Genesis 46:30 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Israel said to Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive."

NIV: Israel said to Joseph, "Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive."

NASB: Then Israel said to Joseph, 'Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.'

CSB: Then Israel said to Joseph, "I’m ready to die now because I have seen your face and you are still alive!"

NLT: Finally, Jacob said to Joseph, 'Now I am ready to die, since I have seen your face again and know you are still alive.'

KJV: And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.

NKJV: And Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive.”

Jacob and his large family have left behind the Promised Land of Canaan. They arrived in the land of Goshen in Egypt, at the request of the ruler, known by the title of Pharaoh (Genesis 45:16–20). Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers many years earlier (Genesis 37:24–28), has provided a place for Jacob and his descendants to ride out the severe famine in the region (Genesis 45:9–11). Jacob has only recently learned that Joseph is alive, thinking him dead all these years (Genesis 37:31–34).

When Jacob first learned of Joseph's supposed death—a lie told by his jealous older sons (Genesis 37:4,8)—he expressed intense grief. As is common in many languages and cultures, he phrased this in terms of death: mourning so powerful that he felt it would kill him (Genesis 37:35). After being reunited with the son he thought dead, Jacob says something similar but from a positive perspective. He again references death, but this time with a sense of joy and peace; he can die fulfilled and happy since he has seen Joseph alive. As it happens, Jacob will live several more years before dying in Egypt. He will be buried by Joseph at the family tomb back in the land of Canaan (Genesis 50).

Joseph's next step is to prepare his family to live in harmony with the Egyptian people. This includes an understanding of local culture and prejudices (Genesis 46:31–34).

Genesis 46:28–34 resumes a description of Jacob's move to Egypt. The family arrives in the Goshen region, likely along the Nile River, and Joseph rides out on his chariot to meet them. This includes an emotional reunion between Jacob and the son he thought he'd lost. Amid tears, Jacob declares he is now ready to die after seeing Joseph alive. Joseph immediately prepares his family for an audience with Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt.

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.