Genesis, 46

1. Israel set out with all that was his. When he arrived at Beer-sheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

1. So Israel set out with all his possessions. Arriving at Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

2. There God, speaking to Israel in a vision by night, called, "Jacob! Jacob!" "Here I am," he answered.

2. God spoke to Israel in a vision at night, 'Jacob, Jacob,' he said. 'Here I am,' he replied.

3. Then he said: "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you a great nation.

3. 'I am El, God of your father,' he said. 'Do not be afraid of going down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.

4. Not only will I go down to Egypt with you; I will also bring you back here, after Joseph has closed your eyes."

4. I shall go down to Egypt with you and I myself shall bring you back again, and Joseph's hand will close your eyes.'

5. So Jacob departed from Beer-sheba, and the sons of Israel put their father and their wives and children on the wagons that Pharaoh had sent for his transport.

5. So Jacob left Beersheba. Israel's sons conveyed their father Jacob, their little children and their wives in the waggons Pharaoh had sent to fetch him.

6. They took with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan. Thus Jacob and all his descendants migrated to Egypt.

6. Taking their livestock and all that they had acquired in Canaan, they arrived in Egypt -- Jacob and all his offspring.

7. His sons and his grandsons, his daughters and his granddaughters--all his descendants--he took with him to Egypt.

7. With him to Egypt, he brought his sons and grandsons, his daughters and granddaughters -- all his offspring.

8. These are the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his descendants, who migrated to Egypt. Reuben, Jacob's first-born,

8. These were the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his descendants, who arrived in Egypt: Reuben, Jacob's first-born,

9. and the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

9. and the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.

10. The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, son of a Canaanite woman.

10. The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of the Canaanite woman.

11. The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

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; and the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.

12. The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (Er and Onan had died in Canaan), and Hezron and Hamul sons of Perez.

13. The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.

13. The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Jashub and Shimron.

14. The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

14. The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon and Jahleel.

15. These were the sons whom Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, along with his daughter Dinah--thirty-three persons in all, male and female.

15. These were the sons that Leah had borne to Jacob in Paddan-Aram, besides his daughter Dinah; in all, his sons and daughters numbered thirty-three.

16. The sons of Gad: Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arod, and Areli.

16. The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.

17. The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah, with their sister Serah; and the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel.

17. The sons of Asher: Jimnah, Jishvah, Jishvi, Beriah, with their sister Serah; the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel.

18. These were the descendants of Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah; these she bore to Jacob--sixteen persons in all.

18. These were the sons of Zilpah whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah; she bore these to Jacob -- sixteen persons.

19. The sons of Jacob's wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.

19. The sons of Rachel wife of Jacob: Joseph and Benjamin.

20. In the land of Egypt Joseph became the father of Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis, bore to him.

20. Born to Joseph in Egypt were: Manasseh and Ephraim sons of Asenath, daughter of Potiphera priest of On.

21. The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ahiram, Shupham, Hupham, and Ard.

21. The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.

22. These were the sons whom Rachel bore to Jacob--fourteen persons in all.

22. These were the sons that Rachel bore to Jacob -- fourteen persons in all.

23. The sons of Dan: Hushim.

23. The sons of Dan: Hushim.

24. The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

24. The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.

25. These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel; these she bore to Jacob--seven persons in all.

25. These were the sons of Bilhah whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel; she bore these to Jacob -- seven persons in all.

26. Jacob's people who migrated to Egypt--his direct descendants, not counting the wives of Jacob's sons--numbered sixty-six persons in all.

26. Altogether, the members of Jacob's family who arrived with him in Egypt -- his own issue, not counting the wives of Jacob's sons -- numbered sixty-six all told.

27. Together with Joseph's sons who were born to him in Egypt--two persons--all the people comprising Jacob's family who had come to Egypt amounted to seventy persons in all.

27. With Joseph's sons born to him in Egypt -- two persons -- the members of Jacob's family who went to Egypt totalled seventy.

28. Israel had sent Judah ahead to Joseph, so that he might meet him in Goshen. On his arrival in the region of Goshen,

28. Israel sent Judah ahead to Joseph, so that Judah might present himself to Joseph in Goshen. When they arrived in Goshen,

29. Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot and rode to meet his father Israel in Goshen. As soon as he saw him, he flung himself on his neck and wept a long time in his arms.

29. Joseph had his chariot made ready and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as he appeared he threw his arms round his neck and for a long time wept on his shoulder.

30. And Israel said to Joseph, "At last I can die, now that I have seen for myself that Joseph is still alive."

30. Israel said to Joseph, 'Now I can die, now that I have seen you in person and seen you still alive.'

31. Joseph then said to his brothers and his father's household: "I will go and inform Pharaoh, telling him: 'My brothers and my father's household, whose home is in the land of Canaan, have come to me.

31. Then Joseph said to his brothers and his father's family, 'I shall go back and break the news to Pharaoh. I shall tell him, "My brothers and my father's family who were in Canaan have come to me.

32. The men are shepherds, having long been keepers of livestock; and they have brought with them their flocks and herds, as well as everything else they own.'

32. The men are shepherds and look after livestock, and they have brought their flocks and cattle and all their possessions."

33. So when Pharaoh summons you and asks what your occupation is,

33. Thus, when Pharaoh summons you and asks, "What is your occupation?",

34. you must answer, 'We your servants, like our ancestors, have been keepers of livestock from the beginning until now,' in order that you may stay in the region of Goshen, since all shepherds are abhorrent to the Egyptians."

34. you are to say, "Ever since our boyhood your servants have looked after livestock, we and our fathers before us," so that you can stay in the Goshen region -- for the Egyptians have a horror of all shepherds.'