Genesis · Chapter 46

V. 1. And Israel came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac-He chose that place in remembrance of the communion which his father and grandfather had with God in that place. In his devotion 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. 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 the hopes he had of seeing him. 2. By way of petition for the presence of God with him in his intended journey. 3. By way of consultation. Jacob would not go on ‘till he had asked God’s leave.

Verse 1. And came to Beer-sheba] This place appears to be mentioned, not only because it was the way from Hebron, where Jacob resided, to Egypt, whither he was going, but because it was a consecrated place, a place where God had appeared to Abraham, Genesis 21:33, and to Isaac, Genesis 26:23, and where Jacob is encouraged to expect a manifestation of the same goodness: he chooses therefore to begin his journey with a visit to God’s house; and as he was going into a strange land, he feels it right to renew his covenant with God by sacrifice. There is an old proverb which applies strongly to this case: “Prayers and provender never hinder any man’s journey. He who would travel safely must take God with him.

Verse 1. Israel came to Beer-sheba — Which place he chose in remembrance of the communion which his father and grandfather had had with God in that place. And offered sacrifices — That is, extraordinary sacrifices, besides those he was wont to offer at stated times; and this he did, as well to express his gratitude for the preservation of Joseph’s life, and the many other blessings which he had received, as by way of supplication to God for his direction in this important affair, whether he might leave the promised land of Canaan, and remove into the idolatrous country of Egypt; and if so, for the divine protection and blessing to be vouchsafed toward himself and family, both in his journey and in Egypt. Unto the God of his father Isaac — Whom Isaac had honoured and served, and who had constantly provided for and confirmed his covenant with him. He mentions Isaac rather than Abraham, to show that though Isaac was much inferior to Abraham in gifts and grace, yet God was no less Isaac’s than Abraham’s God, and therefore would be his God also, notwithstanding his unworthiness.

THE JOURNEY TO EGYPT, 1-7.

“Here begins a new stage in the history of the covenant people. The chosen family is to be developed into a chosen nation. A permanent religious state, a great divinely organized commonwealth, with institutions fixed for ages, is to be evolved from the patriarchal nomadism, in order that all nations may be blessed in the seed of Abraham. The sublime revelations and spiritual experiences which distinguished the great patriarchs from all other men were not to vanish with them from the world, but were to be embodied in institutions, in a literature, in a national consciousness, which were to be immortal as the race itself. For more than two centuries Abraham and his children had walked and talked with Jehovah as they moved from one pasture to another between Sychem and Beer-sheba. Amid the hostile and idolatrous Canaanitish tribes there was no opportunity for leisurely national growth, while they were in constant danger of absorption; but in the Egyptian sojourn they had the contact with the world’s highest civilization, which gave culture, and yet the isolation and antagonism which saved their religion and their national life from extinction. Egypt’s fat soil made Israel teem with fruitful generations even under oppression; and her wisdom, art, social and religious institutions, deeply tinged the national character, and even shaped some of the religious rites of Israel. Jacob knew that this period of Egyptian sojourn was to come, for it had been predicted to Abraham, (Genesis 15:13-15,) and so he recognised now the call of Providence. The rhetoric rises in tone at the opening of this chapter, as if the writer felt the inspiration of this crisis.” — Newhall.

1. Israel took his journey — “The writer uses here, at the opening, the covenant name, from the sense of the national significance of this journey; yet afterward directs his attention to the personal experiences and movements of Jacob. He came down from Hebron to Beer-sheba, the camping place by the wells in the edge of the desert, where Abraham had called on JEHOVAH, the EVERLASTING GOD; and where Isaac his father had sojourned so long; and here, amid the scenes of his childhood, looking down upon the desert, which like a sea separated his new home and new life from the old, he offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac, who there had first taught him the name of that God.” — Newhall.

V. 2. And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night-(Probably the next night after he had offered his sacrifices.) 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 his name, by his old name, Jacob, Jacob, to mind him of his low estate. Jacob, like one well acquainted with the visions of the Almighty, answers, Here am I-Ready to receive orders. And what has God to say to him?

Verse 2. God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night — Probably the next night after he had offered his sacrifices. 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.

Verse 2. In the visions of the night. It was a practice of the ancient Romans to undertake nothing of importance without consulting the gods, a practice derived no doubt from the holy patriarchs. Jacob had offered sacrifice, but God did not choose to speak to him till the silence of night had closed the eyes of men.

