Genesis 46:13
The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Yob, and Shimron.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Genesis 46:13
The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Yob, and Shimron.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
What's easy to miss here is the subtle variance in names when comparing this list to other places in Scripture, like 1 Chronicles. It hints that names could be recorded differently based on context or through generations, a reminder that Scripture is a living history, not just a static record. It also shows that "Job" here is a different person from the famous one in the book of Job.
Jacob and his entire household are moving to Egypt due to a severe famine, following God's assurance that He would make them a great nation there. This passage lists the descendants of Jacob's sons, enumerating each family line as they enter Egypt, and then describes Joseph meeting his father and brothers, orchestrating their settlement in the land of Goshen.
Why list these names when the main story is about Jacob and Egypt? What does it reveal about God's care for families?
In Genesis 46:13, we encounter the sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Job, and Shimron. While this might seem like a simple genealogical record, it's packed with meaning.
God's Detailed Providence
These names are not just random; they represent a specific branch of Jacob's family. God, in His infinite wisdom and care, ensures that even these details are preserved. This highlights that no one is too small or insignificant in His plan. Each individual, each family line, matters to Him.
Continuity of Covenant
Listing these descendants underscores the continuity of God's covenant promises. Despite Jacob's migration to Egypt, which felt like a departure from the promised land, God was ensuring that the lineage through which the Messiah would come was protected and would grow. These names are part of that unfolding redemptive history.
Ever notice how names or numbers can differ slightly between Bible translations or books? Let's look at what that means for the sons of Issachar.
When comparing Genesis 46:13 with other parts of Scripture, like 1 Chronicles 7:1 and Numbers 26:23-24, we see slight variations in the names and even the total count of descendants. For instance, 'Puvah' in Genesis is often 'Puah' elsewhere, and 'Job' might be 'Jashub'.
Why the Differences?
These variations aren't errors but can arise from several factors:
The inclusion of Issachar's sons' names here grounds this genealogical list within the broader narrative of Jacob's family's migration to Egypt. It highlights the structure and continuation of the tribes even as they face new circumstances in a foreign land.
~1800 BC
Joseph sold into slavery
Joseph, son of Jacob, is sold into slavery by his brothers and eventually rises to a high position in Egypt.
~1700 BC
Famine strikes Canaan
A severe famine grips the land of Canaan, forcing Jacob to send his sons to Egypt to buy grain.
~1700 BC— this verse
Jacob's family immigrates to Egypt
Jacob and his entire household, numbering seventy souls, migrate to Egypt to escape the famine, settling in the land of Goshen.
~1700 BC
Jacob blesses his sons
Before his death, Jacob blesses each of his twelve sons and their descendants, prophesying their future.
~1600 BC
This passage also lists the descendants of Issachar, providing a parallel account of these same individuals within the census of Israel.
1 Chronicles 7:1This chapter in Chronicles lists the descendants of Issachar, including Tola, Puah, and Shimron, offering another perspective on this lineage.
Judges 10:1-2This passage mentions Tola, the son of Puah and grandson of Issachar, who judged Israel. It connects a descendant of this line to a significant leadership role.
Genesis 46:8-12This section immediately precedes and follows the mention of Issachar's sons by listing the sons of Reuben, Simeon, and Judah, highlighting the genealogical focus of this chapter as Jacob's family enters Egypt.
calvinGenesis 46:1-34: "And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac."
- Et dixit Deus ad Israel in visi onibus noctis, dixit inquam, Jahacob Jahacob. Ille respondit, Ecce, adsum.
3 And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:
- Et dixit, Ego sum Deus, Deus patris tui: ne timeas descendere in Aegyptum: quia in gentem magnam ponam to ibi…
pooleGenesis 46:13: "And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron."
No text from Poole on this verse.
What's easy to miss here is the subtle variance in names when comparing this list to other places in Scripture, like 1 Chronicles. It hints that names could be recorded differently based on context or through generations, a reminder that Scripture is a living history, not just a static record. It also shows that "Job" here is a different person from the famous one in the book of Job.
Jacob and his entire household are moving to Egypt due to a severe famine, following God's assurance that He would make them a great nation there. This passage lists the descendants of Jacob's sons, enumerating each family line as they enter Egypt, and then describes Joseph meeting his father and brothers, orchestrating their settlement in the land of Goshen.
Jacob and his entire household are moving to Egypt due to a severe famine, following God's assurance that He would make them a great nation there. This passage lists the descendants of Jacob's sons, enumerating each family line as they enter Egypt, and then describes Joseph meeting his father and brothers, orchestrating their settlement in the land of Goshen.
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The Core Message Remains
Despite these textual nuances, the essential message remains clear: the lineage of Issachar, a son of Jacob, is preserved and accounted for as the family prepares for its journey to Egypt. The core identity and place within the twelve tribes are never in doubt. This teaches us to focus on the overarching truth conveyed, rather than getting bogged down in minor discrepancies.
Joseph dies in Egypt
Joseph dies at the age of 110, after seeing his descendants flourish in Egypt.
"The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Yob, and Shimron." — What's easy to miss here is the subtle variance in names when comparing this list to other places in Scripture, like 1 Chronicles. It hints that names could be recorded differently based on context o…