So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.”
Then Jacob set out from Beersheba. The sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry him. They also took their livestock and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him, his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters. All his offspring he brought with him into Egypt. Comment: Jacob worshipped and God responded, assuring him that he was doing the right thing and that God would be with him all the way. People thought of regional gods over various areas in those days but Jehovah is the Only Real God. God’s promise of going with him would be a real blessing even though God was in fact in Egypt and every where already. Their move would have been a difficult experience both emotionally and physically. Joseph, who had been torn out of Jacob’s life, would be the one who would close Jacob’s eyes in death – a very moving comment in Jacob’s ears.
Between these two passages is a genealogy listing the family of Jacob
All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who were his own descendants, not including Jacob’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six persons in all. And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two. All the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy. Comment: How does 66 equal 70? I guess it is something like this 66 descendants + Jacob + Joseph and 2 sons already there. The number was more because although their wives were obviously important in their culture and the children are not named, they are not counted in the number.
Prayer: Thank You that as You went before and were with Jacob, You are with us.
As I read it! 