And the sons of Gad ,.... A son of Jacob by Zilpah, Leah's maid; for the historian, before he proceeds to give an account of his sons by Rachel, finishes the account of all his sons by Leah and her maid: Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, and Eri, and Arodi, and Areli ; in all seven; the same number is given, and in the same order, Numbers 26:15 . read more
The descent of Jacob and his family into Egypt. I. THE DEPARTURE FROM CANAAN ( Genesis 46:1-7 ). 1. The journey to Beersheba . Distant from Hebron somewhere over twenty miles, Beersheba lay directly in the way to Egypt. Yet doubtless the chief motive for halting at "the well of the oath" consisted in the fact that it had been, so to speak, consecrated by the previous encampments of Abraham and Isaac, by the altars they had there erected, and the revelations they had there... read more
The beginning of the nation. "The souls of the house of Jacob which came into Egypt were threescore and ten." The number seventy became afterwards a symbolic number among the Israelites- as in the seventy elders of Moses, the seventy of the Sanhedrim, the seventy of the Alexandrian version of the Scriptures, the seventy disciples of the Lord, the seventy heathen nations of the world according to the Jews. There may be something in the combination of numbers. Seventy is 7 × 10. Ten is the... read more
And the sons of Gad; Ziphion ,—" Expectation " (Gesenius); Zephon ( Numbers 26:15 )— and Haggi ,—" Festive" (Gesenius)— Shuni ,—"Quiet" (Gesenius)— and Esbon ,—"Toiling" (Murphy); named Ozni ( Numbers 26:16 )— Eri ,—"Guarding" (Gesenius)— and Arodi ,—"Wild Ass" (Gesenius), "Rover" (Murphy), "Descendants" (Lange); styled Arod ( Numbers 26:17 )— and Areli —"Lion of El" (Murphy), "Son of a Hero" (Gesenius), "Heroic" (Lange). read more
- Jacob Goes Down to Egypt9. פלוּא pallû', Pallu, “distinguished.” חצרן chetsrôn, Chetsron, of the “court,” or “village.” כרמי karmı̂y, Karmi, “vine-dresser.”10. ימוּאל yemû'êl, Jemuel, “day of El.” ימין yâmı̂yn, Jamin, “right hand.” אהד 'ôhad, Ohad, “joining together.” יכין yâkı̂yn, Jakin, “he shall establish.” צחר tsôchar, Tsochar, “whiteness.”11. גרשׁון gêreshôn, Gereshon, “expelling.” קהת qehâth, Qehath, “assembly.” מררי merârı̂y, Merari, “flowing, bitter.”12. חמוּל châmûl,... read more
The migration to Egypt (46:1-47:12)As they were leaving Canaan for Egypt, Jacob and his family stopped to worship God at Beersheba, the last town in Canaan. Here God told Jacob that, though he would die in Egypt, his descendants would one day return and possess the land (46:1-4). Jacob’s family, at the time of the move to Egypt, numbered about seventy people (5-27).Knowing that Egyptians did not like to live alongside people who kept sheep or cattle, Joseph told his brothers to tell Pharaoh... read more
THE SEVENTYHere we shall vary our usual procedure of recording the sacred text and present the list of names in outline form for greater clarity:THE NAMES OF THE FAMILY OF LEAH REUBENSIMEONLEVIJUDAHISSACHARZEBULUN Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron,CarmiJemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar and ShaulGershon, Kohath and MerariEr, Onan, Shelah, Perez and ZerahTola, Puvah, Iob and Shimron.Sered, Elon and Jahleel Note also that two sons of Pharez, Hezron and Hamul are given in Genesis 46:12. Therefore, we add... read more
Israel’s household’s move to Egypt 46:8-27This section contains a list of the individuals in Jacob’s family about the time he moved to Egypt. As in chapter 31, when he left Paddan-aram, this move was also difficult for Jacob. Moses recorded a total of 70 persons (Genesis 46:27; cf. Exodus 1:5). The 66 referred to in Genesis 46:26 excluded Jacob, Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh, or perhaps Er and Onan (Genesis 46:12) and Ephraim and Manasseh. Stephen said there were 75, but he must have added... read more
11. Israel’s move to Egypt 45:16-46:30Joseph’s brothers returned to Jacob with news of Joseph’s survival and prosperity. Israel (Jacob) then moved to Egypt in response to Joseph’s invitation and God’s encouragement. The survival of Jacob’s family in Egypt through the famine recalls the survival of Noah’s family in the ark through the Flood. read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 46:5-27
Old Jacob is here flitting. Little did he think of ever leaving Canaan; he expected, no doubt, to die in his nest, and to leave his seed in actual possession of the promised land: but Providence orders it otherwise. Note, Those that think themselves well settled may yet be unsettled in a little time. Even old people, who think of no other removal than that to the grave (which Jacob had much upon his heart, Gen. 37:35; 42:38), sometimes live to see great changes in their family. It is good to... read more