A Panhandle Pastor's Thoughts: Jacob Moved His Family to Egypt

Good afternoon from the Panhandle. We are back from vacation and it was a great time. It was good to see family and visit places we had never been.

We started our Vacation Bible School today. It was great weather for the outside games, but it looks like that may change by Wednesday. Personally I think four more days of 70s and 80s and no rain would be great.

Well, we are closing in on the last of this study in Genesis. We have today's study and then next week's post and that will be it. So today – Jacob and his family move to Egypt at Joseph's request.

The life of Jacob can be divided into three geographical locations: (1) the land of Haran, (2) the land of Canaan, and (3) the land of Egypt. These not only set down geographical areas, but also spiritual levels in his life.

In the land of Haran, Jacob is God’s man living in the flesh. Living by his own devices and own wits. In the land of Canaan, Jacob has his wrestling match but he is God’s man who is fighting in his own strength. In the land of Egypt, Jacob is God’s man who is walking by faith.

While Joseph is prominent in this section of Genesis, we see evidence of the spiritual man that Jacob has become at this stage in his life. Jacob has; with God’s guidance; become the kind of man that God has wanted him to be.

The second dream of Joseph is now to receive its fulfillment. His father is to bow down before him. His mother is dead. It is probable that also Leah is deceased. The figure, by which the dream shadows forth the reality, is fulfilled, when the spirit of it receives its accomplishment.

Genesis 46

Genesis 46 At A Glance

Jacob is here removing to Egypt in his old age, forced there by a famine, and invited there by Joseph. Here,

I. God sends him to Egypt v. 1-4.

II. All his family goes with him v. 5-27.

III. Joseph bids him welcome v. 28-34.

Genesis 46:1-7

46:1 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 great nation there. 4 I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring 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 They also took with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan, and Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt. 7 He took with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters--all his offspring.

Even though Jacob might see the ways of God in the wonderful course of his son Joseph, and discern in the friendly invitation of Joseph and Pharaoh, combined with the famine prevailing in Canaan, a divine direction to go into Egypt; yet this departure from the land of promise, in which his fathers had lived as pilgrims, was a step which naturally caused serious thoughts in his mind as to his own future and that of his family, and led him to commend himself and his followers to the care of the faithful covenant God, whether in so doing he thought of the revelation which Abram had received (Gen 15:13-16), or not.

Here God appeared to him in a vision of the night and gave him, as once before on his flight from Canaan (Gen 28:12 ff.), the comforting promise, "I am (the Mighty One), the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt for I will there make thee a great nation. I will go down with thee into Egypt, and I-bring thee up again also will I, and Joseph shall close thine eyes."

Strengthened by this promise, Jacob went into Egypt with children and children's children, his sons driving their aged father together with their wives and children in the carriages sent by Pharaoh, and taking their flocks with all the possessions that they had acquired in Canaan.

Genesis 46:8-27

8 These are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt:

Reuben the firstborn of Jacob. 9 The sons of Reuben:

Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. 10 The sons of Simeon:

Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. 11 The sons of Levi:

Gershon, Kohath and Merari. 12 The sons of Judah:

Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan).

The sons of Perez:

Hezron and Hamul. 13 The sons of Issachar:

Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron. 14 The sons of Zebulun:

Sered, Elon and Jahleel.

15 These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, besides his daughter Dinah. These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all.

16 The sons of Gad:

Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli. 17 The sons of Asher:

Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah.

The sons of Beriah:

Heber and Malkiel.

18 These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah--sixteen in all.

19 The sons of Jacob's wife Rachel:

Joseph and Benjamin. 20 In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. 21 The sons of Benjamin:

Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.

22 These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob--fourteen in all.

23 The son of Dan:

Hushim. 24 The sons of Naphtali:

Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.

25 These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel--seven in all.

26 All those who went to Egypt with Jacob--those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons' wives--numbered sixty-six persons. 27 With the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob's family, which went to Egypt, were seventy in all.

