1 So Israel set out with all that he had, and when he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
2 And that night God spoke to Israel in a vision: “Jacob, Jacob!” He said. “Here I am,” replied Jacob.
3 “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.
4 I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will surely bring you back. And Joseph’s own hands will close your eyes.”
5 Then Jacob departed from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel took their father Jacob in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him, along with their children and wives.
6 They also took the livestock and possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt.
7 Jacob took with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons, and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.
Note · Genèse 46.1–7
Une présence pour le voyage et au-delà
Jacob s’arrête à Beer-Schéba et reçoit une parole de consolation. L’annonce du retour ne doit pas nécessairement être réduite à son seul retour personnel vivant : la fin du livre racontera sa sépulture en Canaan et l’Exode développera la sortie de sa descendance.
8 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.
9 The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
10 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.
11 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
12 The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.
13 The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Job, and Shimron.
14 The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
15 These are the sons of Leah born to Jacob in Paddan-aram, in addition to his daughter Dinah. The total number of sons and daughters was thirty-three.
16 The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
17 The children of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel.
18 These are the sons of Jacob born to Zilpah—whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah—sixteen in all.
19 The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
20 Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
21 The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.
22 These are the sons of Rachel born to Jacob—fourteen in all.
23 The son of Dan: Hushim.
24 The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
25 These are the sons of Jacob born to Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel—seven in all.
26 All those belonging to Jacob who came to Egypt—his direct descendants, besides the wives of Jacob’s sons—numbered sixty-six persons.
27 And with the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family who went to Egypt were seventy in all.
Note · Genèse 46.8–27
Compter des personnes, transmettre une mémoire
Les listes donnent une place aux branches de la maison et distinguent les membres déjà en Égypte. Les nombres dépendent de la manière de compter et des traditions textuelles. Ils ne doivent pas être forcés en un calcul unique sans examiner qui est inclus dans chaque total.
28 Now Jacob had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When Jacob’s family arrived in the land of Goshen,
29 Joseph prepared his chariot and went there to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, embraced him, and wept profusely.
30 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Finally I can die, now that I have seen your face and know that you are still alive!”
Note · Genèse 46.28–30
Les retrouvailles ne se réduisent pas à une information
Juda est envoyé en avant et Joseph vient à la rencontre de son père. Les larmes prolongées donnent à la reconnaissance une durée. La survie annoncée devient présence retrouvée ; le lecteur mesure ainsi ce que la vente de Joseph avait retiré à la relation entre le père et le fils.
31 Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and inform Pharaoh: ‘My brothers and my father’s household from the land of Canaan have come to me.
32 The men are shepherds; they raise livestock, and they have brought their flocks and herds and all that they own.’
33 When Pharaoh summons you and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’
34 you 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 to the Egyptians.”
Note · Genèse 46.31–34
Préparer une place dans une société différente
Joseph organise la présentation de la famille selon son activité de bergers. Le récit décrit des distinctions propres au cadre égyptien qu’il met en scène. Il n’érige pas la séparation des groupes en idéal universel, mais montre les conditions concrètes d’une installation en terre étrangère.