2. God spake unto Israel — “Jacob thought himself led by the hand of Providence, yet we may imagine him oppressed by sadness as he turns his back upon the land of promise — the land of his childhood and manhood, the land where were the graves of Abraham, and Isaac, and of his beloved Rachel — and sets his face towards the dreary desert. Is it thus that God is to make Canaan his inheritance? But in his trial God appears to him, as he did to Abraham in a similar crisis, (Genesis 15:1,) and to Isaac, when the same doubt oppressed him, (Genesis 25:24,) and the same cheering words come to Jacob that came to them.” — Newhall.

V. 3. I am God, the God of thy father-That is, I am what thou ownest me to be: thou shalt find me a God of divine wisdom and power engaged for thee: and thou shalt find me the God of thy father, true to the covenant made with him.

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 difficulties in it.

1. He was old, 130 years old; it was a long journey, and he was unfit to travel.

2. He feared lest his sons should be tainted with the idolatry of Egypt, and forget the God of their fathers.

3. Probably he thought of what God had said to Abraham concerning the bondage and affliction of his seed.

Verse 3. Fear not to go down into Egypt] It appears that there had been some doubts in the patriarch’s mind relative to the propriety of this journey; he found, from the confession of his own sons, how little they were to be trusted. But every doubt is dispelled by this Divine manifestation. 1. He may go down confidently, no evil shall befall him. 2. Even in Egypt the covenant shall be fulfilled, God will make of him there a great nation. 3. God himself will accompany him on his journey, be with him in the strange land, and even bring back his bones to rest with those of his fathers. 4. He shall see Joseph, and this same beloved son shall be with him in his last hours, and do the last kind office for him. Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. It is not likely that Jacob would have at all attempted to go down to Egypt, had he not received these assurances from God; and it is very likely that he offered his sacrifice merely to obtain this information. It was now a time of famine in Egypt, and God had forbidden his father Isaac to go down to Egypt when there was a famine there, Genesis 26:1-3; besides, he may have had some general intimation of the prophecy delivered to his grandfather Abraham, that his seed should be afflicted in Egypt, Genesis 15:13,14; and he also knew that Canaan, not Egypt, was to be the inheritance of his family, Genesis 12:1, 6, 7, &c. On all these accounts it was necessary to have the most explicit directions from God, before he should take such a journey.

Verse 3. I am God, the God of thy father — True to the covenant made with him. 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 difficulties in 2:1st, He was one hundred and thirty years old; it was a long journey, and he was unfit to travel. 2d, He feared lest his sons should be tainted with the idolatry of Egypt, and forget the God of their fathers. 3d, Probably he thought of what God had said to Abraham concerning the bondage and affliction of his seed. 4th, 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. Fear not to go down into Egypt — Abraham’s danger and

complications with Pharaoh, (Genesis 12:15-20,) and the prohibition against Isaac going there, (Genesis 26:2,) may have made Jacob loath to go down into that land of idolatry and superstition. Hence some special divine encouragement was needed.

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.

V. 4. I will go down with thee into Egypt-Those that go where God sends them shall certainly have God with them.

And I will surely bring thee up again-Tho’ Jacob died in Egypt, yet this promise was fulfilled,

1. In the bringing up of his body to be buried in Canaan.

2. In the bringing up of his seed to be settled in Canaan. Whatever low and darksome valley we are called into, we may be confident if God go down with us, he will surely bring us up again. If he go with us down to death, he will surely bring us up again to glory. And Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes-That 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. Probably Jacob, in the multitude of his thoughts within him, had been wishing that Joseph might do this last office of love for him; 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.

Verse 4. I will go down with thee into Egypt — Those that go where God sends them shall certainly have God with them. And I will surely bring thee up again — Though Jacob died in Egypt, yet this promise was fulfilled. 1st, In the bringing up of his body to be buried in Canaan. 2d, In the bringing up of his seed to be settled in Canaan. Whatever low and darksome valley we are called into, we may be confident, if God go down with us, he will surely bring us up again. If he go with us down to death, he will surely bring us up again to glory. And 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. Probably Jacob, in the multitude of his thoughts within him, had been wishing that Joseph might do this last office of love for him; 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.

4. I will go down with thee into Egypt — And if God be with us, who can be against us? And I will also surely bring thee up — “Wonderfully worded promise! Personally, he was then bidding those scenes an everlasting farewell; but in the mediatorial nation which was to spring from him, and with which, as heir of God’s covenant, he was identified, he would return again. In this hope, by faith, he was to be glad though he die in Egypt, for it is added immediately, Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes, to close them in death; the last sad duty of love. Ancient writers of other nations frequently make pathetic allusion to this last ministration of affection. (Compare Homer’s Iliad, 11:453; Odyssey, 11:426; 24:296; Ovid, Heroides, 1:102, etc.”) — Newhall.

