Genesis 46:7 T 51
6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five
years t here will be no plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me a
head of you
to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great de
liverance. a
8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father
to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all E
gypt. 9 Now hurry
back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has
made me lord of all E
gypt. Come down to me; d
on’t delay. 10 You shall live in
the region of Goshen and be near me — you, your children and grandchildren,
your flocks and h
erds, and all you have. 11 I will provide for you t here, because
five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and
all who belong to you will become destitute.’
12 “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is
really I who am speaking to you. 13 Tell my father a
bout all the honor accorded
me in E
gypt and a
bout everything you have seen. And b
ring my father down
here quickly.”
14 Then he t hrew his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Ben
jamin embraced him, weeping. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept over
them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.
16 When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had
come, Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased. 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph,
“Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and return to the land of Ca
naan, 18 and b
ring your father and your fami l ies back to me. I will give you the
best of the land of Egypt and you can enjoy the fat of the land.’
19 “You are also directed to tell them, ‘Do this: Take some c arts from E
gypt
for your children and your wives, and get your father and come. 20 Never mind
about your belongings, because the best of all E
gypt will be yours.’ ”
21 So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had
commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey. 22 To each of
them he gave new clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels b
of silver and five sets of c lothes. 23 And this is what he sent to his father: ten
donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys load
ed with g
rain and bread and other provisions for his journey. 24 Then he sent
his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel
on the way!”
25 So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land
of Canaan. 26 They told him, “Joseph is s till a
live! In fact, he is ruler of all
Egypt.” Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them. 27 But when they told
him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph
had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28 And
Israel said, “I’m convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him
before I die.”
Jacob Goes to Egypt
46
So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba,
he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
2 And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
3 “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to
Egypt, for I will make you into a g
reat nation there. 4 I will go down to E
gypt
with you, and I will surely b
ring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will
close your eyes.”
5 Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel’s sons took their father Jacob and
their children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport
him. 6 So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt, taking with them their live
stock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan. 7 Jacob brought with
him to E
gypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaugh
ters — all his offspring.
a 7 Or
save you as a great band of survivors b 22 That is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about
3.5 kilograms