וַיִּסַּ֤ע יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֖א בְּאֵ֣רָה שָּׁ֑בַע וַיִּזְבַּ֣ח זְבָחִ֔ים לֵאלֹהֵ֖י אָבִ֥יו יִצְחָֽק׃

Israel and everything that he had traveled. He likely departed from Hebron, where he lived, and he came to Beersheba, which was located in the south, on the road to Egypt. Apparently, he specifically chose to pass this important landmark, where both Abraham and Isaac had constructed altars, just as he had on his initial journey to Haran (28:10). And there he slaughtered offerings to the God of his father Isaac.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּמַרְאֹ֣ת הַלַּ֔יְלָה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֣ב ׀ יַעֲקֹ֑ב וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃

God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, either a dream or a vision similar to a dream, and said: Jacob, Jacob; and he said: Here I am.

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָנֹכִ֥י הָאֵ֖ל אֱלֹהֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אַל־תִּירָא֙ מֵרְדָ֣ה מִצְרַ֔יְמָה כִּֽי־לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֥ שָֽׁם׃

Since Jacob did not see an image but merely heard a voice, God explicitly states that He is the one speaking. He said: I am the God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, as I will make you a great nation there. This promise, that the family of Jacob would be transformed into a nation in Egypt, addressed the concern that they might assimilate into the society of this foreign land.

אָנֹכִ֗י אֵרֵ֤ד עִמְּךָ֙ מִצְרַ֔יְמָה וְאָנֹכִ֖י אַֽעַלְךָ֣ גַם־עָלֹ֑ה וְיוֹסֵ֕ף יָשִׁ֥ית יָד֖וֹ עַל־עֵינֶֽיךָ׃

I will go down with you to Egypt and help you there; and I will also take you up again from Egypt, though not necessarily in your lifetime. You will merit seeing your beloved son, and furthermore, Joseph shall place his hand over your eyes, as he will care for you when you die. It is likely that the act of a son placing his hand over his father’s eyes was part of the preparation ceremony for burial. This final contact of son and father was an expression of closeness and honor. To this day there is a custom among some communities to perform this action upon the death of a father, based on this verse.

וַיָּ֥קָם יַעֲקֹ֖ב מִבְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיִּשְׂא֨וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־יַעֲקֹ֣ב אֲבִיהֶ֗ם וְאֶת־טַפָּם֙ וְאֶת־נְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם בָּעֲגָל֕וֹת אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח פַּרְעֹ֖ה לָשֵׂ֥את אֹתֽוֹ׃

Jacob arose from Beersheba. It was easier for him to leave the land of Canaan with God’s approval and His promise to accompany him to a foreign land. And the sons of Israel conveyed Jacob their father, and their children, and their wives, in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to convey him. The sons rode on the animals, while the elderly and frail Jacob sat in the wagons together with the wives and children.

וַיִּקְח֣וּ אֶת־מִקְנֵיהֶ֗ם וְאֶת־רְכוּשָׁם֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר רָֽכְשׁוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ מִצְרָ֑יְמָה יַעֲקֹ֖ב וְכָל־זַרְע֥וֹ אִתּֽוֹ׃

They took their livestock, which as shepherds was their primary possession, and their movable property that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they came to Egypt: Jacob, and all his descendants with him.

בָּנָ֞יו וּבְנֵ֤י בָנָיו֙ אִתּ֔וֹ בְּנֹתָ֛יו וּבְנ֥וֹת בָּנָ֖יו וְכָל־זַרְע֑וֹ הֵבִ֥יא אִתּ֖וֹ מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃ (ס)

His sons and his sons’ sons came with him, his daughters, his daughter and daughters-in-law, as the Torah mentions only one daughter born to Jacob: Dina, and his sons’ daughters, his granddaughter and the wives of his grandsons, as in the following verses only one granddaughter is mentioned: Serah (see 46:17). And all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt.

