Genesis 46:3
in Genesis 46“I am God,” He said, “the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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:
KJV
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:
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This verse in Genesis 46
Commentary
8 notes on this verseIt appears fitting indeed after these things, to contemplate and look into what God says to Israel himself through the vision and how he sends him to Egypt strengthening and encouraging him as if he were setting out to some struggles. For he says, "Fear not to descend into Egypt." This is to say, you shall contend "against principalities and powers and against the rulers of this world of this darkness"—which is figuratively called Egypt—fear not, be not afraid.
This site's exposition
Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt
Isaac had been told to stay out of Egypt at 26:2, and Jacob is sent down with a promise attached. God speaks to the fear first, telling Jacob not to be afraid to go down. Then comes the promise, that He will make a great nation there. The nation is made outside the land.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And he said, I am God, the God of thy father,....
He promises him comfort in the removal. (1.) That he should multiply in Egypt: " I will there, where thou fearest that thy family will sink and be lost, make it a great nation. That is the place Infinite Wisdom has chosen for the accomplishment of that promise." (2.) That he should have God's presence with him: I will go down with thee into Egypt.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Fear not to go down into Egypt - It appears that there had been some doubts in the patriarch’s mind relative to the propriety of this journey; he found, from the confession of his own sons, how little they were to be trusted. But every doubt is dispelled by this Divine manifestation. 1. He may go down confidently, no evil shall befall him. 2. Even in Egypt the covenant shall be fulfilled, God will make of him there a great nation.
NOTICE in this passage the two names which are mentioned. "Israel took his journey and God spoke unto Israel in the visions of the night and said, Jacob, Jacob." "Jacob" was the name of his weakness—"Israel" was the title of his strength. "Jacob" was the name of his birth-nature—"Israel" was the name of his new and spiritual nature. When Israel set out to go down into Egypt and see his son Joseph, he started in great vigor and strength for an old man—faith made him full of force. Therefore we read, "Israel took his journey."
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
I will there make of thee a great nation--How truly this promise was fulfilled, appears in the fact that the seventy souls who went down into Egypt increased [Ex 1:5-7], in the space of two hundred fifteen years, to one hundred eighty thousand.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
NOTICE in this passage the two names which are mentioned. "Israel took his journey and God spoke unto Israel in the visions of the night and said, Jacob, Jacob." "Jacob" was the name of his weakness—"Israel" was the title of his strength. "Jacob" was the name of his birth-nature—"Israel" was the name of his new and spiritual nature. When Israel set out to go down into Egypt and see his son Joseph, he started in great vigor and strength for an old man—faith made him full of force. Therefore we read, "Israel took his journey." I see the old man revived and stirred up to a high degree of hopeful energy. He traveled some few miles on the first day and reached the well of Beersheba. It was the border town, where stood the well of the oak—after passing Beersheba he would be out of the land of promise and on his way to Egypt. And at the remembrance of this fact, the old trembling came over him and he became Jacob, as at some prior time. When he was to take the decisive step to leave Canaan and make his journey into Egypt, then he suddenly felt himself a Jacob and began to halt upon his thigh. And the Lord in the visions of the night addressed him by the name which was most suitable to his condition, saying to him, "Jacob, Jacob." He did not call him "Israel." He came to him in his infirmity and trial and suited His speech to his condition. The Lord met the weakness of His servant's faith, and sent him consolations fitted rather for Jacob than for Israel. Dear Friends, I am afraid that the lives of many of the Lord's chosen people alternate between "Israel" and "Jacob." Sometimes we are "strong in the Lord and in the power of His might," and at another time we cry, "Who is sufficient for these things?" Like princes we prevail with God and are true Israels. But perhaps before the sun has gone down we limp with Jacob and though the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
After G-d had told him, Thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name, 172 Above,:10. it would be proper that He call him by this glorious name, and so he is indeed mentioned three times in this section.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֕אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אָנֹכִ֥י | ʾanokhi | I | H595 → | 359 times |
| הָאֵ֖ל | hael | [am] the God | H410 → | 241 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֣י | ʾelohei | [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אָבִ֑יךָ | ʾavikha | father your | H1 → | 1212 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּירָא֙ | tira' | you be afraid | H3372 → | 315 times |
| מֵרְדָ֣ה | meredah | from going down | H3381 → | 381 times |
| מִצְרַ֔יְמָה | mitzraymah | Egypt towards | H4714 → | 641 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לְג֥וֹי | legoy | into a nation | H1471 → | 561 times |
| גָּד֖וֹל | gadol | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֥ | ʾasimekha | I will make you | H7760 → | 584 times |
| שָֽׁם׃ | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
וַיֹּ֕אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אָנֹכִ֥יI
ʾanokhiH595 →359 times
הָאֵ֖ל[am] the God
haelH410 →241 times
אֱלֹהֵ֣י[the] God of
ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times
אָבִ֑יךָfather your
ʾavikhaH1 →1212 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּירָא֙you be afraid
tira'H3372 →315 times
מֵרְדָ֣הfrom going down
meredahH3381 →381 times
מִצְרַ֔יְמָהEgypt towards
mitzraymahH4714 →641 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
לְג֥וֹיinto a nation
legoyH1471 →561 times
גָּד֖וֹלgreat
gadolH1419 →526 times
אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֥I will make you
ʾasimekhaH7760 →584 times
שָֽׁם׃there
shamH8033 →834 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 12:2I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 7:9
I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make for you a name like the greatest in the land.
- Galatians 3:14
He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
- Genesis 18:18
Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
- Genesis 17:4–6
“As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.
- Genesis 28:3–4
May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, so that you may become a company of peoples.
- 2 Samuel 7:9
Through
Acts 27:24and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And look, God has granted you the lives of all who sail with you.’
it leads to
- Acts 23:11
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”
- 2 Timothy 4:16–17
At my first defense, no one stood with me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be charged against them.
- Matthew 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
- Acts 23:11
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2116: “The Unchanging God Cheering Jacob in His Change of Dwelling Place” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Chuck Missler, The Book of Genesis; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 15.5.