Genesis 46:8-12
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While the verse seems to simply list names, it's actually setting the stage for a pivotal moment: the nation of Israel's entry into Egypt. This isn't just a family tree; it's the beginning of a people being formed in a foreign land, under God's unique plan.
Now these are the names of the descendants of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan); and the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following God's reassuring message and the comforting journey in the wagons Pharaoh sent, Jacob and his entire household are now entering Egypt, the land that will become their temporary home and the birthplace of a nation. This passage begins a detailed list, starting with Jacob himself and his firstborn son Reuben, to meticulously record every individual of his family who made this significant migration. The subsequent verses will lay out the generations that followed, laying the groundwork for the immense growth God promised Abraham.
This verse kicks off a long list of names. Why bother? It's not just a historical record; it's a divine promise in motion.
Genesis 46:8 begins the lengthy enumeration of Jacob's descendants who are entering Egypt. While it might seem like a dry genealogy, this list is incredibly significant.
God's Faithfulness in Names
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The verse immediately highlights Reuben, Jacob's firstborn. But his story is far from simple, carrying both honor and deep shame.
The specific mention of 'Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn' at the end of verse 8 is intentional. While the firstborn son traditionally held a place of honor and received a double portion of the inheritance, Reuben's life was marked by a profound failure.
The Weight of the Firstborn
Understand the original words
Yisra'el · Hebrew Proper Noun
A name given by God to Jacob signifying his status as one who has struggled with God and with men and has prevailed; it designates the people of the covenant.
bekor · Hebrew Noun
The eldest male child, who traditionally held a position of honor, authority, and a double portion of the inheritance within the patriarchal family structure.
Kena'anit · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
A term describing the native inhabitants of the land of Canaan, often associated with idolatry and opposition to the covenant community in the biblical narrative.
ben · Hebrew Noun
A designation for male descendants, often used to establish lineage, inheritance rights, and covenant identity within the nation of Israel. It emphasizes the continuity of God's promises through generations.
Kena'an · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting the territory promised by God to Abraham and his descendants as a perpetual possession. It is the geographic center of the covenant history in the Old Testament.
This detailed list of names marks the pivotal moment the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, numbering seventy souls, relocate to Egypt due to famine. This migration, though a salvation from immediate hardship, tragically sets the stage for centuries of bondage.
c. 1876 BC
Famine Grips Canaan
A severe famine forces Jacob's family to seek sustenance elsewhere. This crisis sets the stage for their migration to Egypt.
c. 1876 BC
Joseph Reveals Himself to His Brothers
After years of separation, Joseph, now a powerful figure in Egypt, reveals his identity to his brothers, paving the way for his family's move.
c. 1876 BC— this verse
Jacob's Family Migrates to Egypt
Jacob, reassured by God and united with Joseph, leads his extended family to the land of Goshen in Egypt.
c. 1876 BC - 1859 BC
Seventy Souls Settle in Goshen
Jacob and his household, numbering about seventy people, settle in the fertile region of Goshen, beginning their sojourn in Egypt.
c. 1859 BC
Death of Jacob
Jacob dies in Egypt at a great age, after eliciting promises from Joseph to bury him in Canaan and care for his brothers.
c. 1859 BC - 1446 BC
Growth and Enslavement in Egypt
Over generations, the descendants of Jacob multiply into a vast nation but eventually face oppression and enslavement by a new Egyptian regime.
This verse marks the initial promise to Abraham that God would make him a great nation, setting the stage for the growth of his descendants, which is further detailed in the list beginning in Genesis 46:8.
Exodus 1:1-5This passage directly follows the Genesis narrative, showing the result of the seventy souls mentioned in Genesis 46:8 multiplying into a vast multitude, fulfilling God's promise in a powerful way.
Numbers 26:1-65This chapter provides a census of Israel taken later, listing many of the same descendants and their families, offering a later perspective on the lineage that began its journey into Egypt.
Deuteronomy 10:22This verse explicitly states that Jacob's descendants numbered seventy souls when they went to Egypt, directly corroborating the count detailed in the Genesis 46 list.
Acts 7:14Stephen's speech in the New Testament references this event, counting seventy-five souls who came to Egypt, which provides a New Testament echo and interpretation of this foundational family migration.
gillGenesis 46:8: "And these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn."
And these are the names of the children of Israel which came into Egypt,.... Not meaning precisely Jacob's seed and offspring, but the body of the people of Israel, as they were when they went into Egypt, including Jacob himself: Jacob and his sons; for he went with them to Egypt, and was the head and principal of them: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn; see Genesis 2…
clarkeGenesis 46:8: "And these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn."
These are the names of the children of Israel - It may be necessary to observe here, First, that several of these names are expressed differently elsewhere, Jemuel for Nemuel, Jachin for Jarib, Gershon for Gershom, etc.; compare Numbers 26:12 ; 1 Chronicles 4:24 . But it is no uncommon case for the same person to have different names, or the same name to be di…
While the verse seems to simply list names, it's actually setting the stage for a pivotal moment: the nation of Israel's entry into Egypt. This isn't just a family tree; it's the beginning of a people being formed in a foreign land, under God's unique plan.
Following God's reassuring message and the comforting journey in the wagons Pharaoh sent, Jacob and his entire household are now entering Egypt, the land that will become their temporary home and the birthplace of a nation. This passage begins a detailed list, starting with Jacob himself and his firstborn son Reuben, to meticulously record every individual of his family who made this significant migration. The subsequent verses will lay out the generations that followed, laying the groundwork for the immense growth God promised Abraham.
Following God's reassuring message and the comforting journey in the wagons Pharaoh sent, Jacob and his entire household are now entering Egypt, the land that will become their temporary home and the birthplace of a nation. This passage begins a detailed list, starting with Jacob himself and his firstborn son Reuben, to meticulously record every individual of his family who made this significant migration. The subsequent verses will lay out the generations that followed, laying the groundwork for the immense growth God promised Abraham.
"Now these are the names of the descendants of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and…" — While the verse seems to simply list names, it's actually setting the stage for a pivotal moment: the nation of Israel's entry into Egypt. This isn't just a family tree; it's the beginning of a peopl…
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Last reviewed October 2026
