Online Sermons
Lesson #10 - Transplantation To Egypt
Series: The Life of Joseph - A Tapestry of God's ProvidenceLESSON #10
Transplantation To Egypt
1. Why did Jacob’s family make a “pit-stop” in Beersheba? / Genesis 46
Beersheba was located on the southern border of the land of Canaan, about 60 miles south of Jerusalem. – vs.1
Beersheba was the place where years earlier Jacob had a dream (Jacob’s ladder). – Gen.28:10f
The essence of Jacob’s dream contained an assurance from God - - I am with you and will keep you wherever you go.
The purpose of this stop in Beersheba (on the way to Egypt) was to obtain God’s blessings. – vss.1-2
Jacob built an altar and sacrificed to God and God once again gave him an assurance via a night vision:
I will make you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again. - vss.3-4
Once Jacob received God’s approval, he and his family headed onward to Egypt. – vss.5-7
The Jacob clan traveled by means of the wagons & beasts of burden provided by Pharaoh. - vs.5 cf. 45:21f
They came en masse - - the entire family, with their livestock and all their belongings. – vss.6-7
2. How many were involved in this transmigration?
Gen.46:8ff enumerates all of the family who traveled with Joseph.
Vs.26 summarizes noting, his descendants, not including the wives of Jacob’s sons, were sixty-six persons in all.
Adding Joseph and his wife and two sons, brought that total to SEVENTY. – vs.28
Ex.1:5 and Deut.10:22 confirm this figure.
In Acts 7:14, Stephen gives the number as 75 (a textual variation in the LXX - - Septuagint - - a Greek translation of OT).
Four-hundred plus years later (Acts 13:19) they will return to settle in Canaan some one to three million strong.
3. What was Judah’s specific assignment?
As the drew near to Egypt, Jacob sent Judah ahead “to point the way”. – vs.28
This was likely a matter of logistics - - to get a final official approval for their entry into the land of Goshen.
The borders of Egypt were likely patrolled. A group their size could not simply waltz into Egypt without a “heads up”.
Scholars estimate that Jacob moved to Egypt around 1875 BC.
This was the era of the “Middle Kingdom and the Twelfth Dynasty”- - a period of great power and stability in Egypt.
4. Describe Joseph’s reunion with his father Jacob!
Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel – vs.29a
Vs.29b states that he presented himself (appeared before him), implying extraordinary splendor of appearance.
Joseph, who had not seen his father in twenty-two years, fell on his father’s neck and wept along time! – vs.29c
Jacob is 130 years old at this point in time (47:9) and now “with joy” is prepared to die. – vs.30
Joseph tells his family that he will announce their arrival to Pharaoh. – vs.31
Joseph requests that they tell Pharaoh that they are “keepers of livestock” rather than “shepherds”. vss.33-34
Why? This direction is given in deference to the disdain of shepherds by Pharaoh and the Egyptians. – vs.34b cf. 47:3
Next week’s assignment 4 Read Genesis 47 regarding the settlement of Jacob’s family in Goshen.