5. In the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him — “Instead of transporting them upon camels and asses, as was usual in Palestine. The use of the Egyptian wagons, and the fact that they were sent by Pharaoh himself, evidently made a deep impression, and is emphasized by the writer. See note on Genesis 14:27. On the direct route from Hebron to Beer-sheba the hills are too steep and sharp, and the surface is too rocky, to allow of travel on wheeled vehicles. Artificial wagon roads have never been constructed through that country. But wheels could pass from Beer-sheba east of the direct route, through the great Wady el-Khulil, and thence through the valleys to Hebron. (Robinson, 1:215.)” — Newhall.

6. Came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed — At first summarily expressed, yet afterwards (verses 8-27) details are given. THE MUSTER-ROLL OF ISRAEL, 8-27.

“There is a painstaking minuteness in the dates and statistics of this history, which stands in wonderful contrast with the round numbers and vague statements of mythical narratives. The numerical and statistical difficulties so much dwelt on by Colenso and others, mostly arise from an ignorant or perverse misapprehension of the antique style of the author, which must present real difficulties even to candour and learning. This list of names is not a full census of the whole family of Israel, since none of the wives are mentioned anywhere; nor of Israel’s descendants, since only two female descendants occur in it; nor is it intended to give simply all the grandsons of Jacob who were born in Canaan, for, as his sons migrated in the prime of life, it is wholly improbable that no children were born to them in Egypt, where it is said that Israel was ‘fruitful and increased abundantly;’ while the list of Numbers xxvi, gives us no new names. This is simply a list of the heads of tribes, and of the grandsons and great-grandsons who became heads of independent tribal families, whether born in Canaan or in Egypt. Five of the grandsons here mentioned are missing from the list in Numbers, probably because their families became extinct; two of the grandsons of this list appear there as great-grandsons, an unimportant variation, when it is seen that they appear only as heads of families, and not in their personal relation; while the two women had some special historical importance — Dinah, as Jacob’s daughter who was connected with the slaughter of the Shechemites, (Genesis 34,) although he may have had other daughters, (verse 9,) and Sarah, or Serah, daughter of Asher, as historically conspicuous alone among all the granddaughters, for reasons that are unrecorded. Only the two sons of Joseph who became heads of tribes are mentioned, although he probably had other children. Genesis 48:5, 6. The sacred number seventy was thus made up from sixty-seven male descendants, who were heads of tribes and of tribal families, two female descendants, and Jacob himself. The author groups them in four lists: thirty-two descendants of Leah, to whom he adds Jacob himself, without mentioning it, (although implied in the expression of verse 8, ‘Jacob and his sons,’) making thirty-three; fourteen descendants of Rachel; sixteen of Zilpah; and seven of Bilhah — making seventy in all. They are again grouped as sixty-six of the Canaan family, three of the Egyptian, and Jacob himself. Verses 26, 27. Yet inattention to the Hebrew idiom will lead the careless or captious reader to suspect discrepancies in the narrative, as when it is said (verse 27) that ‘all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt,’ were threescore and ten, although Joseph and his two sons had just been mentioned as necessary to complete the number. See the same statement in Deuteronomy 10:22. Also it is said in verse 15, ‘all the souls of his sons and his daughters,’ although only one daughter is mentioned, and Jacob himself must be included with the descendants of Leah to make the number thirty-three. So it is no discrepancy when it is made probable from the ages of Joseph and Benjamin, that some of their sons were born after the descent into Egypt. St. Stephen, following the Septuagint Old Testament, calls the number seventy-five, which number the Septuagint makes up by reckoning in five other heads of families not mentioned in the Hebrew.” — Newhall. A comparison of this family record of Jacob and his sons with that of the census in the time of Moses (Numbers 26) will help illustrate the peculiarities of Hebrew genealogies. For the convenience of the reader, we present these lists in parallel columns, and also select from the genealogies of 1 Chronicles 2-8 the corresponding names, so far as they appear there. For convenience of reference, we have placed the corresponding names opposite each other, but the student will note the different order in which the names stand in the different lists as they appear in the several chapters.

