Genesis 46:6 kjv

And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him:

Genesis 46:6 nkjv

So they took their livestock and their goods, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him.

Genesis 46:6 niv

So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt, taking with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan.

Genesis 46:6 esv

They also took their livestock and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him,

Genesis 46:6 nlt

They also took all their livestock and all the personal belongings they had acquired in the land of Canaan. So Jacob and his entire family went to Egypt ?

Genesis 46 verses

Genesis 46 6 Meaning

Genesis 46:6 describes the physical elements accompanying Jacob and his entire family's journey into Egypt from Canaan. It emphasizes that they did not go empty-handed but took their acquired livestock and all their accumulated possessions. This verse underscores the material blessing bestowed upon Jacob's household, indicating a planned and well-resourced migration rather than a desperate flight. It marks a crucial transitional moment in the history of God's covenant people, as they leave the promised land of Canaan, albeit temporarily and under divine instruction, to dwell in Egypt.

Genesis 46 6 Context

Genesis chapter 46 marks the long-awaited reunion of Jacob with his son Joseph and the entire family's permanent move to Egypt. Earlier, the entire land was suffering from a severe famine (Gen 45:6). Joseph, as the governor of Egypt, had invited his family to settle in Goshen, promising them provisions and care. Crucially, Jacob's journey was not impulsive; before setting out from Beer-sheba (Gen 46:1), he offered sacrifices and received a direct assurance and command from God (Gen 46:2-4). God confirmed His presence, promised to make Jacob into a great nation in Egypt, and assured him that He would also bring him back (referring to his descendants). This divine directive transforms what might appear as a regrettable departure from the Promised Land into an act of obedient faith. Verse 6 describes the material preparedness and composition of the traveling group immediately following this divine confirmation. This journey lays the groundwork for the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant regarding the multiplying of his descendants into a great nation, as outlined in Gen 12:2 and Gen 15:13.

Genesis 46 6 Word analysis

• They also took their livestock (וּמִקְנֵהֶם, u-miqnehem):

  • וּ (u-): Conjunction "and."
  • מִקְנֵהֶם (miqnehem): "Their livestock" or "their cattle." The root qana means "to acquire," thus miqneh refers to animals acquired as property. This highlights that they owned significant herds.
  • Significance: Livestock was the primary measure of wealth and an essential means of survival in ancient nomadic societies. It indicates substantial material prosperity and self-sufficiency even amidst famine. This prosperity came from God's blessing upon Jacob, particularly during his time serving Laban (Gen 30) and after his return to Canaan.

• and their possessions (וּרְכוּשָׁם, u-rekhusham):

  • וּ (u-): Conjunction "and."
  • רְכוּשָׁם (rekhusham): "Their acquired goods," "property," or "possessions." The root rakash means "to gather" or "to acquire."
  • Significance: Encompasses all other moveable property beyond livestock, such as tools, household items, food, silver, and gold. This further emphasizes their wealth and prepared state, not arriving in Egypt as impoverished refugees but as a wealthy clan, capable of sustaining themselves. It speaks to God's providence even before they entered Egypt.

• which they had acquired (אֲשֶׁר רָכְשׁוּ, asher rakhshu):

  • אֲשֶׁר (asher): Relative pronoun, "which," "that."
  • רָכְשׁוּ (rakhshu): "They acquired" or "they gained." Same root as rekhush.
  • Significance: This phrase emphasizes the provenance of their wealth. It was not inherited wealth from Abraham directly, but gained through their labor and God's blessing in Canaan. This subtly reiterates God's faithfulness to Jacob, who had worked hard to gain his family and wealth. It ties their prosperity directly to their living in the land of promise.

