Genesis 46:32
in Genesis 46The men are shepherds; they raise livestock, and they have brought their flocks and herds and all that they own.’
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.
KJV
And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.
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This verse in Genesis 46
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
I will go up and inform Pharaoh
on Genesis 46:31-32
Joseph goes up to the throne himself and puts his own name behind his brothers before Pharaoh hears a word from them. Matthew Henry sets the scenes beside each other, the brothers once contriving to be rid of him, and Joseph now contriving to settle them well.
This site's exposition
The men are shepherds
Joseph gives Pharaoh the answer before the question is asked, and at 47:3 the question comes as he expected. He names two trades, keepers of flocks and men of livestock. Both belong on grazing land at the edge of Egypt.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
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: 4 I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. The divine precept is, In all thy ways acknowledge God; and the promise annexed to it is, He shall direct thy paths.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:54w-of-76
And the men are shepherds,.... That was their occupation and employment, by which they got their livelihood.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
I will go up, and show Pharaoh--It was a tribute of respect due to the king to inform him of their arrival. And the instructions which he gave them were worthy of his character alike as an affectionate brother and a religious man.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָאֲנָשִׁים֙ | vehaanashim | and the men | H582 → | 566 times |
| רֹ֣עֵי | roei | [are] shepherds of | H7462 → | 177 times |
| צֹ֔אן | tzon | sheep | H6629 → | 274 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אַנְשֵׁ֥י | ʾanshei | men of | H582 → | 566 times |
| מִקְנֶ֖ה | mikneh | livestock | H4735 → | 76 times |
| הָי֑וּ | hayu | they have been | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| וְצֹאנָ֧ם | vetzonam | and flock[s] their | H6629 → | 274 times |
| וּבְקָרָ֛ם | uvekaram | and herd[s] their | H1241 → | 183 times |
| וְכָל־ | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לָהֶ֖ם | lahem | [belongs] to them | ||
| הֵבִֽיאוּ׃ | heviu | they have brought | H935 → | 2568 times |
וְהָאֲנָשִׁים֙and the men
vehaanashimH582 →566 times
רֹ֣עֵי[are] shepherds of
roeiH7462 →177 times
צֹ֔אןsheep
tzonH6629 →274 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
אַנְשֵׁ֥יmen of
ʾansheiH582 →566 times
מִקְנֶ֖הlivestock
miknehH4735 →76 times
הָי֑וּthey have been
hayuH1961 →3559 times
וְצֹאנָ֧םand flock[s] their
vetzonamH6629 →274 times
וּבְקָרָ֛םand herd[s] their
uvekaramH1241 →183 times
וְכָל־and all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לָהֶ֖ם[belongs] to them
lahem
הֵבִֽיאוּ׃they have brought
heviuH935 →2568 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 4:2Later she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil.
it leads to
- 1 John 3:15
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.
- 1 John 3:12
Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.
- Luke 11:51
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation.
- 1 John 3:10
By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
- 1 John 3:15
Through
Genesis 46:34you are to say, ‘Your servants have raised livestock ever since our youth—both we and our fathers.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen, since all shepherds are detestable…
it leads to
- Exodus 8:26
But Moses replied, “It would not be right to do that, because the sacrifices we offer to the LORD our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. If we offer sacrifices that are detestable…
- Genesis 43:32
They separately served Joseph, his brothers, and the Egyptians. They ate separately because the Egyptians would not eat with the Hebrews, since that was detestable to them.
- Exodus 8:26
Through
Zechariah 13:5He will say, ‘I am not a prophet; I work the land, for I was purchased as a servant in my youth.’
it leads to
- Amos 7:14
“I was not a prophet,” Amos replied, “nor was I the son of a prophet; rather, I was a herdsman and a tender of sycamore-fig trees.
- Amos 7:14
Through
Genesis 47:3“What is your occupation?” Pharaoh asked Joseph’s brothers. “Your servants are shepherds,” they replied, “both we and our fathers.”
it leads to
- Genesis 46:33–34
When Pharaoh summons you and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’
- Genesis 46:33–34
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.