V. 7. All his seed-‘Tis probable they 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, tho’ 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 which are afterwards mentioned, as heads of houses in the several tribes. See Numbers 26:5, &c. Issachar called his eldest son Tola, which signifies a worm, probably because when he was born he was a little weak child, not likely to live, and yet there sprang from him a very numerous off-spring, 1 Chronicles 7:2. The whole number that went down into Egypt were sixty-six, 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. ‘Twas now 215 years since God had promised Abraham to make of him a great nation, Genesis 12:2, and yet that branch of his seed, on which the promise was entailed, was as yet increased but 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 be the more illustrious. When he pleases, A little one shall become a thousand.

Verse 7. All his seed brought he with him into Egypt.] When Jacob went down into Egypt he was in the one hundred and thirtieth year of his age, two hundred and fifteen years after the promise was made to Abraham, Genesis 12:1-4, in the year of the world 2298, and before Christ 1706.

Verse 7. All his seed — It is probable they 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 afterward mentioned as heads of houses in the several tribes. See Numbers 26:5, &c, The daughters mentioned seem to have been daughters-in-law. The whole number that went down into Egypt were sixty-six, 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. It was now two hundred and fifteen years since God had promised Abraham to make of him a great nation, Genesis 41:2; and yet that branch of his seed, on which the promise was entailed, was as yet increased but 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 be more illustrious. When he pleases, a little one shall become a thousand.

THE JOURNEY TO EGYPT, 1-7.

“Here begins a new stage in the history of the covenant people. The chosen family is to be developed into a chosen nation. A permanent religious state, a great divinely organized commonwealth, with institutions fixed for ages, is to be evolved from the patriarchal nomadism, in order that all nations may be blessed in the seed of Abraham. The sublime revelations and spiritual experiences which distinguished the great patriarchs from all other men were not to vanish with them from the world, but were to be embodied in institutions, in a literature, in a national consciousness, which were to be immortal as the race itself. For more than two centuries Abraham and his children had walked and talked with Jehovah as they moved from one pasture to another between Sychem and Beer-sheba. Amid the hostile and idolatrous Canaanitish tribes there was no opportunity for leisurely national growth, while they were in constant danger of absorption; but in the Egyptian sojourn they had the contact with the world’s highest civilization, which gave culture, and yet the isolation and antagonism which saved their religion and their national life from extinction. Egypt’s fat soil made Israel teem with fruitful generations even under oppression; and her wisdom, art, social and religious institutions, deeply tinged the national character, and even shaped some of the religious rites of Israel. Jacob knew that this period of Egyptian sojourn was to come, for it had been predicted to Abraham, (Genesis 15:13-15,) and so he recognised now the call of Providence. The rhetoric rises in tone at the opening of this chapter, as if the writer felt the inspiration of this crisis.” — Newhall.

1. Israel took his journey — “The writer uses here, at the opening, the covenant name, from the sense of the national significance of this journey; yet afterward directs his attention to the personal experiences and movements of Jacob. He came down from Hebron to Beer-sheba, the camping place by the wells in the edge of the desert, where Abraham had called on JEHOVAH, the EVERLASTING GOD; and where Isaac his father had sojourned so long; and here, amid the scenes of his childhood, looking down upon the desert, which like a sea separated his new home and new life from the old, he offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac, who there had first taught him the name of that God.” — Newhall.

Verse 8. These are the names of the children of Israel] It may be necessary to observe here, First, that several of these names are expressed differently elsewhere, Jemuel for Nemuel, Jachin for Jarib, Gershon for Gershom, &c.; compare Numbers 26:12; 1 Chronicles 4:24. But it is no uncommon case for the same person to have different names, or the same name to be differently pronounced; See Clarke on “Genesis 25:18”. Secondly, that it is probable that some names in this list are brought in by prolepsis or anticipation, as the persons were born (probably) during the seventeen years which Jacob sojourned in Egypt, see Genesis 46:12. Thirdly, that the families of some are entered more at large than others because of their peculiar respectability, as in the case of Judah, Joseph, and Benjamin; but see the tables under verse 20. See Clarke at “Genesis 46:20”.

Ver. 8. These are the names. This chronology, like most of the others, has its difficulties, when compared with Numbers 26. and 1 Chronicles. The orthography is slightly varied.

Ver. 10. Ohad. He is omitted in the other chronologies, having died without sons.

Verse 12. The sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul.] It is not likely that Pharez was more than ten years of age when he came into Egypt, and if so he could not have had children; therefore it is necessary to consider Hezron and Hamul as being born during the seventeen years that Jacob sojourned in Egypt, See Clarke on “Genesis 46:8”: and it appears necessary, for several reasons, to take these seventeen years into the account, as it is very probable that what is called the going down into Egypt includes the seventeen years which Jacob spent there.

