What does Genesis chapter 46 mean?

Genesis 46 can be divided into three sections: Jacob's final encounter with the Lord, a count of all of Jacob's descendants at or around this time, and Jacob's reunion with his son Joseph in the land of Egypt.

Jacob and his large family set out with all they own for the land of Egypt. As wealthy people, they would be driving many sheep and cattle, as well as bringing all the wives, children, and goods in wagons provided by the Egyptian Pharaoh. Before leaving the Promised Land of Canaan, however, Jacob stops at Beersheba to offer sacrifices to God. In response, God speaks to Jacob, referred to in this passage using his God-given name of Israel (Genesis 35:10). God tells Jacob that he should not be afraid to move his family to Egypt. God promises to continue to be with him and to make a great nation of Israel even within Egypt. Finally, God sweetly tells Jacob that his once long-lost son, Joseph, will be the one to close his eyes in death (Genesis 46:1–4).

This blessing from God finalizes Jacob's move out of Canaan, beginning the family's slow march into Egypt (Genesis 46:5–7).

Next, Genesis pauses the narrative to report a count of all the descendants of Jacob around the time of their move to Egypt. The sons and grandsons, as well as two women, are listed according to each of Jacob's four wives. The count reveals sixty-six named descendants who entered with Jacob into Egypt. This brings the total of official Israelites, including Jacob, Joseph, and Joseph's two sons, to seventy. In the Old Testament, seventy is sometimes associated with completeness (Exodus 24:9; Jeremiah 29:10; Daniel 9:24). To reach this number, some scholars believe that some descendants, such as the children of Benjamin, were counted "early," to include the entire second generation after Jacob (Genesis 46:8–27).

Genesis then resumes the active part of the story, as Jacob and his family arrive in Egypt in the region of Goshen. This was likely in a fertile area along the Nile River. Or, at least, it would be once the terrible famine was over (Genesis 41:29–30). Joseph mounts his chariot and meets them there. He has not seen his father in more than twenty years, and the reunion is every bit as emotional as one might expect. Joseph embraces his father and sobs for a long period of time. Jacob reports that after seeing Joseph alive again, he is now ready to die (Genesis 46:28–30).

Finally, Joseph begins prepping his brothers for an audience with Pharaoh. He tells them how to answer Pharaoh's question about their occupation. Joseph urges them to say they are lifelong shepherds and herdsman, as were their fathers. In one sense, this is likely meant to reassure other Egyptians that these newcomers were not going to take resources from the local culture. They were more than capable of providing for themselves—once the famine was over. Interestingly, Joseph states that Egyptians have some special dislike for shepherds. Although it is not revealed why shepherds are so detested, the result is that foreigners in Egypt are often given the role of herdsmen. This might have been Joseph's way of ensuring that his people would be tolerated, but not fully absorbed, into the pagan Egyptian society (Genesis 46:31–34).

The next chapters describe Joseph's family meeting Egypt's ruler, Pharaoh, and their settlement in the land of Goshen.