1So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”“Here I am,” he replied. 3“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. 4I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.” 5Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel’s sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. 6So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt, taking with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan. 7Jacob brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring. 8These are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt:Reuben the firstborn of Jacob. 9The sons of Reuben:Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi. 10The sons of Simeon:Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. 11The sons of Levi:Gershon, Kohath and Merari. 12The sons of Judah:Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan).The sons of Perez:Hezron and Hamul. 13The sons of Issachar:Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron. 14The sons of Zebulun:Sered, Elon and Jahleel. 15These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, besides his daughter Dinah. These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all. 16The sons of Gad:Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli. 17The sons of Asher:Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah.Their sister was Serah.The sons of Beriah:Heber and Malkiel. 18These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah—sixteen in all. 19The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel:Joseph and Benjamin. 20In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. 21The sons of Benjamin:Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard. 22These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob—fourteen in all. 23The son of Dan:Hushim. 24The sons of Naphtali:Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem. 25These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel—seven in all. 26All those who went to Egypt with Jacob—those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons’ wives—numbered sixty-six persons. 27With the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy in all. 28Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen, 29Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time. 30Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.” 31Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32The men are shepherds; they tend livestock, and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’ 33When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34you 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.”
Scripture quoted by permission. The passage above is taken from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online)