וְאֵ֨לֶּה שְׁמ֧וֹת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הַבָּאִ֥ים מִצְרַ֖יְמָה יַעֲקֹ֣ב וּבָנָ֑יו בְּכֹ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב רְאוּבֵֽן׃

And these are the names of the children of Israel, the children of Jacob, who ultimately became the heads of families of the Jewish people, who were coming to Egypt, Jacob and his sons: the firstborn of Jacob, Reuben.

וּבְנֵ֖י רְאוּבֵ֑ן חֲנ֥וֹךְ וּפַלּ֖וּא וְחֶצְר֥וֹן וְכַרְמִֽי׃

And the sons of Reuben: Hanokh, Palu, Hetzron, and Karmi.

וּבְנֵ֣י שִׁמְע֗וֹן יְמוּאֵ֧ל וְיָמִ֛ין וְאֹ֖הַד וְיָכִ֣ין וְצֹ֑חַר וְשָׁא֖וּל בֶּן־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽית׃

The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Yamin, Ohad, Yakhin, Tzohar, and Shaul, son of the Canaanite woman. This unusual mention of a Canaanite woman might serve to emphasize that none of the other children were the offspring of Canaanites.

וּבְנֵ֖י לֵוִ֑י גֵּרְשׁ֕וֹן קְהָ֖ת וּמְרָרִֽי׃

The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kehat, and Merari.

וּבְנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה עֵ֧ר וְאוֹנָ֛ן וְשֵׁלָ֖ה וָפֶ֣רֶץ וָזָ֑רַח וַיָּ֨מָת עֵ֤ר וְאוֹנָן֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן וַיִּהְי֥וּ בְנֵי־פֶ֖רֶץ חֶצְר֥וֹן וְחָמֽוּל׃

The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shela, who were born to him from the daughter of Shua, Peretz and Zerah, from Tamar; Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Peretz, who married at a young age and therefore had children prior to the descent to Egypt, were Hetzron and Hamul.

וּבְנֵ֖י יִשָׂשכָ֑ר תּוֹלָ֥ע וּפֻוָּ֖ה וְי֥וֹב וְשִׁמְרֽוֹן׃

The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puva, Yov, and Shimron.

וּבְנֵ֖י זְבוּלֻ֑ן סֶ֥רֶד וְאֵל֖וֹן וְיַחְלְאֵֽל׃

The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Yahle’el.

אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ בְּנֵ֣י לֵאָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָֽלְדָ֤ה לְיַעֲקֹב֙ בְּפַדַּ֣ן אֲרָ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת דִּינָ֣ה בִתּ֑וֹ כָּל־נֶ֧פֶשׁ בָּנָ֛יו וּבְנוֹתָ֖יו שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וְשָׁלֹֽשׁ׃

The list of Jacob’s children is arranged by the maternal line. These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, with his daughter Dina; all the people, his sons and his daughters, thirty-three.

וּבְנֵ֣י גָ֔ד צִפְי֥וֹן וְחַגִּ֖י שׁוּנִ֣י וְאֶצְבֹּ֑ן עֵרִ֥י וַֽאֲרוֹדִ֖י וְאַרְאֵלִֽי׃

The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Hagi, Shuni, Etzbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.

וּבְנֵ֣י אָשֵׁ֗ר יִמְנָ֧ה וְיִשְׁוָ֛ה וְיִשְׁוִ֥י וּבְרִיעָ֖ה וְשֶׂ֣רַח אֲחֹתָ֑ם וּבְנֵ֣י בְרִיעָ֔ה חֶ֖בֶר וּמַלְכִּיאֵֽל׃

The sons of Asher: Yimna, Yishva, Yishvi, Beria, and Serah their sister. Perhaps this granddaughter is mentioned because she was the only one born in Canaan. Alternatively, there were other unidentified granddaughters as well, but Serah had a unique personality. The Sages relate that she was very close to Jacob and that she merited numerous blessings, including exceptional longevity. And the sons of Beria: Hever and Malkiel.

אֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י זִלְפָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָבָ֖ן לְלֵאָ֣ה בִתּ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֤לֶד אֶת־אֵ֙לֶּה֙ לְיַעֲקֹ֔ב שֵׁ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה נָֽפֶשׁ׃

These are the sons of Zilpa, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; she bore these to Jacob, sixteen souls. The sons of Zilpa form the second largest group, almost half the size of the group of the sons of Leah.

בְּנֵ֤י רָחֵל֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב יוֹסֵ֖ף וּבִנְיָמִֽן׃

The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife: Joseph and Benjamin. Although Joseph did not travel with his brothers to Egypt, he is included in the list of the children of Israel who were there after they all arrived.

וַיִּוָּלֵ֣ד לְיוֹסֵף֮ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַיִם֒ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָֽלְדָה־לּוֹ֙ אָֽסְנַ֔ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֖רַע כֹּהֵ֣ן אֹ֑ן אֶת־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה וְאֶת־אֶפְרָֽיִם׃

To Joseph in the land of Egypt were born, whom Asenat, daughter of Poti Fera, priest of On, bore to him, Manasseh and Ephraim. These three, Joseph and his two sons, are members of the house of Jacob who were already in Egypt. They are mentioned separately again at the conclusion of the count (verse 27).

וּבְנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֗ן בֶּ֤לַע וָבֶ֙כֶר֙ וְאַשְׁבֵּ֔ל גֵּרָ֥א וְנַעֲמָ֖ן אֵחִ֣י וָרֹ֑אשׁ מֻפִּ֥ים וְחֻפִּ֖ים וָאָֽרְדְּ׃

The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Bekher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Mupim, Hupim, and Ard.

אֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י רָחֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֻלַּ֖ד לְיַעֲקֹ֑ב כָּל־נֶ֖פֶשׁ אַרְבָּעָ֥ה עָשָֽׂר׃

These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob; all the people of the descendants of Rachel, including Joseph and his two sons, were fourteen.

וּבְנֵי־דָ֖ן חֻשִֽׁים׃

The sons of Dan: Hushim. Although Hushim, who is also called Shuham, was the only son of Dan, he is referred to here as “the sons of Dan,” probably due to his numerous descendants, the family of Shuham. For similar usage of the plural terminology, see Numbers 26:8 and II Samuel 23:32.

וּבְנֵ֖י נַפְתָּלִ֑י יַחְצְאֵ֥ל וְגוּנִ֖י וְיֵ֥צֶר וְשִׁלֵּֽם׃

The sons of Naphtali: Yahtze’el, Guni, Yetzer, and Shilem.

אֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י בִלְהָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָבָ֖ן לְרָחֵ֣ל בִּתּ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֧לֶד אֶת־אֵ֛לֶּה לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב כָּל־נֶ֥פֶשׁ שִׁבְעָֽה׃

These are the sons of Bilha, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob; all the people were seven. As in the case of Zilpa and Leah, the descendants of Bilha numbered half of those of her mistress, Rachel.

כָּל־הַ֠נֶּפֶשׁ הַבָּאָ֨ה לְיַעֲקֹ֤ב מִצְרַ֙יְמָה֙ יֹצְאֵ֣י יְרֵכ֔וֹ מִלְּבַ֖ד נְשֵׁ֣י בְנֵי־יַעֲקֹ֑ב כָּל־נֶ֖פֶשׁ שִׁשִּׁ֥ים וָשֵֽׁשׁ׃

All the people who were coming with Jacob to Egypt, the products of his loins, aside from the wives of Jacob’s sons, all the people were sixty-six.

וּבְנֵ֥י יוֹסֵ֛ף אֲשֶׁר־יֻלַּד־ל֥וֹ בְמִצְרַ֖יִם נֶ֣פֶשׁ שְׁנָ֑יִם כָּל־הַנֶּ֧פֶשׁ לְבֵֽית־יַעֲקֹ֛ב הַבָּ֥אָה מִצְרַ֖יְמָה שִׁבְעִֽים׃ (פ)

The sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two people. If these are counted together with Joseph, and Jacob is also included, then all the people of the house of Jacob, who came to Egypt, were seventy . Alternatively, the number seventy is rounded up from sixty-nine.

