Day #28

Sermon - Audio
Gen 46-47 - Audio
Gen 46-47 - Daily Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

We are almost through the book of Genesis and the excitement has just started:

Gen 46 &47

*God again chooses to reveal himself to Jacob. This seems to be a trend throughout most of Jacob's life. The covenant promise is reinforced in small measure in v 3.

*This is why we have commentaries: "46:8–27 This list is organized according to Jacob’s sons by his wives: Leah’s sons (and one daughter, Dinah; vv. 8–15); the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid (vv. 16–18); the sons of Rachel (vv. 19–22); and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid (vv. 23–25). The number 70, considered a number of completeness by the Hebrews, was maintained by not counting the wives of Jacob’s sons. It is striking that, since Isaac and Rebekah only had Esau and Jacob, Jacob’s family had grown to 70 persons within two more generations. This foreshadowed how large Israel would become by the time they would leave Egypt (Ex 12:37) 400 years later (Gn 15:13–14)." -ASB-

*It was important that Joseph's family be kept some distance away from the rest of Egypt. They needed to maintain their people and not be dipped right into Egyptian culture. They tell Pharaoh that they are shepherds, who are again "abhorred" by the Egyptian people, and are sent to live in Goshen. Goshen was also a great place for watering livestock during the famine. Joseph kept the family there and provided for them during this time.

*It is believed that Jacob's blessing of Pharaoh was an extension of the covenant promise, "I will bless those who bless you" from 12:3.

*47:13-26: The famine was so bad that the people in the land sold their land and family under control of Pharaoh. This was a very good business move by Joseph. The Pharaoh received 1/5 of everything made on their land from that point on, while the people still get to keep the majority. This type of slavery was not what we typically think of slavery in America, but we need to remember that culture and context has changed.

*We see that in v27-28 Jacob's family gains possession of the land and lives out the original mandate of being "fruitful and multiplying."