Knox Bible

1

So Jacob set out with all his possessions, and when he reached the Well of the Oath, he offered sacrifice there to the God of his father Isaac.

2

That night, in a vision, he heard God calling to him, Jacob, Jacob! and when he answered, I am here, at thy command,

3

God said to him, I am the almighty God thy father worshipped. Betake thyself to Egypt without fear; I mean to make thy descendants into a great nation there.

4

I will go down there with thee; and when the time comes to return, it shall be under my guidance still; and Joseph shall stand by thee to close thy eyes in death.

5

So Jacob left the Well of the Oath behind him, and his sons took him on further in the waggons which Pharao had provided, to ease an old man’s travel.

6

With him were their own wives and children, and all the possessions he had in Chanaan, and so he reached Egypt with the whole of his family,

7

sons and grandsons and daughters with them, the whole of his race.

8

These are the names of Israel’s descendants who made their way into Egypt. He had his sons with him, of whom Ruben was the first-born,

9

and Ruben’s own sons were called Henoch, Phallu, Hesron, and Charmi.

10

Simeon’s were called Jamuel, Jamin, Ahod, Jachin, and Sohar; he had another, called Saul, by a Chanaanite.

11

Levi’s were called Gerson, Caath, and Merari.

12

Juda’s were called Her, Onan, Sela, Phares and Zara, but of these, Her and Onan had already died in Chanaan; Phares had two sons, Hesron and Hamul.

13

Issachar’s were called Thola, Phua, Job and Semron;

14

Zabulon’s were called Sared, Elon and Jahelel.

15

So much for the sons Lia bore in Mesopotamia of the Syrians, with one daughter, Dina; the whole count of these, sons and daughters, was thirty-three.

16

Gad’s sons were called Sephion, Haggi, Suni, Esebon, Heri, Arodi and Areli.

17

Aser’s were called Jamne, Jesua, Jessui and Beria, and they had a sister called Sara; Beria had two sons, Heber and Melchiel.

18

All these were descended from Zelpha, the woman-servant Laban gave to his daughter Lia; thus Jacob counted sixteen descendants through her.

19

Jacob’s wife Rachel had two children, Joseph and Benjamin;

20

Joseph’s two sons, Manasses and Ephraim, were borne to him in Egypt by Aseneth, daughter of Putiphare that was priest at Heliopolis;

21

Benjamin’s were called Bela, Bechor, Asbel, Gera, Naaman, Echi, Ros, Mophim, Ophim and Ared.

22

These were descended from Jacob’s wife Rachel, fourteen in all.

23

Dan was the father of Husim,

24

Nephthali of Jasiel, Guni, Jeser and Sallem;

25

these were descended from Bala, whom Laban gave as a serving-woman to his daughter Rachel; through her, Jacob had seven descendants in all.

26

Thus Jacob went into Egypt with sixty-six companions all sprung from his stock, not reckoning his son’s wives.

27

Meanwhile, Joseph had had two sons born to him in Egypt; so that Jacob’s whole clan, when they found a home in Egypt, reached the number of seventy.

28

He had sent Juda on before him to tell Joseph of his coming, so that they could meet in Gessen;

29

and upon his arrival, Joseph had horses put in his chariot and drove there to meet his father. At the first sight of him, he threw his arms about his neck, and embraced him, in tears.

30

Now, his father said to him, I can die happy; I have seen thee face to face, and know that my son survives me.

31

Then Joseph said to his brethren and to his family, I must go and tell Pharao that my brethren and my family have come here from Chanaan.

32

They are shepherds, I shall say, and all their skill is in tending flocks; those flocks, and their herds, and all they possess, they have brought with them.

33

So when he summons you and asks you what is your trade,

34

your answer must be, Thy servants are shepherds; to that trade we have been brought up from youth, as our fathers were before us. This profession will win you a home in the land of Gessen; the Egyptians hold all shepherd-folk in abhorrence.