• in the land of Canaan (בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן, be'erets Kena'an):

  • בְּאֶרֶץ (be'erets): "In the land of."
  • כְּנָעַן (Kena'an): "Canaan." The promised land, central to the Abrahamic covenant.
  • Significance: This detail is crucial. Their wealth was accumulated in the very land God had promised Abraham. Their departure, though temporary, from the land where their blessing flourished highlights the direct divine command that overrode their dwelling in the promised land, showcasing obedience and faith. It sets up the later narratives of return to Canaan.

• and came to Egypt (וַיָּבֹאוּ מִצְרָיְמָה, vayavo'u Mitsraymah):

  • וַיָּבֹאוּ (vayavo'u): "And they came." The verbal form suggests completed action, depicting their arrival.
  • מִצְרָיְמָה (Mitsraymah): "To Egypt." The land of sojourn and eventual enslavement, yet divinely ordained as the place where Israel would become a great nation.
  • Significance: This marks the physical fulfillment of God's prophecy to Abram in Gen 15:13, where his descendants would be foreigners in a land not theirs. It begins the period of Israel's descent and formation into a distinct people, laying the foundation for the Exodus.

• Jacob (יַעֲקֹב, Ya'aqov):

  • Proper noun, "Jacob," later "Israel."
  • Significance: The patriarch through whom the twelve tribes of Israel would come. His personal journey, often marked by struggle, finds its apex here as he leads his entire family into a new phase of their corporate history.

• and all his offspring with him (וְכָל זַרְעוֹ אִתּוֹ, vechol zar'o itto):

  • וְכָל (vechol): "And all."
  • זַרְעוֹ (zar'o): "His seed," "his offspring," or "his descendants."
  • אִתּוֹ (itto): "With him."
  • Significance: This emphasizes the complete family unit. "All his offspring" signals that the entirety of God's covenant people, as represented by Jacob's immediate family, were moving. This collectivity is essential for the later formation of a nation. It highlights that the covenant promise of "numerous offspring" (Gen 12:2) is in the process of being realized through this concentrated group. It also reminds the reader that Jacob, despite his advanced age, was actively leading his entire household.

Genesis 46 6 Bonus section

• The collective descent to Egypt, marked by their material assets, directly contrasts the earlier experiences of Abram and Isaac, who also sojourned in Egypt (Gen 12:10; Gen 26:1-2), but in smaller, family units. This represents a more formalized and larger-scale movement, critical for national development.
• The detail of taking "livestock and possessions" illustrates the ancient Near Eastern economic reality, where material wealth often denoted status, security, and the ability to sustain life in harsh conditions. God's people were thus well-equipped for their new environment in Goshen, specifically chosen for its suitability for raising livestock (Gen 47:6).
• The fact that they acquired their possessions, rather than merely inheriting them, suggests diligent work on Jacob's part, blessed by God. This underscores the principle of diligent labor combined with divine favor leading to prosperity within the biblical narrative.

Genesis 46 6 Commentary

Genesis 46:6 succinctly captures the initial phase of Israel's four-hundred-year sojourn in Egypt. It serves as a vital bridge between the family narrative of the patriarchs and the emergence of a nation. The emphasis on "livestock and their possessions" is not merely a detail about their material wealth; it underlines the fact that Jacob's family did not enter Egypt as a desperate, poverty-stricken clan. Instead, they brought considerable assets, which testified to God's continuous blessing and provision, even during a widespread famine. This detail also anticipates the later Exodus, where Israel would leave Egypt "with great wealth" (Exod 12:35-36), portraying a cycle of divine providence.

Their acquisition of this wealth "in the land of Canaan" underscores their rootedness, albeit as sojourners, in the promised land. Their departure from this sacred territory was therefore momentous, not an opportunistic flight but an act of obedience to the divine directive given to Jacob at Beer-sheba. This act of faith set the stage for the growth of a numerous, distinctive people within a foreign land, thereby fulfilling God's ancient covenant with Abraham that his descendants would multiply and ultimately inherit Canaan. This migration also highlights the leadership role of Jacob, personally guiding the foundational family unit of Israel.