Genesis 46:34 - Printer Friendly

ESV: you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ in order that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”

NIV: you should answer, 'Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.' Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.'

NASB: you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock since our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ so that you may live in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.'

CSB: you are to say, 'Your servants, both we and our ancestors, have raised livestock from our youth until now.' Then you will be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen, since all shepherds are detestable to Egyptians."

NLT: you must tell him, ‘We, your servants, have raised livestock all our lives, as our ancestors have always done.’ When you tell him this, he will let you live here in the region of Goshen, for the Egyptians despise shepherds.'

KJV: That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

NKJV: that you shall say, ‘Your servants’ occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”

Joseph is preparing his father and his brothers to meet Pharaoh for the first time. They have come to Egypt, to the land of Goshen, at Pharaoh's invitation (Genesis 45:16–20). Now that they have arrived, Joseph seems very concerned that they present themselves to Pharaoh only as keepers of livestock and not as tradesmen in any other industry. He notes that Egyptians have a distaste for shepherds—so he might be asking them to emphasize their family's role in raising cattle, as those animals were more respected in Egyptian culture.

Perhaps Joseph is working to ensure that Pharaoh feels comfortable giving his family enough land to support the livestock they have brought with them. He may be seeking to assure other Egyptians that these newcomers will be able to support themselves—at least when the famine ends (Genesis 45:9–11)—if given enough land in Goshen for their herds.

Joseph's dramatic statement about Egyptian views of shepherds is not clear. He might have been referring to the relative honor given to animals like cattle, over animals like sheep. He may have meant that Egyptians literally thought of sheepherders as unclean or dirty people. In some ancient cultures, nomadic people were thought to be untrustworthy, and shepherds often carried a lesser reputation.

In any case, Joseph isn't hiding his family's relationship with sheep. Rather, he wants it to be clear that they work as animal-raisers (Genesis 46:31–32). That's how they will describe themselves to Pharaoh in the following chapter—although they don't seem to use his level of tact (Genesis 47:3). One possible explanation is that Joseph wanted to provide for his family, but also keep them from integrating too deeply into the pagan Egyptian culture. Perhaps this was an attempt to give them their own space in Goshen where they could thrive and continue as their own separate people.

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.