Israel went down into Egypt through Joseph, the rejected brother God sent ahead to preserve the family, and God told Jacob not to fear going down because He would make Israel a great nation there.
Joseph's brothers hated and rejected him, and for all practical purposes killed him, yet God spared his life and raised him to power in Egypt to prepare for the famine. When the famine hit Canaan, the brothers came to Egypt for grain, and Joseph invited the whole family down to the best part of Egypt. At Beersheba, God told Jacob not to fear going down, promising to make him a great nation there. Les Feldick emphasizes that the nation of Israel began to come into bloom in Egypt.
Genesis 46:3 — God's direct command to Jacob to go down to Egypt, with the promise to make him a great nation there — the central verse answering the question.
Genesis 45:7 — Joseph explains that God sent him ahead to preserve a posterity — the underlying purpose behind Israel's move to Egypt.
Genesis 46:1 — Israel's journey to Beersheba where he offered sacrifices before God revealed His will about Egypt.
The Bible explains Israel's descent into Egypt through Joseph, whom his brothers hated and treated as dead, but whom God sent ahead to preserve life. As Joseph told his brothers, 'God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance' (Genesis 45:7). When the seven-year famine reached Canaan, Jacob's sons came to Egypt for grain, and Joseph made himself known, urging them to bring their father down and dwell in the land of Goshen: 'And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen... and thou shalt be near unto me' (Genesis 45:10). Israel (Jacob) set out with all that he had, and at Beersheba he offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac (Genesis 46:1). There God spoke: '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: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again' (Genesis 46:3-4). So the twelve sons with their households went down into Egypt, numbering threescore and ten (70) souls (Genesis 46:27).
Les Feldick traces Israel's move to Egypt back to Joseph's rejection. The brothers hated Joseph because he was the favored son and, for all practical purposes, killed him — but God spared his life and sent him to Egypt ahead of them [Clip 0], [Clip 3]. Once there, God raised Joseph to the top of the government, second only to Pharaoh, in control of the grain, and he stored up food through the seven years of plenty. When the famine hit Canaan, there was grain down in Egypt, and the brothers had to go down to get it [Clip 3]. Les highlights the dramatic reversal in God's instruction. God had told Abraham, and told Isaac, 'Don't go into Egypt,' and when they tried it they got into trouble until they hurried back to Canaan [Clip 4]. Now, with Jacob in the Negev desert about to starve after almost seven years of famine, God speaks to him at Beersheba and gives almost the total opposite command: 'Fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great nation' [Clip 4], [Clip 7]. Les points out that this statement shows where the nation of Israel began to come into bloom — it was in Egypt, not Canaan [Clip 2]. Israel went down as 70-some souls — Les recalls 72 — and in the years that followed they multiplied dramatically [Clip 5]. Les variously places the time in Egypt within the 400-and-some-year prophecy [Clip 5], the 430-year time frame of the promise [Clip 7], and notes that after some 215 years in Egypt itself, Moses led out a company of 5-7 million people, the largest nation in that part of the world at the time [Clip 4]. His constant point: the nation of Israel became a nation of people while in slavery in Egypt, exactly as God had promised [Clip 5], [Clip 6]. Joseph, knowing this, required that his bones be taken back to Canaan when God brought them out [Clip 5].
Les Feldick notes a complete reversal in God's command. God had repeatedly told Abraham, and specifically told Isaac, not to go down into Egypt, and when they tried it they got into trouble until they came back to Canaan [Clip 4]. Scripture records that instruction to Isaac: 'Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of' (Genesis 26:2). Now, with Jacob's family starving in the famine, God says the almost total opposite: 'Fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation' [Clip 4], [Clip 7], (Genesis 46:3). Les explains that the time had come for Israel to explode in population, and God had told Abraham that this would happen down in Egypt [Clip 2].
Joseph told his brothers to tell Jacob that Joseph was alive, that he was the head man in Egypt, and that Pharaoh had granted the family the best part of the country — right there on the Nile [Clip 0]. Scripture puts them in the land of Goshen (Genesis 45:10). Les describes this as the best part of Egypt, where Joseph was able to supply food for them [Clip 0].
