Genesis 46:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

NIV: The sons of Reuben: Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.

NASB: And the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

CSB: Reuben's sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

NLT: The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

KJV: And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.

NKJV: The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

This is part of an extended list of all Jacob's sons and grandsons. Together, they will begin to be known as "Israel" (Genesis 35:10), growing into the nation God had promised would come from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 12:2).

The list began with Jacob's firstborn son Reuben. Now Reuben's sons are listed: Hanoch, Pallu, Hazron, and Carmi. The name Hanoch could also be understood as Enoch, meaning that both Adam's and Jacob's first grandsons shared the same name (Genesis 4:17). Pallu may mean "God is a miracle worker." Hazron is the same name as Judah's grandson (Genesis 46:12), but the meaning is unknown. Carmi is related to the Hebrew word for vineyard.

Genesis 46:8–27 pauses the story of Jacob's migration to Egypt to count his direct offspring around this time. The final tally of all Israelites, not counting the wives of the sons and grandsons, is 70. The text then resumes explaining Jacob's reunion with his son, Joseph.

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.

Accessed 5/7/2024 12:00:10 AM