph

    [nave] JOSEPH 1. Son of Jacob, Gen. 30:24. Personal appearance of, Gen. 39:6. His father's favorite child, Gen. 33:2; 37:3, 4, 35; 48:22; 1 Chr. 5:2; John 4:5. His father's partiality for, excites the jealousy of his brethren, G...

  • GENESIS, 3

    [isbe] GENESIS, 3 - III. The Structure of the Individual Pericopes. In this division of the article, there is always to be found (under 1) a consideration of the unity of the Biblical text and (under 2) the rejection of the customa...

  • DISCREPANCIES, BIBLICAL

    [isbe] DISCREPANCIES, BIBLICAL - dis-krep'-an-siz, bib'-li-kal: 1. Definition: By this term should be understood substantial disagreements in the statements of Biblical writers. Such disagreements might subsist between the, stateme...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • GENEALOGY, 8 part 2

    [isbe] GENEALOGY, 8 part 2 - I. Primeval Genealogies (1 Chronicals 1:1-54). To show Israel's place among the nations; follows Genesis closely, omitting only the Cainites; boldly, skillfully compressed, as if the omitted facts were ...

  • Hezron

    [ebd] enclosed. (1.) One of the sons of Reuben (Gen. 46:9; Ex. 6:14). (2.) The older of the two sons of Pharez (Gen. 46:12). (3.) A plain in the south of Judah, west of Kadesh-barnea (Josh. 15:3).
    [smith] (surrounded by a wall). A son of Reuben. (Genesis 46:9; Exodus 6:14) A son of Pharez. (Genesis 46:12; Ruth 4:18)
    [nave] HEZRON 1. Son of Pharez, Gen. 46:12. Ancestor of the Hezronites, Num. 26:6, 21; 1 Chr. 2:5, 9, 18, 21, 24. 2. A son of Reuben, Gen. 46:9; Ex. 6:14; 1 Chr. 4:1; 5:3. Descendants of, called Hezronites, Num. 26:6.

  • South

    [ebd] Heb. Negeb, that arid district to the south of Palestine through which lay the caravan route from Central Palestine to Egypt (Gen. 12:9; 13:1, 3; 46:1-6). "The Negeb comprised a considerable but irregularly-shaped tract of c...

  • Tola

    [ebd] a scarlet worm. (1.) Eldest son of Issachar (Gen. 46:13). (2.) A judge of the tribe of Issachar who "judged" Israel twenty-three years (Judg. 10:1, 2), when he died, and was buried in Shamir. He was succeeded by Jair.
    [isbe] TOLA - to'-la (tola`, "worm" or "scarlet stuff"): (1) One of the four sons of Issachar (Gen 46:13; 1 Ch 7:1), mentioned among those who journeyed to Egypt with Jacob (Gen 46:8 f), and in the census taken by Moses and Eleazar...
    [smith] The first-born of Issachar and ancestor of the Tolaiters. (Genesis 46:13; Numbers 26:23; 1 Chronicles 7:1,2) (B.C. about 1700.) Judge of Israel after Abimelech. (Judges 10:1,2) He is described as "the son of Puah the son ...
    [nave] TOLA 1. Son of Issachar, Gen. 46:13; Num. 26:23; 1 Chr. 7:1, 2. 2. A judge of Israel, Judg. 10:1, 2.

  • Gad

    [ebd] fortune; luck. (1.) Jacob's seventh son, by Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, and the brother of Asher (Gen. 30:11-13; 46:16, 18). In the Authorized Version of 30:11 the words, "A troop cometh: and she called," etc., should rather be...
    [smith] (a troop). Jacob?s seventh son, the first-born of Zilpah, Leah?s maid, and whole-brother to Asher. (Genesis 30;11-13; 46:16,18) (B.C. 1753-1740.) "The seer," or "the king?s seer," i.e. David?s (1 Chronicles 29:29; 2 Ch...
    [nave] GAD 1. Jacob's seventh son, Gen. 30:11; 35:26; Ex. 1:4. Children of, Gen. 46:16; Num. 26:15-18; 1 Chr. 5:11. Prophecy concerning, Gen. 49:19. 2. A tribe of Israel. Blessed by Moses, Deut. 33:20. Enumeration of, at Sinai,...

