These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:
English Standard Version (ESV)
While it might seem like a simple introduction, the phrase "each with his household" is key. It hints that the group wasn't just Jacob and his direct sons, but also included their families and potentially servants, suggesting a larger, more established presence in Egypt from the very beginning. This detail lays the groundwork for the incredible multiplication that follows, emphasizing that the promise to Abraham was about more than just individuals.
These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:
English Standard Version (ESV)
Moses begins the book of Exodus by listing the names of the twelve sons of Israel who, along with their families, accompanied Jacob into Egypt. This introduction serves as a crucial link to the book of Genesis, establishing the humble beginnings of the Israelite nation from a single family. It sets the stage for the incredible growth and subsequent oppression that will unfold, highlighting God's faithfulness to His promises even from a small starting point.
Why does Exodus start with a list of names, not the dramatic escape?
Exodus 1:1 isn't just a dry list; it's a deliberate starting point. Moses, the author, uses these names to connect us directly to the promise God made to Abraham – that his descendants would become a great nation.
Who exactly made up this 'household' that came to Egypt?
The phrase 'each with his household' is more significant than it first appears. In the ancient Near East, a 'household' could include not just immediate family but also extended relatives, servants, and dependents.
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How could such a small family become a vast nation?
Exodus 1:1, by naming the initial arrivals, sets up a stark contrast for what's to come. The incredible multiplication of the Israelites wasn't just about natural birth rates; it was a divine miracle.
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
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.
This verse marks the beginning of the book of Exodus by recalling the small family unit of Jacob that entered Egypt, setting the stage to highlight the incredible multiplication of this family into a great nation under God's power.
~1800 BC
Abraham's Covenant
God makes a covenant with Abraham, promising to make his descendants a great nation and give them the land of Canaan. This promise is foundational for Israel's identity.
~1700 BC— this verse
Jacob Migrates to Egypt
Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers, rises to power in Egypt. He invites his father Jacob and all his household to move to Egypt to escape a famine.
~1700-1500 BC
Israelites Settle and Multiply in Egypt
The descendants of Jacob live in the land of Goshen in Egypt. Initially welcomed, they begin to multiply significantly, a process seen as a miraculous fulfillment of God's promise.
~1500 BC
New Dynasty Rises in Egypt
A new dynasty of pharaohs comes to power in Egypt. This new regime is unfamiliar with Joseph's contributions and views the growing Israelite population as a potential threat.
This passage directly enumerates the sons of Israel and their households who went down to Egypt with Jacob, providing the specific list that Exodus 1:1 introduces and summarizes.
Deuteronomy 10:22This verse reiterates the foundational number of Jacob's descendants who entered Egypt, emphasizing their small beginnings as a contrast to the vast nation they would become, a theme introduced in Exodus 1:1.
Acts 7:14Stephen’s speech recounts the event of Jacob and his family going to Egypt, providing a New Testament perspective that connects directly to the initial listing of names and families in Exodus 1:1.
Genesis 12:2Exodus 1:1, by listing the names of those who came to Egypt, sets the stage for the miraculous multiplication of Abraham's descendants, directly fulfilling God's promise made in Genesis 12:2 to make him a great nation.
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…
While it might seem like a simple introduction, the phrase "each with his household" is key. It hints that the group wasn't just Jacob and his direct sons, but also included their families and potentially servants, suggesting a larger, more established presence in Egypt from the very beginning. This detail lays the groundwork for the incredible multiplication that follows, emphasizing that the promise to Abraham was about more than just individuals.
Moses begins the book of Exodus by listing the names of the twelve sons of Israel who, along with their families, accompanied Jacob into Egypt. This introduction serves as a crucial link to the book of Genesis, establishing the humble beginnings of the Israelite nation from a single family. It sets the stage for the incredible growth and subsequent oppression that will unfold, highlighting God's faithfulness to His promises even from a small starting point.
Moses begins the book of Exodus by listing the names of the twelve sons of Israel who, along with their families, accompanied Jacob into Egypt. This introduction serves as a crucial link to the book of Genesis, establishing the humble beginnings of the Israelite nation from a single family. It sets the stage for the incredible growth and subsequent oppression that will unfold, highlighting God's faithfulness to His promises even from a small starting point.
"These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:" — While it might seem like a simple introduction, the phrase "each with his household" is key. It hints that the group wasn't just Jacob and his direct sons, but also included their families and potent…
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Last reviewed October 2026