461 And Israel went on his journey with all he had, and came to Beer-sheba, where he made offerings to the God of his father Isaac. 2 And God said to Israel in a night-vision, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. 3 And he said, I am God, the God of your father: go down to Egypt without fear, for I will make a great nation of you there: 4 I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will see that you come back again, and at your death Joseph will put his hands on your eyes.
5 Then Jacob went on from Beer-sheba; and the sons of Jacob took their father and their little ones and their wives in the carts which Pharaoh had sent for them. 6 And they took their cattle and all the goods which they had got in the land of Canaan, and came to Egypt, even Jacob and all his seed:
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 46:1-6
Commentary on Genesis 46:1-4
(Read Genesis 46:1-4)
Even as to those events and undertakings which appear most joyful, we should seek counsel, assistance, and a blessing from the Lord. Attending on his ordinances, and receiving the pledges of his covenant love, we expect his presence, and that peace which it confers. In all removals we should be reminded of our removal out of this world. Nothing can encourage us to fear no evil when passing through the valley of the shadow of death, but the presence of Christ.
Commentary on Genesis 46:5-27
(Read Genesis 46:5-27)
We have here a particular account of Jacob's family. Though the fulfilling of promises is always sure, yet it is often slow. It was now 215 years since God had promised Abraham to make of him a great nation, 2; yet that branch of his seed, to which the promise was made sure, had only increased to seventy, of whom this particular account is kept, to show the power of God in making these seventy become a vast multitude.