Lesson 93 The Beersheba Bus Rolls into Egypt -Genesis 46

They Did not Leave Much Behind 46:5- 7

English Standard Version (Chapter 46)

5 Then Jacob set out from Beersheba. The sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6 They also took their livestock and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him, 7 his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters. All his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.

Pharaoh offered the best of Egypt to Joseph’s family and said he would provide everything even down to the utensils. Our three verses here makes it look like they left nothing in Beersheba. This is no ragtag group. They have stuff and probably had nice stuff, so why walk away from all of that? Jacob is not only a man who believes the promises of God, he wants to accumulate also. We have to remember, his family of the last couple of generations have lived in Egypt before. BTW, we are pretty much like him. If we go camping somewhere, we take a full camper with all of the amenities. They know what it is like to live in Egypt. The family has been there in the past and were even acquainted with Pharaohs. But, I don’t think they know just how much bigger than life that Joseph has gotten. He can offer all that much to them, even much more. Pharaoh for sure can offer it all and it comes with peace. It’s his country. Here we Israelites come, ready or not, and we have our stuff. Canaan has been good to them. Jacob, kids and grand kids are on the move. The Bible bus is rolling, or should we say the Beersheba bus.

Next is a careful accounting for those who are counting. Remember, from the line of Judah, the Savior will come. This is God’s redemptive purpose in history. This is how God designed to bring His first and only begotten into the world. These lists are extremely important because of that reason. If you are not keeping track, God is through His Word. For instance, some other significant names are what the sons of Reuben signify. They means teacher, distinguished, beautiful one, and noble one. They are names of hope in a dry land. It has been suggested that we rush too much over these names but contained in this list are principles and characteristics of priestly rule.”- Joseph Excel.

Read and see, especially Judah:

46:8-15

8 Now these are the names of the descendants of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, 9 and the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

10 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. 11 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

12 The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan); and the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.

13 The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Yob, and Shimron. 14 The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

15 These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, together with his daughter Dinah; altogether his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ge 46:8–15.

Matthew records the family this way in the New Testament, chapter one, verse 2:

The Lexham English Bible (Chapter 1)

2 Abraham became the father of Isaac, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez became the father of Hezron, and Hezron became the father of Aram, 4 and Aram became the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon became the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon became the father of Boaz

It is interesting to note, that of the four mothers listed in Matthew 1, probably not one of them were Jewish. All were vindicated and cleansed by faith alone and God used them in the lineage of Christ.

More names, more numbers:

46:16- 22

Genesis 46:16–22 (ESV)

The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, with Serah their sister. And the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel. These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob—sixteen persons.

The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife: Joseph and Benjamin. And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of On, bore to him. And the sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob—fourteen persons in all.

English Standard Version (Chapter 46)

23 The son of Dan: Hushim. 24 The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25 These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob—seven persons in all.

Dinah, though single, is listed with the young men as she was an actual founder of the house of Israel, as she was a direct member. Here is the Bible elevating a woman to this important status, even though the females seem to be relegated to a life of obscurity, when in reality their roles are top tier in responsibility.

English Standard Version (Chapter 46)

26 All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who were his own descendants, not including Jacob’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six persons in all. 27 And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two. All the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy.

Everybody who arrived was a descendant of Jacob/Israel. However, they touched nations with their influence.

Another observation that we should glean from all of this is that even though the Scriptures are Israel focused, The Lord is working His plan among all nations, not just individuals and clans. That is what the New Testament great commission proclaims to the church:

Matthew 28:19–20 (LEB)

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the age/ world.”

Also

Acts 1:8–9 (LEB)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest part of the earth.” And after he had said these things, while they were watching, he was taken up, and a cloud received him from their sight.

We cannot overemphasize the message of the Great Commission to the uttermost parts of the Earth. God has given His green light to our generations, so we must go and tell.