וְאֶת־יְהוּדָ֞ה שָׁלַ֤ח לְפָנָיו֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף לְהוֹרֹ֥ת לְפָנָ֖יו גֹּ֑שְׁנָה וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אַ֥רְצָה גֹּֽשֶׁן׃

He, Jacob, sent Judah, who in their encounter with Joseph had become the brothers’ representative, before him to Joseph, to guide him to Goshen. Judah was to show them how precisely to get to Goshen, where they would live, in accordance with Joseph’s plan (45:10). And they subsequently came to the land of Goshen.

וַיֶּאְסֹ֤ר יוֹסֵף֙ מֶרְכַּבְתּ֔וֹ וַיַּ֛עַל לִקְרַֽאת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל אָבִ֖יו גֹּ֑שְׁנָה וַיֵּרָ֣א אֵלָ֗יו וַיִּפֹּל֙ עַל־צַוָּארָ֔יו וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ עַל־צַוָּארָ֖יו עֽוֹד׃

Joseph harnessed his chariot and went up toward Israel his father to Goshen, and he, Joseph, appeared to him, Jacob, fell upon his neck, hugging his father, and in his overwhelming emotion, wept on his neck prodigiously.

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף אָמ֣וּתָה הַפָּ֑עַם אַחֲרֵי֙ רְאוֹתִ֣י אֶת־פָּנֶ֔יךָ כִּ֥י עוֹדְךָ֖ חָֽי׃

Israel said to Joseph: I can die now in peace after my seeing your face, for you are still alive, as I myself have witnessed. I traveled here to see you, and now that we have reunited, I have received all that I could wish for and I lack nothing in life.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יוֹסֵ֤ף אֶל־אֶחָיו֙ וְאֶל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֔יו אֶעֱלֶ֖ה וְאַגִּ֣ידָה לְפַרְעֹ֑ה וְאֹֽמְרָ֣ה אֵלָ֔יו אַחַ֧י וּבֵית־אָבִ֛י אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּאֶֽרֶץ־כְּנַ֖עַן בָּ֥אוּ אֵלָֽי׃

Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household: I will go up to the capital city and tell Pharaoh the news, and I will say to him: My brothers, and my father’s household who were in the land of Canaan, came to me.

וְהָאֲנָשִׁים֙ רֹ֣עֵי צֹ֔אן כִּֽי־אַנְשֵׁ֥י מִקְנֶ֖ה הָי֑וּ וְצֹאנָ֧ם וּבְקָרָ֛ם וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָהֶ֖ם הֵבִֽיאוּ׃

The men of my family are shepherds, as they are people of livestock, which has always been their profession; and they have brought their flocks, and their cattle, and everything that they have. I will tell this to Pharaoh, as he might want to meet you personally.

וְהָיָ֕ה כִּֽי־יִקְרָ֥א לָכֶ֖ם פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְאָמַ֖ר מַה־מַּעֲשֵׂיכֶֽם׃

It shall be when Pharaoh shall call you and say: What is your occupation?

וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֗ם אַנְשֵׁ֨י מִקְנֶ֜ה הָי֤וּ עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ מִנְּעוּרֵ֣ינוּ וְעַד־עַ֔תָּה גַּם־אֲנַ֖חְנוּ גַּם־אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ בַּעֲב֗וּר תֵּשְׁבוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ גֹּ֔שֶׁן כִּֽי־תוֹעֲבַ֥ת מִצְרַ֖יִם כָּל־רֹ֥עֵה צֹֽאן׃

You shall say: Your servants have been people of livestock from our youth until now, both we and our fathers; so that you may live in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination for the Egyptians. The Egyptians despised shepherding, as it involved the killing of animals, which was against their religion and considered an affront to its believers.