  • JACOB (1)

    [isbe] JACOB (1) - ja'-kub: I. NAME 1. Form and Distribution 2. Etymology and Associations II. HIS PLACE IN THE PATRIARCHAL SUCCESSION 1. As the Son of Isaac and Rebekah 2. As the Brother of Esau 3. As the Father of the Twelve III....

  • Reuben

    [ebd] behold a son!, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29:32). His sinful conduct, referred to in Gen. 35:22, brought down upon him his dying father's malediction (48:4). He showed kindness to Joseph, and was the means of sav...
    [isbe] REUBEN - roo'-ben, ru'-ben (re'ubhen; Rhouben): The eldest son of Jacob, born to him by Leah in Paddan-aram (Gen 29:32). 1. Jacob's Oldest Son: This verse seems to suggest two derivations of the name. As it stands in Massore...
    [smith] (behold a son), Jacob?s firstborn Child, (Genesis 29:32) the son of Leah. (B.C. 1753.) The notices of the patriarch Reuben give, on the whole a favorable view of his disposition. To him and him alone the preservation of Josep...
    [nave] REUBEN Son of Jacob, Gen. 29:32; 1 Chr. 2:1. Brings mandrakes to his mother, Gen. 30:14. Commits incest with one of his father's concubines, and, in consequence, forfeits the birthright, Gen. 35:22; 49:4; 1 Chr. 5:1. Adro...

  • Serah

    [ebd] abundance; princess, the daughter of Asher and grand-daughter of Jacob (Gen. 46:17); called also Sarah (Num. 26:46; R.V., "Serah").
    [isbe] SERAH - se'-ra (serach, "abundance"): Daughter of Asher (Gen 46:17; Nu 26:46, the King James Version "Sarah"; 1 Ch 7:30).
    [smith] the daughter of Asher, (Genesis 46:17; 1 Chronicles 7:30) called in (Numbers 26:46) SARAH. (B.C. about 1700.)
    [nave] SERAH, called also Sarah. Daughter of Asher, Gen. 46:17; Num. 26:46; 1 Chr. 7:30.

  • Merari

    [ebd] sad; bitter, the youngest son of Levi, born before the descent of Jacob into Egypt, and one of the seventy who accompanied him thither (Gen. 46:11; Ex. 6:16). He became the head of one of the great divisions of the Levites (...
    [isbe] MERARI - me-ra'-ri (merari, "bitter"; Mararei): (1) The 3rd son of Levi, his brothers, Gershon and Kohath, being always mentioned together with him (Gen 46:11; Ex 6:16 ff). He was among those 70 who went down to Egypt with J...
    [nave] MERARI Son of Levi, Gen. 46:11. Head of the Merarite Levites, Num. 3:17, 33-35. See: Levites.

  • Sered

    [ebd] fear, one of the sons of Zebulun (Gen. 46:14).
    [isbe] SERED - se'-red (ceredh): Son of Zebulun (Gen 46:14; Nu 26:26).
    [smith] (fear), the first-born of Zebulun. (Genesis 46:14; Numbers 26:26) about 1700.)
    [nave] SERED, son of Zebulun, Gen. 46:14; Num. 26:26.

  • Zebulun

    [ebd] dwelling, the sixth and youngest son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 30:20). Little is known of his personal history. He had three sons (46:14).
    [isbe] ZEBULUN - zeb'-u-lun (zebhulun, also written zebuwlun and zebuluwn; the first form occurs only in Jdg 1:30; the other two are frequent, and are used interchangeably; Zaboulon): In Gen 30:20 Leah exclaims, "God hath endowed m...
    [smith] (a habitation), the tenth of the sons of Jacob, according to the order in which their births are enumerated, the sixth and last of Leah. (Genesis 30:20; 35:23; 46:14; 1 Chronicles 2:1) His birth is mentioned in (Genesis 30...
    [nave] ZEBULUN 1. Son of Jacob and Leah, Gen. 30:20; 35:23; 46:14; 49:13; Ex. 1:3; 1 Chr. 2:1. Descendants of, Gen. 46:14; Num. 26:26, 27. Called also Zabulon. 2. Tribe of. Place of, in march and camp, Num. 2:3, 7; 10:14, 16. Te...

