Genesis 46:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then he said, "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation.

NIV: "I am God, the God of your father," he said. "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.

NASB: Then He said, 'I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.

CSB: God said, "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.

NLT: I am God, the God of your father,' the voice said. 'Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make your family into a great nation.

KJV: And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:

NKJV: So He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there.

A large family, headed by Jacob, is in the process of moving from their home in the Promised Land of Canaan to Egypt. Jacob is on his way to be reunited with his long-lost son Joseph. The move will also protect the family from the severe famine in the land (Genesis 45:16–20). Before leaving behind Canaan, Jacob has stopped in Beersheba (Genesis 26:33) to offer sacrifices to God. In response, God is speaking to Jacob, also called Israel (Genesis 35:10).

Here, God formally identifies himself as "El," a title He has often used in Genesis. There can be no question that the One speaking to Jacob is the God of his father Isaac.

Though God has spoken to Jacob relatively often in Genesis, this will be the last recorded instance where He speaks directly to one of the patriarchs. God's next recorded revelation of Himself will be to Moses, several centuries in the future (Exodus 3). God's message is that Jacob should not be afraid to leave behind the Promised Land to move his family to Egypt. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob each took any departure from the land very seriously. Since God promised it to them (Genesis 13:15). To leave it behind to live elsewhere could be viewed as a loss of faith in the promises of God. God assures Jacob that He approves of this move to Egypt. The promises are still in effect. In fact, God tells Jacob that He will fulfill His promise to make a great nation of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in Egypt.

God's promise to this chosen family included the borders of their future nation. However, God would not be limited by those borders when keeping His promise to multiply Israel as the sands or the stars. Their numbers and national identity would grow to mighty proportions in Egypt (Exodus 1:7)

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.

Joseph has just been dramatically reunited with his estranged brothers (Genesis 45). Following Joseph's revelation of his identity Genesis 46 describes the large family's move out of Canaan. Jacob stops in Beersheba to offer sacrifices to God and receive renewed promises from Him. Then the story pauses to provide a count of Joseph's descendants by each of his four wives. Jacob is reunited with Joseph, who prepares his family to meet with Pharaoh. Chapter 47 describes Jacob's meeting with Pharaoh and the family's settlement in Goshen.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.