12. Hezron and Hamul — The probable reason for reckoning these among the seventy (verse 27) was, that they were adopted by Judah in place of the deceased Er and Onan, who died in the land of Canaan. This appears from the fact that in the later registers (Numbers xxvi and 1 Chronicles ii) they appear as permanent heads of families in Judah. Heber and Malchiel, grandsons of Asher, (verse 17,) are also reckoned among the seventy, and probably for the reason that they were born before the migration into Egypt. They also appear in the later lists as heads of families in Israel.

Verse 20. Unto Joseph-were born Manasseh and Ephraim] There is a remarkable addition here in the Septuagint, which must be noticed: egenonto de uioi manassh, ous eteken autw h pallakh h sura, ton macir\ macir de egennhse ton galaad. uioi de efraim adelfon manassh, soutalaam kai taam. uioi de soutalaam, edem\ These were the sons of Manasseh whom his Syrian concubine bore unto him: Machir; and Machir begat Galaad. The sons of Ephraim, Manasseh’s brother, were Sutalaam and Taam; and the sons of Sutalaam, Edem. These add five persons to the list, and make out the number given by Stephen, Acts 7:14, which it seems he had taken from the text of the Septuagint, unless we could suppose that the text of Stephen had been altered to make it correspond to the Septuagint, of which there is not the slightest evidence from ancient MSS. or versions. The addition in the Septuagint is not found in either the Hebrew or the Samaritan at present; and some suppose that it was taken either from Numbers 26:29,35, or 1 Chronicles 7:14-20, but in none of these places does the addition appear as it stands in the Septuagint, thought some of the names are found interspersed. Various means have been proposed to find the seventy persons in the text, and to reconcile the Hebrew with the Septuagint and the New Testament.

A table given by Scheuchzer, extracted from the Memoires de Trevoux, gives the following general view:

The twelve sons of JACOB with their children and grandchildren. Reuben and his four sons — 5

Simeon and his six sons — 7

Levi and his three sons — 4

Judah and his seven sons and grandsons — 8

Issachar and his four sons — 5

Zebulun and his three sons — 4

Total sons of JACOB and LEAH — 33

Gad and his seven sons — 8

Asher and his seven sons and grandsons — 8

Total sons of JACOB and ZILPAH — 16

Joseph and his two sons — 3

Benjamin and his ten sons — 11

Total sons of JACOB and RACHEL — 14

Dan and his son — 2

Naphtali and his four sons — 5

Total sons of JACOB and BILHAH — 7

Total sons of Jacob and his four wives — 70

“To harmonize this with the Septuagint and St. Stephen, Acts 7:14, to the number sixty-six (all the souls that came out of Jacob’s loins, Genesis 46:26) add nine of the patriarchs’ wives, Judah’s wife being already dead in Canaan, (Genesis 38:12,) Benjamin being supposed to be as yet unmarried, and the wife of Joseph being already in Egypt, and therefore out of the case: the number will amount to seventy-five, which is that found in the Acts.”-Universal History.

Dr. Hales’ method is more simple, and I think more satisfactory: “Moses states that all the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt which issued from his loins, (except his sons wives,) were sixty-six souls, Genesis 46:26; and this number is thus collected:— JACOB’S children, eleven sons and one daughter — 12

Reuben’s sons — 4

Simeon’s sons — 6

Levi’s sons — 3

Judah’s three sons and two grandsons — 5

Issachar’s sons — 4

Zebulun’s sons — 3

Gad’s sons — 7

Asher’s four sons, one daughter, and two grandsons 7 Dan’s son — 1

Naphtali’s sons — 4

Benjamin’s sons — 10

——

—66

“If to these sixty-six children, and grandchildren, and great grandchildren, we add Jacob himself, Joseph and his two sons, the amount is seventy, the whole amount of Jacob’s family which settled in Egypt.

“In this statement the wives of Jacob’s sons, who formed part of the household, are omitted; but they amounted to nine, for of the twelve wives of the twelve sons of Jacob, Judah’s wife was dead, Genesis 38:12, and Simeon’s also, as we may collect from his youngest son Shaul by a Canannitess, Genesis 46:10, and Joseph’s wife was already in Egypt. These nine wives, therefore, added to the sixty-six, give seventy-five souls the whole amount of Jacob’s household that went down with him to Egypt; critically corresponding with the statement in the New Testament, that ‘Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his kindred, amounting to seventy-five souls.’ The expression all his kindred, including the wives which were Joseph’s kindred, not only by affinity, but also by consanguinity, being probably of the families of Esau, Ishmael, or Keturah. Thus does the New Testament furnish an admirable comment on the Old.”-Analysis, vol. ii., p. 159.