It is more than likely that Jacob’s sons had 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 not really possessed it. We have the account of the names of Jacob's family, his sons' sons, most of who are afterwards mentioned as heads of houses in the several tribes.

The size of Jacob's family, which was to grow into a great nation, is given here. The list of names includes not merely the "sons of Israel" in the stricter sense; but, as is added immediately afterwards, "Jacob and his sons," or, as the closing formula expresses it (v. 27), "all the souls of the house of Jacob, who came into Egypt" including the patriarch himself, and Joseph with his two sons, who were born before Jacob's arrival in Egypt.

If we add these, the house of Jacob consisted of 70 people; and apart from these, of 66, besides his sons' wives. The sons are arranged according to the four mothers. Of Leah there are given 6 sons, 23 grandsons, 2 great-grandsons (sons of Pharez, whereas Er and Onan, the sons of Judah who died in Canaan, are not reckoned), and 1 daughter, Dinah, who remained unmarried, and was therefore an independent member of the house of Jacob; in all, therefore, 6 + 23 + 2 + 1 = 32, or with Jacob, 33 souls. Of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, there are mentioned 2 sons, 11 grandsons, 2 great-grandsons, and 1 daughter (who is reckoned like Dinah, both here and Num 26:46, for some special reason, which is not particularly described); in all, 2 + 11 + 2 + 1 = 16 souls. Of Rachel, "Jacob's (favorite) wife," 2 sons and 12 grandsons are named, of whom, according to Numbers 26:40, two were great-grandsons, = 14 souls; and of Rachel's maid Bilhah, 2 sons and 5 grandsons = 7 souls. The whole number therefore was 33 + 16 + 14 + 7 = 70. The Septuagint sets the count at seventy-five.

The wives of Jacob's sons are neither mentioned by name or figured in, because the families of Israel were not founded by them, but by their husbands alone. Nor is their parentage given either here or anywhere else. It is merely casually that one of the sons of Simeon is called the son of a Canaanitish woman (v. 10); from which it may be inferred that it was quite an exceptional thing for the sons of Jacob to take their wives from among the Canaanites, and that as a rule they were chosen from their paternal relations in Mesopotamia; besides whom, there were also their other relations, the families of Ishmael, Keturah, and Edom. Of the "daughters of Jacob" also, and the "daughters of his sons," none are mentioned except Dinah and Serah the daughter of Asher, because they were not the founders of separate houses.

Genesis 46:28-34

28 Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen, 29 Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time.

30 Israel said to Joseph, "Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive."

31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, "I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, `My brothers and my father's household, who were living in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 The men are shepherds; they tend livestock, and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.' 33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, `What is your occupation?' 34 you should answer, `Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.' Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians."

Joseph was prudent in his care concerning his brother’s settlement. The Pharaoh was gracious to let Joseph's kin settle in his dominions. Jacob and his family came by invitation of the Egyptians, so it should never be said that they came among them clandestinely and by stealth. Therefore Joseph took care to pay his respects to Pharaoh, v. 31. But what was he to do with his family? There was a time when Joseph’s brothers were planning to get rid of him; now he was planning to settle them to their satisfaction and advantage. This is rendering good for evil.

Joseph wanted them to live by themselves, separate as much as might be from the Egyptians, in the land of Goshen, which lay nearest to Canaan, and which perhaps was more thinly populated by the Egyptians, and was good pastures for cattle. His desire was that they would live apart, so that they might be in less danger of both being infected by the vices of the Egyptians and of being insulted by the malice of the Egyptians. Shepherds, it seems, were an abomination to the Egyptians, that is, they looked upon them with contempt, and scorned to even converse with them; and he would not send for his brothers to Egypt to be tramped upon.

Genesis 47

This chapter gives the most favorable report of Jacob so far. Do we finally see Jacob living up to his name Israel?

Note the seriousness and the extent of the famine. Even the land of Egypt, which depends on the flooding of the Nile, is affected. The Egyptians are forced to sell off their cattle, their lands, and themselves to Pharaoh. Also note the astuteness of Joseph and his faithfulness to Pharaoh.

