Genesis 46:34

Plain English Version

Then you have to say to him, ‘Sir, ever since we were young men, we looked after animals. And our father and our grand-fathers, they used to look after animals too.’ ” Then Joseph said to his brothers, “You know, the Egypt people hate men that look after animals. So they will not want you mob to live in their towns. But this place called Goshen, it’s a long way from the other towns in Egypt country, so Pharaoh will let you live here.”

Cross References

Genesis 13:8

Then Abram said to Lot, “I don’t like this trouble. You and me, we are family, and I don’t want trouble between us. And I don’t want our work-men to argue and fight with each other.

Genesis 26:20

But there were some men there from Gerar, looking after their animals, and those men came and argued with the men that looked after Isaac’s animals. The men from Gerar said, “That water belongs to us.” So Isaac called that water-hole Esek. That name means they argue.

Genesis 30:35

But that same day, Laban cheated Jacob. Laban went to the place where he kept his sheep and goats, and he took all the funny coloured ones away. He took the stripy goats and the spotty goats, any that had white bits on their wool, and he took all the black sheep. Then Laban gave those sheep and goats to his sons, to take them far away.

Genesis 34:5

At that time, Jacob was in his camp, and Jacob’s sons were out in the grass lands looking after Jacob’s animals. Then somebody went and told Jacob that Shekem did that bad thing to his daughter Dinah. But Jacob didn’t say anything, because he wanted to wait for his sons to come home.

Genesis 37:12

Jacob and his sons lived in a place called the Valley of Hebron. One day, Joseph’s brothers took their father’s sheep to the place called Shekem, so that the sheep had grass to eat. That place was a long way from Jacob’s camp. All of Joseph’s brothers went there, but Joseph stayed at home with his father Jacob.

Genesis 37:2

This is the story about what happened to Jacob’s family. Jacob’s son Joseph was 17 years old. And Joseph and his brothers looked after the sheep that belonged to their father Jacob. Joseph used to help 4 of his brothers to look after those sheep. 2 of those brothers were Bilhah’s sons, and the other 2 were Zilpah’s sons. Bilhah and Zilpah were Jacob’s wives. And Joseph told his father that those 4 brothers were doing bad things.

Genesis 43:32

In that room there was Joseph, and Joseph’s brothers, and some Egypt people. Joseph’s workers went and got food for them all. Those Egypt people didn’t want to sit with Joseph’s brothers, because Joseph’s brothers were from the Hebrew tribe, and the Egypt people reckoned it was wrong to eat food with Hebrew people. That’s what their culture said. So those Egypt people sat by themselves, and Joseph had a special place for himself.

Genesis 45:10

Bring your kids and your grand-kids, your sheep and cows, and everything that you own. You can live near me, in the place called Goshen.

Genesis 45:18

Then get your father and your families, and bring them back here to Egypt. I will give you the best land in Egypt, and you can live on that land. And you can eat the best food that is in this country.’ ”

Genesis 46:32

All the men in my father’s family, they look after animals. They brought all their sheep here, and all their cows, and everything else that they own.’ ”

Genesis 47:11

After that, Joseph gave his father and his brothers the best land in Egypt country, just like Pharaoh said, and they lived on that land. That land was in the place called Goshen, but later on, people called that place Rameses.

Genesis 47:3

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph’s brothers, “What sort of work do you do?” Joseph’s brothers said to Pharaoh, “Sir, we look after sheep, just like our father and our grand-fathers used to.”

Genesis 47:4

Then they said, “Sir, it is a really hard time in Canaan country. There is no rain, so there are no food plants growing, and there isn’t any grass there for our animals to eat. That’s the reason why we came here to Egypt country. We want to live here for a while. Please, sir, let us stay in the place called Goshen.”

Genesis 47:6

There is lots of land here in Egypt country. Your father and brothers can live in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen, the land is good there.” Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “Maybe some of the men in your family are really good at looking after animals. You can tell those men to look after my animals for me.”