It is necessary to observe that this statement, which appears on the whole the most consistent, supposes that Judah was married when about fourteen years of age, his son Er at the same age, Pharez at the same, Asher and his fourth son Beriah under twenty, Benjamin about fifteen, and Joseph’s sons and grandsons about twenty. But this is not improbable, as the children of Israel must all have married at a very early age, to have produced in about two hundred and fifteen years no less than six hundred thousand persons above twenty years old, besides women and children.

21. Naaman… Ard — In Numbers 26:40, these appear as sons of Bela. The most probable explanation of this discrepancy is, the Naaman and Ard here mentioned as sons of Benjamin died in Egypt without issue, and two of their brother Bela’s sons were named after them and substituted in their place, according to levirate law, to perpetuate intact the families of Benjamin.

Ver. 27. Three score and ten. Jacob and Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, not being here named, make the seventy souls. The Septuagint has an addition of five sons of Joseph, by a Syrian concubine; viz. Machir, and Machir begat Gilead. The sons of Ephraim, Manasseh’s brother; Sutalaam and Taam, and the sons of Sutalaam and Edom. This is allowed to be an interpolation; yet it is cited by Stephen, Acts 7., which makes the number of the males seventy five. The sons of Joseph were not born when Jacob went into Egypt. In these seventy males, the increase of Jacob, in about seventy years, we see a rising pledge of the Divine fidelity to the promises made to Abraham, and renewed to Jacob at Bethel, when he fled from Esau with only a staff in his hand.

27. All the souls… threescore and ten — It accorded with Hebrew spirit and custom to so frame a register of honoured names as to have them sum up a definite and significant number. So Matthew’s genealogy of our Lord is arranged into three groups of fourteen names each, (Matthew 1:17,) and yet this could be done only by omitting several important names. The compiler of this list of Jacob’s sons might, by another process equally correct, have made it number sixty-nine by omitting Jacob himself, or a lesser number by omitting some of the grandchildren, or have made it exceed seventy by adding the names of Jacob’s wives: he purposely arranged it so as to make it number seventy souls. The descendants of Noah, as registered in chap. 10, amount to seventy. The seventy elders of Israel (Numbers 11:16) and the seventy disciples chosen by Jesus (Luke 10:1) show a peculiar regard for this mystic number. It is not improbable that the arrangement of genealogical lists was made up to round numbers, and, where possible, to a sacred number, that the whole might be the more easily and correctly transmitted by oral tradition.

Verse 28. He sent Judah before him unto Joseph] Judah was certainly a man of sense, and also an eloquent man; and of him Joseph must have had a very favourable opinion from the speech he delivered before him, Genesis 44:18, &c.; he was therefore chosen as the most proper person to go before and announce Jacob’s arrival to his son Joseph. To direct his face unto Goshen] The land of Goshen is the same, according to the Septuagint, as the land of Rameses, and Goshen itself the same as Heroopolis, ‘hrwwn poliv Heroonpolis, the city of heroes, a name by which it went in the days of the Septuagint, and which it still retained in the time of Josephus, for he makes use of the same term in speaking of this place. See Clarke on “Genesis 46:34”.

Verses 28-30. Direct his face unto Goshen — Which was near the entrance of Egypt. The meaning seems to be, to give Joseph notice of his approach, that he might come to Goshen to meet him. Now let me die — Not but that it was desirable to live with Joseph, and to see his honour and usefulness; but he had so much satisfaction in this first meeting, that he thought it too much to desire or expect any more in this world.

ISRAEL IN EGYPT, 28-34.

28. And he sent Judah before him — “Judah appears as a leader among his brethren, having taken the responsibility for the return of Benjamin, and having conducted the negotiation with Joseph (chap. xliv) with such pathetic eloquence as to bring matters at once to a crisis, and compel Joseph to throw off his disguise.” — Newhall.

Verse 29. And Joseph made ready his chariot] wtbkrm mercabto. In Genesis 41:43, we have the first mention of a chariot, and if the translation be correct, it is a proof that the arts were not in a rude state in Egypt even at this early time. When we find wagons used to transport goods from place to place, we need not wonder that these suggested the idea of forming chariots for carrying persons, and especially those of high rank and authority. Necessity produces arts, and arts and science produce not only an increase of the conveniences but also of the refinements and luxuries of life. It has been supposed that a chariot is not intended here; for as the word hbkrm mercabah, which we and most of the ancient versions translate chariot, comes from bkr rachab, he rode, saddling his horse may be all that is intended. But it is more likely to signify a chariot, as the verb rsa asar, which signifies to bind, tie, or yoke, is used; and not vbj chabash, which signifies to saddle.

