Genesis 46:1-34
Q.1. Why was Beersheba a special place for Jacob? What happened there? What assurances did God give Jacob? – (Gen.46:1-4 c.f. Gen.15:13-14; 26:23-25)
Beersheba where God confirmed His covenant with Jacob’s father, Isaac – The Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham; Do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you, and multiply your descendants, for the sake of My servant Abraham.” (Gen.26:24). Jacob very likely returned to the altar built there by his father – Israel set out with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac (Gen.46:1 c.f. Gen.26:25). God had already renewed His covenant with Jacob and had given him a new name (Gen.35:9-12). Here He made three significant promises to Jacob – 3 … “I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there. 4 I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will close your eyes.” (Gen.46:3-4): (i) Israel will become a great nation. (ii) God will bring Israel up from Egypt (c.f. Gen.15:13-14). (iii) His beloved son Joseph would comfort him in death. Jacob was being led by God.
Q.2. What makes the genealogical register significant? What tragedies were included in this record? How many of Jacob’s family went down to Egypt? – (Gen.46:5-27)
Israel’s twelve sons would be forged into a strong nation, albeit through terrible slavery under the Egyptians. Here we have a record of the families of those twelve sons, who would become the twelve tribes of Israel. The register did not follow the birth order, but rather gave the sons of each of Jacob’s two wives and their handmaids – Leah’s six sons, then her maid Zilpah’s two sons, followed by Rachel’s two sons, then her maid Bilhah’s two sons. With the Bible’s total honesty, the names of Judah’s two deceased sons, as well as his other sons, were included, as was Dinah (Gen.46:12, 15 c.f. Gen.34:1-31; 38:1-30). Abraham’s descendants were numerous – All the persons belonging to Jacob, who came to Egypt, his direct descendants, not including the wives of Jacob’s sons, were sixty-six persons in all (Gen.46:26). We learn that the Egyptians afflicted them with slavery because – the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them (Ex.1:7). The record shows that God kept His promise to Jacob.
Q.3. What made the reunion between Jacob and Joseph so special? Why did the family of Jacob go to Goshen? Why did Joseph keep his father’s family separate? – (Gen.46:28-34)
Jacob would have been devastated to lose any of his children. However, Joseph was special because he was the firstborn from his union with his beloved Rachel, after years of her barrenness. He had never really accepted the loss of Joseph, because of the mystery of Joseph’s dreams. (Gen.37:1-11). This reunion was totally miraculous – Jacob had struggled to comprehend the news 26 … But he was stunned, for he did not believe them … 28 Then Israel said, “It is enough; my son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.” … 29 Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father, Israel; as soon as he appeared before him, he fell on his neck and wept on his neck a long time. 30 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.” (Gen.45:26 & 28; 46:29-30). Jacob had taken his family to the Nile Delta nearest to Canaan. Joseph carefully worded up his brothers to tell Pharaoh – … `Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ that you may live in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is loathsome to the Egyptians (Gen.46:34 c.f. 43:32). As a prophet and being aware of the prophecies to the patriarchs to stay separate, Joseph (and Jacob) would have wanted to maintain their distance from the Egyptians. God frequently brought strife on the patriarchs, to force them out of alliances with the surrounding nations. Israel was called to be separate – for you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth (Dt.7:6).