Question 1

Why did Jacob stop at Beersheba and offer sacrifices before going to Egypt?

Accepted Answer

Jacob knew he was about to make a huge change by leaving the land where God had promised to bless his family. Stopping at Beersheba, a place tied to his father Isaac, showed that he did not want to move without seeking God. His sacrifices were an act of worship, thanks for the news about Joseph, and a way of asking for guidance and approval. This pause tells us Jacob was not just following his feelings or the pull of Egypt’s food, but was choosing to submit his plans to God first.

Question 2

What is the meaning of God saying, “Fear not to go down into Egypt”?

Accepted Answer

Jacob knew that Egypt was outside the promised land and might have remembered times when going there had been forbidden. So he was likely torn between need and fear. When God says, “Fear not to go down into Egypt,” He is clearing Jacob’s doubts. God explains that He Himself will go with Jacob, will make his family a great nation there, and will also bring them up again. This shows that leaving the land for a time does not cancel God’s promise, because God’s presence and plan are what truly keep the covenant.

Question 3

What does God’s promise “I will bring thee up again” refer to in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The words “I will bring thee up again” have more than one layer. Jacob himself would die in Egypt, but his body would later be carried back to be buried in the land of his fathers. So there is a personal promise that he will not be left in a foreign land forever. At the same time, this points to his descendants. God is saying that the family going down as a small group will one day be brought up as a great nation. It looks ahead to their later departure from Egypt under God’s hand.

Question 4

Why are all the names and the number of seventy people going into Egypt important?

Accepted Answer

The long list of names can feel dry at first, but it serves a clear purpose. It shows that God is paying attention to each person in Jacob’s family and that this small group is the seed of a nation. The number seventy highlights how few they were when they entered Egypt. Later, they will become a large people there. This contrast underlines that their growth is not by human strength but by God’s promise to multiply Abraham’s family, even in a foreign land and in hard times.

Question 5

What is the significance of Joseph meeting Jacob in Goshen and weeping on his neck?

Accepted Answer

The meeting in Goshen shows both God’s care and deep human emotion. Jacob had believed Joseph was dead for many years. Now he sees him alive, in honor, and safe. Joseph rushing with his chariot and weeping on his father’s neck for a long time paints a picture of real love and relief. Jacob’s words, “Now let me die, since I have seen thy face,” show that this reunion feels like the completion of his earthly hopes. It reminds us that God can restore what seemed lost and bring joy out of long seasons of sorrow.

Question 6

Why did Joseph tell his family to say they were shepherds to Pharaoh?

Accepted Answer

Joseph knew that Egyptians looked down on shepherds and did not want to mix closely with them. By telling his family to openly state that they were shepherds, he was not putting them at risk but protecting them. This would lead Pharaoh to place them in Goshen, away from the main Egyptian cities. There they could keep their own way of life and worship without as much pressure to blend in. Joseph was using the Egyptians’ dislike to keep his family separate, and God used this to preserve their identity as His people.

Question 7

What does this chapter show about God’s character and His promises?

Accepted Answer

This chapter shows God as personal, faithful, and near. He calls Jacob by name, calms his fear, and repeats the same promises given before: He will be with His people, make them into a great nation, and not abandon them in a strange land. Even when His people are driven by famine into another country, His plan is still moving forward. The careful listing of the family and the tender reunion between Jacob and Joseph happen within God’s larger purpose. It shows that God’s care reaches both the big story and the small details.

Question 8

How can Jacob’s example of seeking God before moving help believers today?

Accepted Answer

Jacob’s stop at Beersheba gives a pattern for facing big changes. He does not trust only his own wisdom or the promises of Egypt. Instead, he turns to worship, remembers how God has led his family in the past, and waits for God’s word. For believers today, this encourages praying and testing our choices by God’s promises before we uproot our lives. It reminds us to care more about God’s presence than about comfort or opportunity. Moving, changing jobs, or making family decisions can be done with the same humble dependence Jacob showed.

Genesis 46:1

So Jacob, also called Israel, took all he had and started his trip. He went to Beersheba. There he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

Jacob’s Journey to Egypt

Those Who Went to Egypt

The Children of Leah

The Children of Zilpah

The Children of Rachel

The Children of Bilhah

Jacob Arrives in Egypt

Jacob’s Journey to Egypt

Cross References

Genesis 46:1

So Jacob, also called Israel, took all he had and started his trip. He went to Beersheba. There he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

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Jacob’s Journey to Egypt

Those Who Went to Egypt

The Children of Leah

The Children of Zilpah

The Children of Rachel

The Children of Bilhah

Jacob Arrives in Egypt

Jacob’s Journey to Egypt

Cross References