Exodus 1:1
These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse isn't just a list; it’s God highlighting the foundational individuals of His chosen nation. Notice it says "each with his household" – this means more than just direct descendants; it signifies the entire extended family and their dependants, emphasizing the corporate nature of God's covenant promise from the very beginning.
This verse marks the transition from the story of Jacob's family to the burgeoning nation of Israel, serving as a bridge between Genesis and Exodus. It begins by listing the names of Jacob's descendants who settled in Egypt, immediately setting the stage to highlight their astonishing multiplication from a small family into a vast people during their time in that land. This foundational list emphasizes the humble beginnings from which God would bring about a miraculous deliverance.
Why start the epic story of liberation with a list of names? It might seem like a dry recap, but it's packed with purpose.
Exodus 1:1 isn't just an introduction; it's a bridge. It connects the personal story of Jacob and his immediate family in Genesis to the unfolding saga of the nation of Israel in Exodus.
What does 'household' really mean in this ancient context? And how does it point to God's active hand?
The phrase "each with his household" is more significant than it first appears. It speaks to the structure of ancient families and God's intricate plan.
Understand the original words
yisra'el · Hebrew Proper Noun
A personal designation used by God for the patriarch Jacob, symbolizing the covenantal identity of the people chosen by God to be His own nation. It represents the fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham and Isaac.
mitsrayim · Hebrew Proper Noun
Refers to the land of the Nile, frequently serving in Scripture as a place of both refuge and oppression for God's people, often symbolizing the world from which God redeems His children.
ya'aqob · Hebrew Proper Noun
The name given by God to the grandson of Abraham, later renamed Israel; he is the primary patriarch through whom the twelve tribes were established. His life serves as a model of God's sovereign grace and the development of the covenant family.
beythow · Hebrew Noun
c. 1800 BC— this verse
Jacob's Family Migrates to Egypt
Jacob and his entire household, numbering around seventy people, move to Egypt during a famine, settling in the land of Goshen at Joseph's invitation.
c. 1750 BC
Joseph and His Generation Die
Joseph, his brothers, and the first generation born in Egypt pass away. Their descendants continue to live in Goshen, experiencing a period of peace and prosperity.
c. 1750 BC - 1550 BC
Israelites Multiply in Egypt
The Israelites experience a phenomenal population growth, becoming exceedingly numerous and filling the land of Goshen, while still maintaining their distinct identity.
c. 1550 BC
Rise of a New Egyptian Dynasty
A new dynasty comes to power in Egypt, one that did not know Joseph. This marks a significant political shift, leading to a change in policy towards the growing Israelite population.
This passage lists the same individuals and families that made up the initial group who came down to Egypt with Jacob, providing the direct precursor to the nation's story that begins in Exodus.
Deuteronomy 10:22This verse reiterates the small number of Jacob's descendants who first entered Egypt, setting the stage to marvel at the incredible multiplication that follows, just as the opening of Exodus does.
Acts 7:14Stephen's recounting of this history mentions a specific number for Jacob's household sent for, highlighting a slightly different, yet related, aspect of this foundational family's move to Egypt.
Isaiah 51:1-2This prophetic passage calls the people to remember their origins by looking to Abraham and Sarah, who were few but became a great nation, mirroring the theme of a small beginning leading to immense growth seen in Exodus 1.
calvinExodus 1:1-7: "Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob."
- These are the names It is the intention of Moses to describe the miraculous deliverance of the people, (from whence the Greeks gave the name to the book;) but, before he comes to that, he briefly reminds us that the promise given to Abraham was not ineffectual, that his seed should be multiplied
"as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the…
clarkeExodus 1:1: "Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob."
These are the names - Though this book is a continuation or the book of Genesis, with which probably it was in former times conjoined, Moses thought it necessary to introduce it with an account of the names and number of the family of Jacob when they came to Egypt, to show that though they were then very few, yet in a short time, under the especial blessing of God…
This verse isn't just a list; it’s God highlighting the foundational individuals of His chosen nation. Notice it says "each with his household" – this means more than just direct descendants; it signifies the entire extended family and their dependants, emphasizing the corporate nature of God's covenant promise from the very beginning.
This verse marks the transition from the story of Jacob's family to the burgeoning nation of Israel, serving as a bridge between Genesis and Exodus. It begins by listing the names of Jacob's descendants who settled in Egypt, immediately setting the stage to highlight their astonishing multiplication from a small family into a vast people during their time in that land. This foundational list emphasizes the humble beginnings from which God would bring about a miraculous deliverance.
This verse marks the transition from the story of Jacob's family to the burgeoning nation of Israel, serving as a bridge between Genesis and Exodus. It begins by listing the names of Jacob's descendants who settled in Egypt, immediately setting the stage to highlight their astonishing multiplication from a small family into a vast people during their time in that land. This foundational list emphasizes the humble beginnings from which God would bring about a miraculous deliverance.
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A term often translated as 'house' or 'family,' denoting not just a building but the entire kinship group, lineage, and structure of familial authority and belonging under the patriarch.
"These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:" — This verse isn't just a list; it’s God highlighting the foundational individuals of His chosen nation. Notice it says "each with his household" – this means more than just direct descendants; it sign…