Arrangements were made for the settlement of Israel in Goshen. The administration of Joseph during the remaining years of the famine is then recorded. For this whole period Joseph's father and brothers were subject to him, as their political superior, according to the reading of his early dreams. We then approach the death-bed of Jacob, and hear him binding Joseph by an oath to bury him in the grave of his fathers.

Genesis 47:1-12

47:1 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, "My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen." 2 He chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.

3 Pharaoh asked the brothers, "What is your occupation?"

"Your servants are shepherds," they replied to Pharaoh, "just as our fathers were." 4 They also said to him, "We have come to live here awhile, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants' flocks have no pasture. So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen."

5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Your father and your brothers have come to you, 6 and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock."

7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed Pharaoh, 8 Pharaoh asked him, "How old are you?"

9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers." 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.

11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. 12 Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father's household with food, according to the number of their children.

Jacob blesses the Pharaoh it is the patriarch's grateful return for Pharaoh's great kindness and generosity toward him and his house. He is conscious of even a higher dignity than that of Pharaoh, as he is a prince of God; and as such he bestows his precious benediction. Pharaoh was struck with his venerable appearance, and inquired what was his age.

Genesis 47:9-10

Jacob’s life recapped:

So was the life of the patriarchs in the land of promise (Hebrews 11:13). "Few and evil." Jacob's years at this time were far short of those of Abraham and Isaac, not to speak of more ancient men. Much bitterness also had been mingled in his cup from the time that he tricked his brother out of the birthright and the blessing, which would have come to him in a lawful way if he had only waited in patience.

Obliged to flee for his life from his father's house, serving seven years for a beloved wife, and balked in his expected recompense by a deceitful father-in-law, serving seven long years more for the object of his affections, having his wages changed ten times during the six years of his further toil, afflicted by the dishonor of his only daughter, the reckless revenge taken by Simon and Levi, the death of his beloved wife in childbirth, the disgraceful incest of Reuben, the loss of Joseph himself for twenty-two years, and the present famine with all its anxieties-Jacob, it must be confessed, has become acquainted with no small share of the ills of life.

"Blessed Pharaoh." It is possible that this blessing is the same as that already mentioned, now reiterated in its proper place in the narrative. "According to the little ones." This means either in proportion to the number in each household, or with all the tenderness with which a parent provides for his infant offspring.

Genesis 47:13-26

13 There was no food, however, in the whole region because the famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted away because of the famine. 14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying, and he brought it to Pharaoh's palace. 15 When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all Egypt came to Joseph and said, "Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? Our money is used up."

16 "Then bring your livestock," said Joseph. "I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone."

17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And he brought them through that year with food in exchange for all their livestock.

18 When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, "We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone and our livestock belongs to you, there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we perish before your eyes--we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate."

20 So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh's, 21 and Joseph reduced the people to servitude, from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 However, he did not buy the land of the priests, because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.

23 Joseph said to the people, "Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you can plant the ground. 24 But when the crop comes in, give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children."

25 "You have saved our lives," they said. "May we find favor in the eyes of our lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh."

26 So Joseph established it as a law concerning land in Egypt--still in force today--that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the priests that did not become Pharaoh's.

The private stores of the wealthy were probably exhausted. "And Joseph gathered up all the silver." The old stores of grain and the money, which had flowed into the country during the years of plenty, seem to have lasted for five years.

"And Joseph brought the silver into Pharaoh's house." He was merely the steward of Pharaoh in this matter, and made a full return of all the payments that came into his hands.

"The silver was spent." The famishing people have no more money; but they must have bread. Joseph was a great manager or steward for Pharaoh. He proposes to take the people's cattle as payment for grain. This was really a relief to the people, as they had no means of providing them with fodder. The value of commodities is wholly altered by a change of circumstances. Cattle become worthless when food becomes scarce, and the means of procuring it are exhausted. For their cattle Joseph supplies them with food during the sixth year.

