Shadowland: Beginnings: Week 53

The Family Reunion - Genesis 46

• 46:3 "do not be afraid" - implying that Jacob was afraid to go to Egypt. For good reason after the experience of Abraham and Isaac. "make of thee a great nation" - Egypt will nurture the growth of Israel from 70 men and single women of his loins to 600000 men in Exodus 12:37. "close your eyes" - Joseph will be with you at your death.
• 46:11 Kohath is the grandfather of Moses. There were at least 2 more generations before the Exodus, giving 6 generations in all, increasing by a factor averaging 9.2 each generation: 9.2⁶ ~= 600000.
• 46:21 Benjamin gave his ten sons names which referred to the loss of his brother. Belah, because Joseph had disappeared ("swallow"); Becher, because Joseph was his mother's first-born; Ashbel, because Joseph was made a captive ("capture"); Gera, because he lived in a foreign land; Naaman, on account of Joseph's graceful speech ("grace"); Eḥi ("my only full brother"); Rosh ("the older"); Muppim, because Joseph taught Benjamin the things he himself had learned from his father ("double mouth"); Ḥuppim, "whose wedding I have not seen"; Ard, because Joseph was like a rose.
• 46:23 Son of Dan is Shuham elsewhere. Hushim sounds like "What's their names". Revelation 7:5-8 Dan is missing, replaced by Manasseh. Genesis 49:17 Dan is a serpent. Deuteronomy 33:22 Dan is a lion's whelp whereas Judah is a lion. All this suggests that the antichrist will come from Dan.
• 46:27 Note that Leah is the only remaining wife of Jacob. Her competition is gone, and she has Jacob all to herself in their old age.

  
    Leah		33 (including Leah)
  
  Reuben	4	Simeon  6 	Levi	3
  Judah	3 + 2 - 2 + 2
  Issachar 4	Zebulun	3	Dinah
  
    Zilpah	16 (not including Zilpah)
  
  Gad	7
  Asher	4 + 1 + 2
  
    Rachel	14 (not including Rachel)
  
  Joseph	2
  Benjamin 10
  
    Bilhah	 7 (not including Bilhah)
  
  Dan	1
  Naphtali 4
  
  	Total	70
  

• 46:28 Judah, as the holder of the birthright, represents the tribe.
• 46:34 Joseph provides for preserving the heritage of Israel, and limiting assimilation.