Joseph and His Family in Egypt

Genesis Chapters 46-47

I. Observation Notes
• Who are the main characters? What do we know about them?
• Jacob/Israel:

• Joseph:

• When do the events of this passage take place?

• Based on our events from last week, there had been 2 years of famine when Joseph revealed
his identity to his brothers, so we know that the events of this passage happen during the last 5
years of the famine. Joseph would have been around 40 years old at this time.
• Where do the events of this passage take place?
• The passage begins in Canaan as Israel and his household departs for Egypt (Gen. 45:25).
After stopping in Beersheba to offer sacrifices (Gen. 46:1), they end up in Egypt (Gen. 46:28)
• What is happening? (Summary of Events)
• Jacob/Israel and his household set out for Egypt with all his possessions. (Gen. 46:1)
• When they stopped in Beersheba to offer sacrifices, God appeared to Jacob in a dream and
confirmed that going to Egypt was the right thing to do. (v. 2-4)
• Jacob and his family packed up everything in Pharaoh’s carts and continued to Egypt (v. 5-7)
• We are given a list of Jacob’s sons and their descendants (see list on next page) (v. 8-27)
• As they neared Egypt, Jacob sent Judah ahead to get directions to Goshen (v. 28)
• When they arrived, Joseph came to meet them and to be reunited with his father (v. 29-30)
• After the reunion, Joseph prepares his family for their introduction to Pharaoh by urging them
to downplay their being shepherds, since shepherds were disliked by Egyptians (v. 31-34)
• Joseph presents five of his brothers before Pharaoh, but when Pharaoh asks them about their
vocation, they answer that they are shepherds and ask to settle in Goshen (Gen. 47:1-4)
• Pharaoh tells Joseph to allow his brothers to settle in Goshen, then Joseph presents his father
to Pharaoh, and, after being asked about his age, Jacob blesses Pharaoh and leaves (v. 5-10)
• Joseph settled his family in Goshen and provided food for them (v. 11-12)
• As the famine continued, Joseph eventually collected all the money in Egypt and Canaan for
Pharaoh through the course of selling food to the people. (v. 13-15)
• Since all the people’s money was gone, yet the famine continued, Joseph then traded food for
livestock and, just as he had with the money, and accumulated much for Pharaoh (v. 16-17)
• The famine continued into the next year, and since the people had already traded their money
and livestock for food, the people begged Joseph to give them food in exchange for their land
and for their servitude in bondage to Pharaoh. (v. 18-20)
• Joseph did as the people asked and soon all the land and people belonged to Pharaoh, except
for the priests and their land because they were given food and didn’t need to sell (v. 21-22)
• Joseph established a law that the people would give 1/5th of their crops to Pharaoh (v. 23-26)
• The Israelites lived in Goshen where they prospered and grew in number (v. 27)
• When Jacob neared death, he made Joseph swear to carry him out of Egypt and bury him in
Canaan when he died, and Joseph agreed. (v. 28-31)

II. Interpretation
• What principles are illustrated in this passage? What is the main theme?

• How is God involved in this passage? When/How is God mentioned and by whom?

• How do you feel about the events that led up to everyone becoming Pharaoh’s slaves? Do you
agree with what Joseph did? If not, what would you have done differently?

III. Applications
• God used the famine as a means to preserve and grow his people. Even though God’s methods
don’t always make sense to us, we can rest assured that he is always in the process of
accomplishing his plan for the world.
 Israel’s Sons and their Children (Genesis 46:8-25)

• The Sons of Leah, born to Jacob in Paddan Aram besides his daughter, Dinah (v. 8-15)
o The Sons of Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn (v. 9) Notes

Hanoch

Pallu

Hezron

Carmi
o The Sons of Simeon (v. 10)

Jemuel

Jamin

Ohad

Jakin

Zohar

Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman
o The Sons of Levi (v. 11)

Gershon

Kohath

Merari
o The Sons of Judah (v. 12)

Er (died in the land of Canaan)

Onan (died in the land of Canaan)

Shelah

Perez (and his sons)
• Hezron
• Hamul

Zerah
o The Sons of Issachar

Tola

Puah

Jashub

Shimron
o The Sons of Zebulun

Sered

Elon

Jahleel
• The Sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant
o The Sons of Gad

Zephon

Haggi

Shuni

Ezbon

Eri

Arodi

Areli
o The Sons of Asher

Imnah

Ishvah

Ishvi

Beriah
• Heber
• Malkiel

(daughter) Serah
• The Sons of Rachel
o Joseph

Manasseh

Ephraim
o Benjamin

Bela

Beker

Ashbel

Gera

Naaman

Ehi

Rosh

Muppim

Huppim

Ard
• The Sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant
o Dan

Hushim
o Naphtali

Jahziel

Guni

Jezer

Shillem