Genesis 31:18

31:18 He took ¹  away all the livestock he had acquired in Paddan Aram and all his moveable property that he had accumulated. Then he set out toward the land of Canaan to return to his father Isaac. ² 

Genesis 46:34

46:34 Tell him, ‘Your servants have taken care of cattle ³  from our youth until now, both we and our fathers,’ so that you may live in the land of Goshen, ⁴  for everyone who takes care of sheep is disgusting ⁵  to the Egyptians.”

Genesis 47:6

47:6 The land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best region of the land. They may live in the land of Goshen. If you know of any highly capable men ⁶  among them, put them in charge ⁷  of my livestock.”

¹ tn Heb “drove,” but this is subject to misunderstanding in contemporary English.

² tn Heb “and he led away all his cattle and all his moveable property which he acquired, the cattle he obtained, which he acquired in Paddan Aram to go to Isaac his father to the land of Canaan.”

³ tn Heb “your servants are men of cattle.”

⁴ sn So that you may live in the land of Goshen. Joseph is apparently trying to stress to Pharaoh that his family is self-sufficient, that they will not be a drain on the economy of Egypt. But they will need land for their animals and so Goshen, located on the edge of Egypt, would be a suitable place for them to live. The settled Egyptians were uneasy with nomadic people, but if Jacob and his family settled in Goshen they would represent no threat.

⁵ tn Heb “is an abomination.” The Hebrew word תּוֹעֵבָה (to’evah, “abomination”) describes something that is loathsome or off-limits. For other practices the Egyptians considered disgusting, see Gen 43:32 and Exod 8:22.

⁵ tn Heb “men of skill.”

⁶ tn Heb “make them rulers.”