The seventh year is now come. The silver and cattle are now gone. Nothing remained but their lands, and with these themselves as the slaves of the soil. Accordingly they made Joseph an offer that he could not refuse. This is evident that Pharaoh had as yet no legal claim to the soil. In primeval times the first newcomers into an unoccupied country became, by a natural custom, the owners of the grounds they held and cultivated.

But the farmers, who settled on a promising spot, broke up the soil, and sowed the seed, felt he had acquired by his labor a title to the acres he had cultivated and permanently occupied, and this right was instinctively acknowledged by others. And so, each farmer grew into the absolute owner of his own farm. So, the lands of Egypt belonged to the peasantry of the country, and were at their disposal. These lands had now become valueless to those who had neither provisions for themselves nor seed for their ground. They willingly part with them, therefore, for a year's provision and a supply of seed. In this way the lands of Egypt fell into the hands of the crown by a free purchase.

"And the people he removed into the cities." This was not an act of arbitrary whim, but a wise decision for the more convenient nourishment of the people until the new arrangements for the cultivation of the soil could be completed.

The priestly class were sustained by a state allowance, and therefore, were not obliged to alienate their lands. So, they became by this social revolution a privileged order. The military class were also exempted most probably from the surrender of their patrimonial rights, as they were maintained on the crown lands.

Joseph had bought their lands, and so they might be regarded, in some sort, as the servants of Pharaoh, or the servants of the soil. "In the increase ye shall give the fifth to Pharaoh." This explains at once the extent of their liability, and the security of their liberty and property. They do not become Pharaoh's bondmen. They own their land under him by a new tenure. They are no longer subject to arbitrary demands. They have a stated annual rent, bearing a fixed ratio to the amount of their crop. This is a fair adjustment of their dues, and places them under the protection of a statute law. The people were accordingly well pleased with the enactment of Joseph, which becomes henceforth the law of Egypt.

Genesis 47:27-31

27 Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.

28 Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven. 29 When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, "If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried."

"I will do as you say," he said.

31 "Swear to me," he said. Then Joseph swore to him, and Israel worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

They become owners or tenants of the soil in Goshen. The Israelites were recognized as subjects with the full rights of freemen. "They grew and multiplied exceedingly." They were now placed in a definite territory, where they were free from the contamination which arises from promiscuous intermarriage with an idolatrous race; and so, the Lord bestows the blessing of fruitfulness and multiplication, so that in a generation or two more they can intermarry among themselves. It is a remarkable circumstance that until now we read of only two daughters in the family of Jacob. The brothers could not marry their sisters, and it was not desirable that the females should form affinity with the pagan, as they had in general to follow the faith of their husbands. Here the twelfth section of the Pentateuch terminates.

Jacob lives seventeen years in Egypt, and so survives the famine twelve years. "He called his son Joseph." Joseph retained his power and place near Pharaoh after the fourteen years of special service were completed; hence, Jacob looks to him for the accomplishment of his wishes concerning the place of his burial. "Put thy hand under my thigh" (Gen 24:2). With this familiar phrase he binds Joseph by a solemn promise to carry his mortal remains to the land of promise. "And Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed." On receiving the solemn promise of Joseph, he turns toward the head of the bed, and assumes the posture of adoration, rendering, no doubt, thanks to God for all the mercies of his past life, and for this closing token of duty and affection.

Review Questions:

What are the 3 geographical divisions of Jacob’s life?
Do you think Jacob is now living up to the name “Israel”?
What is the significance of Jacob’s blessing on Pharaoh?
Was the Pharaoh now obligated to Joseph? Did Joseph hold this over the Pharaoh?
What is the significance of Jacob asking Joseph to put his hand under his thigh? Is this the first time this is done in Genesis?
Why is it done?

A Panhandle Pastor's Thoughts

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit

Monday, June 3, 2019

Jacob Moved His Family to Egypt

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