XLVI. EMIGRATION OF ISRAEL AND HIS SONS INTO EGYPT. (1) ISRAEL... CAME TO BEER-SHEBA. — Though Jacob, in the first tumult of his joy, had determined upon hastening to Egypt, yet many second thoughts must have made him hesitate. He would call up to mind the boding prophecy in Genesis 15:13, that the... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM GOD, THE GOD OF THY FATHER. — Heb., _I am the El, the Elohim of thy father._ This is the last revelation given to Jacob, nor is any other supernatural event recorded until the vision of the burning bush (Exodus 3:4). It is brief, clear, and decisive, and every clause is weighty. Jacob is to mig... [ Continue Reading ]
JOSEPH SHALL PUT HIS HAND UPON THINE EYES. — Both among the Jews and Greeks it was the duty of those nearest in blood to close the eyes of a deceased relative. The promise conveyed the assurance that Jacob would die peacefully, surrounded by his friends. For the fulfilment see Genesis 1:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR GOODS. — These are not _the vessels_ spoken of contemptuously by Pharaoh (Genesis 45:20), but their personal property, of which they would naturally have much which they would not be willing to leave behind. Abraham had brought large wealth with him from Haran (Genesis 12:5), some of which may... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS DAUGHTERS. — See Note on Genesis 37:35.... [ Continue Reading ]
GENEALOGICAL TABLE OF THE ISRAELITES. (8) THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WHICH CAME INTO EGYPT. — This document, consisting of Genesis 46:8, is one that would be of the highest importance to the Israelites, when taking possession of Canaan, being as it were their title-deed to the lan... [ Continue Reading ]
REUBEN has four sons: Hanoch, Phallu, Hezron, Carmi. In these the genealogies all agree.... [ Continue Reading ]
SIMEON has six sons, namely Numbers 26:12; 1 Chronicles 4:24. Jemuel, _Nemuel, _ Nemuel, Jamin, Jamin, Jamin, Ohad, (omitted) (omitted) Jachin, Jachin, _Jarib,_ Zohar, _Zerah, _ Zerah, Shaul. Shaul. Shaul. Jewish tradition represents Shaul as being really the son of Dinah by a Ca... [ Continue Reading ]
LEVI has three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDAN has five sons, of whom Er and Onan die prematurely. The names of the other three are Shelah. Pharez, and Zarah (spelt correctly Zerah in Numbers 26:20_;_ 1 Chronicles 2:4). So also the right spelling is Pherez, and not Pharez. In 1 Chronicles 4:1 Judah has five sons: Pharez, Hezron, Carini, Hu... [ Continue Reading ]
ISSACHAR has four sons: Numbers 26:23; 1 Chronicles 7:1. Tola, Tola, Tola, Phuvah, _Pua, _ Puah, Job, _Jashiib, _ Jaehub, Shimron. Shimron. _Shimrom. _... [ Continue Reading ]
ZEBULUN has three sons: Numbers 26:26. Sered, Sered, Elon, Elon, Jahleel. Jahleel. No genealogy of the tribe of Zebulun is given in the Book of Chronicles.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE SOULS... WERE THIRTY AND THREE. — That is, six sons, twenty-three grandsons, two great grandsons, Dinah, and Jacob himself. The other daughters and granddaughters are omitted.... [ Continue Reading ]
GAD, the eldest of the sons of Zilpah, has seven eons: Numbers 26:15. Ziphion, _Zephon,_ Haggi, Haggi, Shuni, Shuni, Ezbon, _Ozni,_ Eri, Eri. Arodi, _Arod,_ Areli. Areli. In 1 Chronicles 5:11 only the registration of the Gadites is given in the time of King Jotham.... [ Continue Reading ]
ASHER has four sons: Numbers 26:44; 1 Chronicles 7:30. Jimnah, _Jimna, _ Imnah, Ishuah, (omitted) Isuah, Isui, _Jesui, _ Ishuai, Beriah. Beriah. Beriah. The sister is everywhere Serach, though called Serah here, and Sarah in Numbers. The three documents all agree in the names of Heber... [ Continue Reading ]
SIXTEEN SOULS. — That is, Gad and his seven sons, Asher and his four sons, the two grandsons and Serach.... [ Continue Reading ]
MANASSEH AND EPHRAIM. — In these names all the documents agree.... [ Continue Reading ]
BENJAMIN has ten sons: Numbers 26:38; 1 Chronicles 7:6; 1 Chronicles 8:1. Belah, Bela, Bela, Bela, Becher, (omitted) Becher, (omitted) Ashbel, Ashbel, _Jediael._ Ashbel, Gera, (omitted) (given as grandson) Naaman, (given as grandson) do. Ehi, _Ahiram, _ Aharah, Nohah, Rosh, ... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE SOULS WERE FOURTEEN. — Made up of Joseph and two sons, and Benjamin and ten sons.... [ Continue Reading ]
DAN has one son, Hushim, called Shuham in Numbers 26:42. No genealogy of this tribe is given in Chronicles.... [ Continue Reading ]
NAPHTALI has four sons: Numbers 26:48; 1 Chronicles 7:13. Jahzeel, Jahzeel, _Jahziel,_ Guni, Guni, Guni, Jezer, Jezer, Jezer, Shillem. Shillem. _Sliallum. _... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE SOULS WERE SEVEN. — Made up of Dan and one son, and Naphtali and four sons. Excepting Benjamin, the other genealogies do not offer any great difficulties; for variations in the spelling of names are too common to cause surprise, and names would be omitted whenever in later times the family h... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE SOULS WERE THREESCORE AND SIX. — This total is obtained by omitting Jacob, Joseph, and Joseph’s two sons. If we include these, the whole number becomes threescore and ten, as in Genesis 46:27. In the LXX. the names of five grandsons are added to Genesis 46:20, and thus the total is made seve... [ Continue Reading ]
ARRIVAL OF JACOB IN EGYPT. (28) TO DIRECT HIS FACE UNTO GOSHEN. — Joseph does not bring his brethren into the narrow and populous Nile Valley which formed Egypt proper, because they could not have maintained there an isolated mode of life. But this was indispensable for them if they were to multipl... [ Continue Reading ]
HE FELL ON HIS NECK. — Most of the versions and commentators understand this of Joseph throwing himself on Jacob’s neck, but Maimonides says that a son would not take so great a liberty with his father. The Authorised Version seems to understand it of Jacob, and this gives the best and most natural... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW LET ME DIE. — Heb., _I would die this time_ (Genesis 2:23), _after I have seen thy face,_ &c. Calmly will Jacob wait for death now that the great longing of his soul has been satisfied.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MEN ARE SHEPHERDS. — As Joseph’s object was to keep his brethren isolated in Goshen, he instructs them not to conceal their occupation, because Pharaoh on knowing it would not wish them to dwell in Egypt itself.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR EVERY SHEPHERD IS AN ABOMINATION UNTO THE EGYPTIANS. — This is probably a remark of the narrator, and it is confirmed by the monuments, which generally represent shepherds as unshaven and ill-dressed. Necessarily the Egyptians had sheep and cattle (Genesis 47:16), and even Pharaoh had herds (Gen... [ Continue Reading ]