Fell on his neck] See Genesis 45:14.

Verses 28-30. Direct his face unto Goshen — Which was near the entrance of Egypt. The meaning seems to be, to give Joseph notice of his approach, that he might come to Goshen to meet him. Now let me die — Not but that it was desirable to live with Joseph, and to see his honour and usefulness; but he had so much satisfaction in this first meeting, that he thought it too much to desire or expect any more in this world.

Ver. 29. To Goshen; that is, to Heriopolis, in the land Rameses, which seems to be the Greek name for Goshen.

ISRAEL IN EGYPT, 28-34.

28. And he sent Judah before him — “Judah appears as a leader among his brethren, having taken the responsibility for the return of Benjamin, and having conducted the negotiation with Joseph (chap. xliv) with such pathetic eloquence as to bring matters at once to a crisis, and compel Joseph to throw off his disguise.” — Newhall.

V. 30. Now let me die-Not but that it was farther desirable to live with Joseph, and to see his honour and usefulness; but he had so much satisfaction in this first meeting, that he thought it too much to desire or expect any more in this world.

Verse 30. Now let me die, since I have seen thy face] Perhaps old Simeon had this place in view when, seeing the salvation of Israel, he said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, &c., Luke 2:29.

Verses 28-30. Direct his face unto Goshen — Which was near the entrance of Egypt. The meaning seems to be, to give Joseph notice of his approach, that he might come to Goshen to meet him. Now let me die — Not but that it was desirable to live with Joseph, and to see his honour and usefulness; but he had so much satisfaction in this first meeting, that he thought it too much to desire or expect any more in this world.

ISRAEL IN EGYPT, 28-34.

28. And he sent Judah before him — “Judah appears as a leader among his brethren, having taken the responsibility for the return of Benjamin, and having conducted the negotiation with Joseph (chap. xliv) with such pathetic eloquence as to bring matters at once to a crisis, and compel Joseph to throw off his disguise.” — Newhall.

ISRAEL IN EGYPT, 28-34.

28. And he sent Judah before him — “Judah appears as a leader among his brethren, having taken the responsibility for the return of Benjamin, and having conducted the negotiation with Joseph (chap. xliv) with such pathetic eloquence as to bring matters at once to a crisis, and compel Joseph to throw off his disguise.” — Newhall.

32. The men are shepherds — “In spite of the fact that shepherds were ‘an abomination to the Egyptians,’ Joseph introduces his brethren as shepherds; yea, for that reason he does so. This fact would secure them the isolation demanded by their providential mission. Compare the note at the beginning of this chapter, and see note on Genesis 47:3.” — Newhall.

ISRAEL IN EGYPT, 28-34.

28. And he sent Judah before him — “Judah appears as a leader among his brethren, having taken the responsibility for the return of Benjamin, and having conducted the negotiation with Joseph (chap. xliv) with such pathetic eloquence as to bring matters at once to a crisis, and compel Joseph to throw off his disguise.” — Newhall.