  • Carmi

    [ebd] vine-dresser. (1.) The last named of the four sons of Reuben (Gen. 46:9). (2.) A descendant of Judah (1 Chr. 4:1). He is elsewhere (2:18) called Caleb (q.v.). (3.) The son of Zimri, and the father of Achan (Josh. 7:1), "the ...
    [isbe] CARMI - kar'-mi (karmi, "fruitful," "noble"): (1) A son of Reuben who came to Egypt with Jacob (Gen 46:9; Ex 6:14; 1 Ch 5:3). Also the name of a family of which Carmi was the head (Nu 26:6). (2) A Judahite (1 Ch 2:7), son of...
    [smith] (vine dresser). The fourth son of Reuben, the progenitor of the family of the Carmites. (Genesis 46:9; Exodus 6:14; Numbers 26:6; 1 Chronicles 5:3) A man of the tribe of Judah, father of Achan, the "troubler of Israel." (...
    [nave] CARMI 1. Son of Reuben, Gen. 46:9; Ex. 6:14. 2. Son of Hezron, 1 Chr. 4:1. Called Chelubai, 1 Chr. 2:9, and Caleb, v. 18. 3. Father of Achan, Josh. 7:1, 18; 1 Chr. 2:7.

  • Becher

    [ebd] first-born; a youth, the second son of Benjamin (Gen. 46:21), who came down to Egypt with Jacob. It is probable that he married an Ephraimitish heiress, and that his descendants were consequently reckoned among the tribe of ...
    [isbe] BECHER - be'-ker (bekher, "the firstborn"; compare HPN, 88): (1) Son of Benjamin (Gen 46:21; 1 Ch 7:6,8). (2) Son of Ephraim whose family is called Becherites (the King James Version "Bachrites"), Nu 26:35 (1 Ch 7:20 called ...
    [smith] (young or firstborn) The second son of Benjamin, according to the list in both (Genesis 46:21) and 1Chr 7:6 But omitted in (1 Chronicles 8:1) (B.C. about 1690.) Son of Ephraim, (Numbers 26:35) called BERED in (1 Chroni...
    [nave] BECHER 1. Son of Benjamin, Gen. 46:21; 1 Chr. 7:6, 8. 2. Son of Ephraim, Num. 26:35. Called Bered, 1 Chr. 7:20.
more

