What does Genesis 46:12 mean?
Jacob's sons and grandsons are listed in this passage. The family is entering Egypt to survive a terrible famine (Genesis 45:9–11). Jacob's fourth son, also from his wife Leah, is Judah (Genesis 29:35). Judah's sons are listed as Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. Er and Onan were both married, in turn, to a woman named Tamar, and both died prematurely, killed by the Lord for their wickedness (Genesis 38:6–10). The twins Perez and Zerah were born to Tamar by Judah, conceived when she deceived him into thinking she was a prostitute and not his daughter-in-law (Genesis 38:11–30).Judah's young son Perez had two sons of his own. One is named Hezron, sharing a name with Reuben's son. The other is Hamul, from a word meaning "spared."
Genesis 46:8–27 pauses the story of Jacob's migration to Egypt to count his direct offspring around this time. The final tally of all Israelites, not counting the wives of the sons and grandsons, is 70. The text then resumes explaining Jacob's reunion with his son, Joseph.
Genesis 46 includes three basic sections. First, Jacob and his large family begin their journey with all their possessions towards their new home in Egypt. Jacob stops in Beersheba and offers sacrifices to God. God responds by assuring Jacob He will continue to be with him and multiply his people. The narrative pauses to count the current descendants of Jacob, then resumes with Jacob's arrival in the Goshen region of Egypt. Joseph meets him there for an emotional reunion. Then Joseph prepares the family to meet Pharaoh.