Bereisheet (Genesis): Vayigash > Ch 46

Jacob brings sacrifices to G-d. G-d tells Jacob to move to Egypt! Jacob’s entire family (all descendants) move to Egypt!

  • Israel and all that was his set out and came to Beer sheba, and he slaughtered sacrifices to the G-d of his father Isaac.
  • G-d said to Israel in visions of the night, and He said, "Jacob, Jacob!" And he said, "Here I am." And He said, "I am G-d, the G-d of your father. Do not be afraid of going down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up, and Joseph will place his hand on your eyes.” Jacob and all his descendants, sons & daughters, grandsons & granddaughters came down to Egypt


The seventy descendants of Jacob upon entering Egypt

  • And these are the names of the children of Israel who were coming to Egypt:

    Sons of Leah, that she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, and Dinah his daughter. All the souls of his sons and daughters were 33. (In order to get a total of 33 we assume that Jacob is included in the count, his daughter Dinah is included in the count, Er and Onan are excluded from the count)
  • Sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, Carmi.
  • Sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, Saul (the son of the Canaanitess)
  • Sons of Levi: Gershon, Kehath, Merari.
  • Sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, Zerah. Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul
  • Sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvvah, Iob, Shimron.
  • Sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, Jahleel.


    Sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah, and she bore these to Jacob, 16 souls.
  • Sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, Areli.
  • Sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Briah, Serah (sister). Sons of Briah: Heber and Malkiel.


    Sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: all the souls were 14.
  • Sons of Joseph (born from Asenath in the land of Egypt): Manasseh and Ephraim.
  • Sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Na'aman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, Ard.


    Sons of Bilhah, whom Laban had given to Rachel, all the souls were 7.
  • Sons of Dan: Hushim.
  • Sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, Shillem.

  • All the souls coming to Egypt with Jacob, those descended from him, excluding the wives of Jacob's sons, all the souls were 66. And Joseph's sons, who were born to him in Egypt, 2 souls; all the souls of the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were 70 (including Jacob & Joseph).


Jacob sees Joseph again

  • Joseph went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and he appeared to him, and he fell on his neck, and he wept on his neck for a long time. And Israel said to Joseph, "I will die this time, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive." Joseph told his brothers to say that they are all shepherds, so they would be allowed to dwell in the land of Goshen, because all shepherds are abhorrent to the Egyptians.


 
Rashi Commentary

  • his sons’ daughters Serah the daughter of Asher and Jochebed the daughter of Levi.
  • the son of the Canaanitess The son of Dinah, who had been possessed by a Canaanite. When they killed Shechem, Dinah did not want to leave until Simeon swore to her that he would marry her - [Gen. Rabbah (80:11)].
  • The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife Concerning none of them does it say [Jacob’s]“wife,” but [the meaning is] that she was the mainstay of the household. [From Gen. Rabbah 73:2] Cf. Gen 31:33
  • are abhorrent to the Egyptians Because they (the sheep) are their gods.


Research & Analysis