Scripture numbers the souls of the house of Jacob that came into Egypt at threescore and ten, 70 souls (Genesis 46:27). Les Feldick recalls the number as '70-some souls, 72 I think' [Clip 5]. From that small beginning, Les says, they multiplied to anywhere from three to seven million by the night of the Passover, not counting the mixed multitude that came with them [Clip 5]; in another clip he puts the exodus company at 5-7 million [Clip 4].
Les Feldick emphasizes that Israel's time in Egypt was God's ordained place for the nation to be born. God told Jacob, 'Fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great nation' (Genesis 46:3), and Les stresses that up until this time there were only Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with the twelve sons and their children — still not much of a nation [Clip 2]. After the years in Egypt, the Israelites came out under Moses as a nation of people, having become viable in Egypt, in slavery [Clip 6]. Les also notes that God had told Abraham the descendants would be in a land not theirs for four hundred years, within the 430-year time frame of the prophecy [Clip 2], [Clip 7], (Genesis 15:13).
Joseph's Rejection Sends Him to Egypt
Les explains that the brothers hated and rejected Joseph, counting him dead, yet God used his arrival in Egypt to prepare grain so the family could survive the famine — showing that Israel ended up in Egypt through Joseph.
God's Promise to Make Israel a Great Nation in Egypt
Les teaches that the nation of Israel came from Joseph's rejection: God blessed Joseph in Egypt, he broke the famine for his family, and they came down as 70-some souls to become a nation over the next 400 years.
Israel's Nationhood Began in Egypt
Les points to God's words to Jacob — 'Fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great nation' — as the place where the nation of Israel began to come into bloom.
Joseph Prepared for the Famine
Les recounts that Joseph, as the second greatest man in Egypt, stored grain for the seven-year famine, which forced the brothers to come down to Egypt when famine hit Canaan.
From 'Don't Go' to 'Fear Not to Go'
Les contrasts God's earlier warnings to Abraham and Isaac not to enter Egypt with God's command to Jacob not to fear going down, because Israel would become a great nation there.
From 70 Souls to Millions
Les notes that Israel went into Egypt as 70-some souls and became a nation of people while in slavery, multiplying to millions by the Exodus, and Joseph insisted his bones be carried back to Canaan.
Israel Became a Nation in Egypt, in Slavery
Les answers where Israel became a nation — in Egypt, in slavery — before coming out under Moses as a nation of people, fulfilling God's word to Jacob.
Jacob at Beersheba
Les sets the scene: Jacob, starving in the Negev after almost seven years of famine, stops at Beersheba, offers sacrifices, and receives the near-total-opposite command to go down into Egypt.
Genesis 46:3: 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:
God's direct promise to Jacob, removing his fear about going down to Egypt.
Genesis 46:4: 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.
God's assurance that He would accompany Jacob into Egypt and bring him up again.
Genesis 45:7: And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
Joseph's explanation that God sent him ahead to preserve the family line.
Genesis 45:10: And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:
The invitation to settle in Goshen, the best part of Egypt where Joseph was.
Genesis 46:27: And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.
Scripture numbers the family that went into Egypt at 70 souls.
Genesis 15:13: And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
God foretold to Abraham that his descendants would be in a foreign land.
Genesis 26:2: And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
The earlier command to Isaac not to go to Egypt, contrasting with God's later command to Jacob.
At Beersheba, God spoke to Jacob and said, 'Fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation' (Genesis 46:3). Les Feldick explains this was a complete reversal of God's earlier instruction to Abraham and Isaac not to go to Egypt; the time had come for Israel to grow into a nation there [Clips 2 and 4].
Joseph's brothers hated him because he was the favored son and, for all practical purposes, killed him, but God spared his life and sent him to Egypt. There he rose to be the second greatest man in Egypt, in control of the grain, and when the famine struck Canaan the brothers had to come down to Egypt for food [Clips 0 and 3].
Joseph told his brothers that Pharaoh had given the family the best part of Egypt, right on the Nile, and Scripture says they dwelt in the land of Goshen (Genesis 45:10). Les describes Goshen as the best part of the country where Joseph had food available for them [Clip 0].
Scripture numbers the souls of the house of Jacob that came into Egypt at 70 (Genesis 46:27). Les Feldick recalls the number as '70-some souls, 72 I think,' and notes that by the time of Moses they had multiplied to between three and seven million people [Clip 5].
Watch the Teaching: Joseph as a Type of Christ: The Hidden Prophecy in Genesis 37-46