Verse 34. Thy servants trade hath been about cattle] “The land of Goshen, called also the land of Rameses, lay east of the Nile, by which it was never overflowed, and was bounded by the mountains of the Thebaid on the south, by the Nile and Mediterranean on the west and north, and by the Red Sea and desert of Arabia on the east. It was the Heliopolitan nome or district, and its capital was called ON. Its proper name was Geshen, the country of grass or pasturage, or of the shepherds, in opposition to the rest of the land which was sown after having been overflowed by the Nile.” -Bruce. As this land was both fruitful and pleasant, Joseph wished to fix his family in that part of Egypt; hence he advises them to tell Pharaoh that their trade had been in cattle from their youth: and because every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians, hence he concluded that there would be less difficulty to get them quiet settlement in Goshen, as they would then be separated from the Egyptians, and consequently have the free use of all their religious customs. This scheme succeeded, and the consequence was the preservation both of their religion and their lives, though some of their posterity did afterwards corrupt themselves; see Ezekiel 20:8; Amos 5:26. As it is well known that the Egyptians had cattle and flocks themselves, and that Pharaoh even requested that some of Joseph’s brethren should be made rulers over his cattle, how could it be said, as in Genesis 46:34, Every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians? Three reasons may be assigned for this: 1. Shepherds and feeders of cattle were usually a sort of lawless, free-booting banditti, frequently making inroads on villages, &c., carrying off cattle, and whatever spoils they could find. This might probably have been the case formerly, for it is well known it has often been the case since. On this account such persons must have been universally detested. 2. They must have abhorred shepherds if Manetho’s account of the hycsos or king-shepherds can be credited. Hordes of marauders under this name, from Arabia, Syria, and Ethiopia, (whose chief occupation, like the Bedouin Arabs of the present day, was to keep flocks,) made a powerful irruption into Egypt, which they subdued and ruled with great tyranny for 259 years. Now, though they had been expelled from that land some considerable time before this, yet their name, and all persons of a similar occupation, were execrated by the Egyptians, on account of the depredations and long-continued ravages they had committed in the country. 3. The last and probably the best reason why the Egyptians abhorred such shepherds as the Israelites were, was, they sacrificed those very animals, the ox particularly, and the SHEEP, which the Egyptians held sacred. Hence the Roman historian Tacitus, speaking of the Jews, says: “Caeso ARIETE velut in contumelia AMMONIS; Bos quoque immolatur, quem Ægyptii APIM colunt.” “They sacrifice the ram in order to insult Jupiter Ammon, and they sacrifice the ox, which the Egyptians worship under the name of Apis.” Though some contend that this idolatry was not as yet established in Egypt, and that the king-shepherds were either after the time of Joseph, or that Manetho by them intends the Israelites themselves; yet, as the arguments by which these conjectures are supported are not sufficient to overthrow those which are brought for the support of the contrary opinions, and as there was evidently an established religion and priesthood in Egypt before Joseph’s time, (for we find the priests had a certain portion of the land of Egypt which was held so sacred that Joseph did not attempt to buy it in the time of the famine, when he bought all the land which belonged to the people, Genesis 47:20-22,) and as that established priesthood was in all likelihood idolatrous, and as the worship of Apis under the form of an ox was one of the most ancient forms of worship in Egypt, we may rest tolerably certain that it was chiefly on this account that the shepherds, or those who fed on and sacrificed these objects of their worship, were an abomination to the Egyptians. Calmet has entered into this subject at large, and to his notes I must refer those readers who wish for farther information. See Clarke on “Genesis 43:32”.

ON the principal subject of this chapter, the going down of Jacob and his family into Egypt, Bishop Warburton, in his Divine Legation of Moses, makes the following judicious refections: “The promise God made to Abraham, to give his posterity the land of Canaan, could not be performed till that family was grown strong enough to take and keep possession of it. In the meantime, therefore, they were necessitated to reside among idolaters, and to reside unmixed; but whoever examines their history will see that the Israelites had ever a violent propensity to join themselves to Gentile nations, and practise their manners. God therefore, in his infinite wisdom, brought them into Egypt, and kept them there during this period, the only place where they could remain for so long a time safe and unconfounded with the natives, the ancient Egyptians being by numerous institutions forbidden all fellowship with strangers, and bearing besides a particular aversion to the profession of the Israelites, who were shepherds. Thus the natural dispositions of the Israelites, which in Egypt occasioned their superstitions, and in consequence the necessity of a burdensome ritual, would in any other country have absorbed them into Gentilism, and confounded them with idolaters. From the Israelites going into Egypt arises a new occasion to adore the footsteps of Eternal Wisdom in his dispensations to his chosen people.”

GENESIS

Verse 34. That ye may dwell in the land of Goshen — In this choice, Joseph showed both his prudence and his piety. As he was not ashamed to own himself the brother of shepherds, although they were contemptible among the Egyptians; so he does not seek to advance them higher, which he certainly might have done, but continues them in their employment. And by placing them in Goshen, 1st, He kept them together, which was very much for their convenience in many respects. 2d, He secured them against envy, and, as far as was in his power, from the corruption of their religion and manners which probably would have taken place, had they mixed with the Egyptians. Every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians — Probably because they killed, eat, and offered in sacrifice, those animals which the Egyptians adored. Hence these animal sacrifices are said to be an abomination to the Egyptian. Another probable reason also has been assigned for this, namely, that some Phœnician shepherds had lately made an irruption into Egypt, and had committed great cruelties and depredations, burning divers cities and temples, and barbarously murdering a multitude of people. It is no wonder, therefore, that the employment of shepherds was out of credit with the Egyptians, and odious in their eyes.

Ver. 34. Every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians, as noted in Genesis 43:32.

34. Land of Goshen — Concerning its admirable adaptation to the Israelitish colony, see note on Genesis 47:6.