1Israel moved with all he had. When he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2God spoke to Israel in a vision that night and said, "Jacob, Jacob!" "Here I am," he answered. 3"I am God, the God of your father," he said. "Don't be afraid to go to Egypt, because I will make you a great nation there. 4I will go with you to Egypt, and I will make sure you come back again. Joseph will close your eyes [when you die]."

5So Jacob left Beersheba. Israel's sons put their father Jacob, their children, and their wives in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to bring him back. 6They also took their livestock and the possessions they had accumulated in Canaan. Jacob and all his family arrived in Egypt. 7He had brought his sons, his grandsons, his daughters, and his granddaughters-his entire family.

8These are the names of Israel's descendants ( Jacob and his descendants) who arrived in Egypt. Reuben was Jacob's firstborn. 9The sons of [Reuben]were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 10The sons of [Simeon]were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. 11The sons of [Levi]were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12The sons of [Judah]were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. (Er and Onan had died in Canaan.) The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13The sons of [Issachar]were Tola, Puvah, Iob, and Shimron. 14The sons of [Zebulun]were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15These were the descendants of the sons Leah gave to Jacob in Paddan Aram, in addition to his daughter Dinah. The total number of these sons and daughters was 33. 16The sons of [Gad]were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 17The sons of [Asher]were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. Their sister was Serah. The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel. 18These were the descendants of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah. She gave birth to these children for Jacob. The total was 16. 19The sons of Jacob's wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. 20In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were born to [Joseph]by Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest from the city of On. 21The sons of [Benjamin]were Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22These were the descendants of Rachel who were born to Jacob. The total was 14. 23The son of [Dan]was Hushim. 24The sons of [Naphtali]were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25These were the descendants of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel. She gave birth to these sons for Jacob. The total was 7. 26The total number of Jacob's direct descendants who went with him to Egypt was 66. This didn't include the wives of Jacob's sons. 27Joseph had two sons who were born in Egypt. The grand total of people in Jacob's household who went to Egypt was 70.

28Israel sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When Israel's family arrived in the region of Goshen, 29Joseph prepared his chariot and went to meet his father Israel. As soon as he saw his father, he threw his arms around him and cried on his shoulder a long time. 30Israel said to Joseph, "Now that I've seen for myself that you're still alive, I'm ready to die." 31Then Joseph said to his brothers and his father's family, "I'm going to Pharaoh to tell him, 'My brothers and my father's family, who were in Canaan, have come to me. 32The men are shepherds. They take care of livestock. They've brought their flocks and herds and everything they own.' 33Now, when Pharaoh calls for you and asks, 'What kind of work do you do?' 34you must answer, 'We have taken care of herds all our lives, as our ancestors have done.' [You must say this] so that you may live in the region of Goshen, because all shepherds are disgusting to Egyptians."