Genesis 46-47

Genesis 46-47

Before packing up and heading down to Egypt, you might expect Jacob to be a little hesitant. He had finally made it back to the Promised Land after living with Laban for so many years. He also knew that he was living in the land that God had promised his children, and he did not want to mess up God’s plans. But God reassured Jacob that this was His plan. In order to protect his family so that they could grow into a great nation, God intended for them to live in Egypt for a time. But in His conversation with Jacob, He also promises him that one day his children will return to the land of Canaan.

The next part of Genesis 46 gives some insight into the fulfillment of some of God’s promises. For instance, part of the covenant that God made with Abraham was that he would be the father of a great family that is as many as the stars in the heaven or the grains of sand on the beach. But when he died, he only knew of his son Isaac and his family, not a great start to a great nation in the eyes of man. Now, 2 generations later, there are 70 men in Jacob’s family traveling down to Egypt, and this does not count all of their wives. In just 2 generations, God increased the family greatly, and Jacob was finally beginning to see the results of the promise God made to Abraham and Isaac.

Upon arriving in Egypt, specifically Goshen, Joseph runs out to meet his family. Once more, it is apparent that Joseph is in charge. He helps his family get settled in Goshen, which was right outside of Egypt. He then tells them that he will announce their arrival to Pharaoh and tell him that his family tends livestock. He knew that being a shepherd was looked down upon by the Egyptians, and for that reason knew it was best that they lived in Goshen rather than Egypt. After Joseph reports this in Genesis 47, Pharaoh grants them permission to live in Goshen. Furthermore, after seeing how trustworthy Joseph had been to him for so many years, Pharaoh gave them permission to look after his livestock as well. Finally, he gave them enough food to live on for a while. Once more Joseph’s hard work and trustworthiness is paying off. It is clear even in their arrival in the land, that God was still using Joseph to preserve his people in ways that they might not have even known at the time.

After they settled in Goshen, the famine only became worse in Egypt and in Canaan, and Joseph had to come up with yet another plan. The people of Egypt had no choice but to spend all of their money just to survive. When all their money was spent, they sold all of their livestock. Then, when all that was gone, they sold themselves and their land. It appeared as if Egypt had hit bottom. Joseph was doing his best to help the people of Egypt, but it appeared as if nothing was working. But God was still at work, and this allowed Pharaoh to gain more power. At this point, he had their money, animals, and land. Although this might strike Americans as an evil dictatorship, that is not how it is presented in the text. The people only praised Joseph and Pharaoh more for their leadership. They knew that Joseph and Pharaoh were only looking out for them, and they fully trusted any decision that they made. And why not? God was still working through Joseph, and he was only making decisions based on God’s leadership. Even in this troubling time in the land of Egypt, it was apparent that God was still at work. In a time when you would think that Egypt would be at rock bottom, they had all come together as one, united under their leaders.

As the chapter closes, 17 years have passed in Egypt, and Jacob is on his deathbed. He knows that his time is near, and he asks Joseph to not allow him to be buried in Egypt. Although he knew that God had blessed him and his family with this land for the time being, he also knew that this was not permanent. He wanted to be buried with his fathers in the land of Canaan.

Matt