What does Genesis 46:5 mean?
Jacob is moving his large family from their home in Canaan down to Egypt. There, they will be provided for during the famine by his long-lost son Joseph (Genesis 45:9–11). They have stopped along the way at Beersheba, in the southern end of the Promised Land. There, Jacob has offered sacrifices to God. In response, God has appeared to Jacob and assured Him that the promises are still in effect. Jacob's people will become a great nation in Egypt, and God will be with Him all the way (Genesis 46:1–4).Now the family moves on, with Jacob and the women and children traveling in wagons provided by the Pharaoh of Egypt himself. Pharaoh, happy to have a part in rescuing Joseph's family from the famine, commanded Joseph to send the wagons to bring them to Egypt (Genesis 45:16–20).
Genesis 46:1–7 begins with the journey of Jacob's large family from Canaan to Egypt. First is a stop in Beersheba (Genesis 26:33). Jacob offers sacrifices to God. God responds, telling Jacob not to be afraid to settle in Egypt. God assures Jacob that He will continue to be with him and will still make a great nation of his offspring. After this, Genesis tallies all the direct descendants of Israel, before returning to a narrative form.
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.