Arts

Sermon Illustrations

Repeating Names; Luke 6:46-49

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The events recorded in Genesis stretch historically from Creation to Joseph's death, a period of at least 2500 years. The first part of the book (ch. 1-11) is not as easy to date precisely as the second part (ch. 12-50). The ...
  • Genesis provides the historical basis for the rest of the Bible and the Pentateuch, particularly the Abrahamic Covenant. Chapters 1-11 give historical background essential to understanding that covenant, and chapters 12-50 re...
  • The structure of Genesis is very clear. The phrase "the generations of"(toledotin Hebrew, from yaladmeaning "to bear, to generate") occurs ten times (really eleven times since 36:9 repeats 36:1), and in each case it introduce...
  • The Lord destroyed the corrupt, violent human race and deluged its world, but He used righteous Noah to preserve life and establish a new world after the Flood."Noah's experience presents decisively the author's assertion tha...
  • "The Babel account (11:1-9) is not the end of early Genesis. If it were, the story would conclude on the sad note of human failure. But as with earlier events in Genesis 1-11, God's grace once again supersedes human sin, insu...
  • One of the significant changes in the emphasis that occurs at this point in Genesis is from cursing in the primeval record to blessing in the patriarchal narratives. The Abrahamic Covenant is most important in this respect. H...
  • A major theme of the Pentateuch is the partial fulfillment of the promises to the patriarchs. The promises in Genesis 12:1-3 and 7 are the fountainhead from which the rest of the Pentateuch flows.397Walter Kaiser labeled the ...
  • "These verses are of fundamental importance for the theology of Genesis, for they serve to bind together the primeval history and the later patriarchal history and look beyond it to the subsequent history of the nation."414"W...
  • 12:1 This section begins with a wawdisjunctive in the Hebrew text translated "Now"in the NASB. It introduces an independent circumstantial clause (cf. 1:2). Probably the revelation in view happened in Ur. The NIV captures thi...
  • The second crisis Abram faced arose because of a famine in Canaan. Abram chose to sojourn in the Nile Valley until it was past. In this incident Abram tried to pass Sarai off as his sister because he feared for his life. By d...
  • Abram asked God to strengthen his faith. In response Yahweh promised to give the patriarch innumerable descendants. This led Abram to request some further assurance that God would indeed do what He promised. God graciously ob...
  • Abraham's purchase of a burial site in the Promised Land demonstrated his intention to remain in Canaan rather than going back to his native homeland. Since he was a sojourner in Canaan his friends probably expected him to bu...
  • A new toledotbegins with 25:19. Its theme is "the acquisition of the blessing and its development and protection by the Lord."625Moses set up the whole Jacob narrative in a chiastic structure that emphasizes the fulfillment o...
  • God formed Jacob's family, the ancestors of the tribes of Israel, as He had promised Jacob at Bethel. Unfortunately Jacob and his wives lived in envy and friction over how God chose to bless them."Jacob had planned to take Ra...
  • The structure of chapters 46 and 47 is also chiastic.887AGod appears to Jacob (46:1-4)BJacob journeys to Egypt (46:5-27)CJoseph meets Jacob (46:28-34)DJoseph's brothers meet Pharaoh (47:1-6)C'Jacob meets Pharaoh (47:7-10)B'Jo...
  • This section contains a list of the individuals in Jacob's family about the time he moved to Egypt. As in chapter 31, where he left Paddan-aram, this move was also difficult for Jacob. Moses recorded a total of 70 persons (v....
  • Jacob (Israel, the prince with God because of his faith) firmly believed God's promise to bring his descendants back into the Promised Land (cf. 46:4). Jacob's prophetic promise to Joseph (v. 22) is a play on words. The word ...
  • Jacob blessed all 12 of his sons and foretold what would become of each of them and their descendants. He disqualified Reuben, Simeon, and Levi from leadership and gave that blessing to Judah. He granted the double portion to...
  • Aalders, Gerhard Charles. Genesis. The Bible Student's Commentary series. 2 vols. Translated by William Heynen. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas...
  • 12:37-39 The record of Israel's sojourn in the wilderness really begins here.Rameses is probably the same city as Raamses, also called Avaris (v. 37; cf. 1:11). It was the city from which the Israelites left Egypt, and it lay...
  • Keil and Delitzsch pointed out that ancient Near Easterners offered certain offerings before God incorporated these into the Mosaic Law. Moses previously mentioned burnt offerings in Genesis 12:7; 13:4, 18; 22; 26:25; 33:20; ...
  • Tola (meaning "worm"in Hebrew) "arose to save Israel"from the tribe of Issachar sometime after Abimelech died. One of Issachar's sons was also named Tola (Gen. 46:13; Num. 26:23; 1 Chron. 7:1-2). The writer did not record how...
  • Far from being an unimportant postscript this genealogy helps us see one of the main purposes for which God gave us this book.Why does the genealogy start with Perez? Perez was the illegitimate son of Judah (1 Chron. 2:5) who...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • 105:7-11 God remembered His people (v. 7, cf. v. 42) so His people should remember Him (v. 5). God had been faithful to the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3, 7; 15:18-21; 22:15-18; 28:13-15). He made this covenant with Abraham...
  • This is a very brief condensation of a parable that Matthew recorded more fully. Matthew's interest in it connects with the mention of false teachers that occurs in the context of his account of the sermon. Luke simply lifted...
  • Stephen next proceeded to show what God had done with Joseph and his family. He selected this segment of the patriarchal narrative primarily for two reasons. First, it shows how God miraculously preserved His people in faithf...
  • 3:15-16 Paul now turned to the objection that when God gave the Law He terminated justification by faith alone. He reminded his readers, with a human analogy, that even wills and contracts made between human beings remained i...
  • The scene continues to be on earth.7:1 The phrase "after this"(Gr. meta touto) indicates that what follows is a new vision (cf. 4:1). The general chronological progression of the visions suggests that the events John saw now ...
Back to Commentary Page
Display Bible



Universal Search:

NET Only
Exact Search
Commentary
Study Dictionary
Word Study
Lexicon
Study Maps System
Sermon Illustrations
Expository
Arts
Resource
Daily Bible Reading
Training Video
Classic NET Bible
iPhone NET Bible
Mobile Bible
TIP #32: [ALL]
created in 0.07 seconds
powered by
bible.org - YLSA