Read with Me
Genesis 46:8-27 (HCSB)
These are the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt:
Jacob’s firstborn: Reuben. Reuben’s sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
Simeon’s sons: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman.
Levi’s sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
Judah’s sons: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. Perez’s sons: Hezron and Hamul.
Issachar’s sons: Tola, Puvah, Jashub, and Shimron.
Zebulun’s sons: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
These were Leah’s sons born to Jacob in Paddan-aram, as well as his daughter Dinah. The total number of persons: 33.
Gad’s sons: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
Asher’s sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. Beriah’s sons were Heber and Malchiel.
These were the sons of Zilpah—whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah—that she bore to Jacob: 16 persons.
The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt. They were born to him by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, a priest at On.
Benjamin’s sons: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. These were Rachel’s sons who were born to Jacob: 14 persons.
Dan’s son: Hushim.
Naphtali’s sons: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel. She bore to Jacob: seven persons.
The total number of persons belonging to Jacob—his direct descendants, not including the wives of Jacob’s sons—who came to Egypt: 66. And Joseph’s sons who were born to him in Egypt: two persons. All those of Jacob’s household who had come to Egypt: 70 persons.
Listen with Me
This listing of the descendants of Jacob became very important, as it later formed the basis not only of all the Israelite tribes among whom the land would be divided, but also of the clans within those tribes. Notice that these numbers did not include the wives of Israel’s sons or grandsons, although Dinah and Serah, the only two women listed in the line of descendants, were counted among the 70, as was Jacob himself.
Over the years God had taken some powerful steps toward fulfilling the promise that He had made to Abraham (Genesis 15:4-5, 13-16). He had not only spawned several nations from his descendants, but He had also made a sizable community out of the one to whom the promise had been passed and He was now taking them all to the “foreign land” that He had indicated, where He would grow them into a mighty nation over the next several hundred years.
Often God’s promises move more slowly than people want, but that is because He chooses to work through people. And the free will with which He has blessed those people often causes the work to go slower than even He would prefer. But whether slowly or quickly, as time is reckoned by people, God always keeps His promises.
Pray with Me
Father, we truly are an impatient bunch, even when it is us that is standing in the way of the speedy fulfillment of Your promises. We are a bag of contradictions, wanting You to do things miraculously, but at the same time, wanting to be involved ourselves at every step; wanting You to move quickly, but at the same time, wanting to feel safe and secure all along the way. But both parts are not usually possible, any more than it is possible for us to get a thrill from riding on a roller coaster, but to have it go slowly so that we feel safe at the same time. Sometimes, maybe frequently, maybe even always, we just need to hold on tightly while You work at Your speed, trusting that You have us, even when we feel scared and out of control. Help me, Lord, to trust You that much, always. Amen.