And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you ,.... Order them to come before him, to see them, and have some conversation with them: and shall say, what is your occupation ? or your works F3 מעשיכם "opus vestrum", Pagninus, Montanus, "opera vestra", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius. , their business and employment, whether they exercised any manufacture or handicraft, and what it was. 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 meeting of the aged Jacob and his lost son Joseph. I. FULFILMENT OF DIVINE PROMISES . Both father and son examples of grace. Reminding us of Simeon, "Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace," etc. ( Judah is sent forward to Joseph—again a distinction placed upon the royal tribe).' The meeting of father and son takes place in Goshen . For the people of God, although in Egypt must not be of it. II. SEPARATION AND DISTINCTION from the heathen world- enforced... read more
And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation ? Pharaoh's inquiry was characteristically Egyptian, being rendered necessary by the strict distinction of castes that then prevailed. According to a law promulgated by Amasis, a monarch of the 26th dynasty, every Egyptian was obliged to give a yearly account to the monarch or State governor of how he lived, with the certification that if he failed to show that he possessed an honorable calling... 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
"And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and will say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, who were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; and the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. And it shall come to pass when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? that ye shall say, Thy servants have been keepers of... read more
Egyptians loathed shepherds because agriculture was the basis of Egyptian society and the Nile River sustained it (Genesis 46:34). The Egyptians organized their fields carefully and controlled them relatively easily. The comparative difficulty of controlling sheep, goats, and cows led the Egyptians to think of those who cared for these animals as crude and barbaric. [Note: See Keil and Delitzsch, 1:374-75, and my note on 43:32.] Probably too the more civilized Egyptians distrusted any nomadic... read more
The Descent of Jacob into Egypt. The Genealogical Table of the Israelites1-4. On reaching Beersheba, the southern boundary of the Promised Land, Jacob offers sacrifices to God. In return God assures him of His continued favour and of the fulfilment of the promises made to Abraham. 4. Put his hand upon thine eyes] i.e. close them in death. 5. Little ones] rather,’household servants and their families.’ 6-27. This passage is from the Priestly source, and shows its characteristic fondness for... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 46:28-34
We have here, I. The joyful meeting between Jacob and his son Joseph, in which observe, 1. Jacob's prudence in sending Judah before him to Joseph, to give him notice of his arrival in Goshen. This was a piece of respect owing to the government, under the protection of which these strangers had come to put themselves, Gen. 46:28. We should be very careful not to give offence to any, especially not to the higher powers. 2. Joseph's filial respect to him. He went in his chariot to met him, and,... read more