God’s Word Translation
Genesis 46:3
3“I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to go to Egypt, because I will make you a great nation there.
Genesis 46:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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:
- New International Version (NIV)“I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then he said, "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there.
Context of Genesis 46:3
1Israel moved with all he had. When he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2God spoke to Israel in a vision that night and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” “Here I am,” he answered. “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to go to Egypt, because I will make you a great nation there. 4I will go with you to Egypt, and I will make sure you come back again. Joseph will close your eyes ⌞when you die⌟.” 5So Jacob left Beersheba. Israel’s sons put their father Jacob, their children, and their wives in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to bring him back.
Read all of Genesis 46Genesis 46:3 word by word
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָנֹכִ֥י הָאֵ֖ל אֱלֹהֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אַל־תִּירָא֙ מֵרְדָ֣ה מִצְרַ֔יְמָה כִּֽי־לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֥ שָֽׁם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Godאֵל'êl · GodH410
- the Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of thy fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- fearיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
- not to go downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- into Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- for I will there makeשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
- of thee a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- nationגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
Cross-references for Genesis 46:3
- Genesis 28:13The Lord was standing above it, saying, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give the land on which you are lying to you and your descendants.
- Genesis 15:1Later the Lord spoke his word to Abram in a vision. He said, “Abram, don’t be afraid. I am your shield. Your reward will be very great.”
- Genesis 26:2The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Don’t go to Egypt. Stay where I tell you.
- Isaiah 41:10Don’t be afraid, because I am with you. Don’t be intimidated; I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will support you with my victorious right hand.
- Isaiah 43:1The Lord created Jacob and formed Israel. Now, this is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid, because I have reclaimed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.
- Jeremiah 40:9Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, swore an oath to them and their men. He said, “Don’t be afraid to serve the Babylonians. Live in this country, serve the king of Babylon, and you will prosper.
- Acts 27:24The angel told me, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul! You must present your case to the emperor. God has granted safety to everyone who is sailing with you.’
- Genesis 12:2I will make you a great nation, I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
- Genesis 13:15I will give all the land you see to you and to your descendants for an indefinite period of time.
- Genesis 18:18After all, Abraham is going to become a great and mighty nation and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
- Genesis 22:17I will certainly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of their enemies’ cities.
- Genesis 28:14Your descendants will be like the dust on the earth. You will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. Through you and through your descendant every family on earth will be blessed.
- Genesis 35:11God also said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fertile, and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from you.
- Genesis 47:27So the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and had many children.
- Exodus 1:7But the descendants of Israel had many children. They became so numerous and strong that the land was filled with them.
- Deuteronomy 1:10The Lord your God has made your population increase so that you are now as numerous as the stars in the sky.
Commentaries on Genesis 46:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Fear not to go down into Egypt - It appears that there had been some doubts in the patriarch's mind relative to the propriety of this journey; he found, from the confession of his own sons, how little they were to be trusted. But every doubt is dispelled by this Divine manifestation. 1. He may go down confidently, no evil shall befall him. 2. Even in Egypt the covenant shall be fulfilled, God will make of him there a great nation. 3. God himself will…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-34Verses 1-34 - Jacob Goes Down to Egypt 9. פלוּא pallû' Pallu, “distinguished.” חצרן chetsrôn Chetsron, of the “court,” or “village.” כרמי karmı̂y Karmi, “vine-dresser.” 10. ימוּאל yemû'êl Jemuel, “day of El.” ימין yâmı̂yn Jamin, “right hand.” אהד 'ôhad Ohad, “joining together.” יכין yâkı̂yn Jakin, “he shall establish.” צחר tsôchar Tsochar, “whiteness.” 11. גרשׁון gêreshôn Gereshon, “expelling.” קהת qehâth Qehath, “assembly.” מררי merârı̂y…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-4In a night vision, the Lord promised Jacob that he would be with him and make his family a great nation in Egypt. The same God who led them into Egypt promised to bring them back to live in Canaan.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. I will there make of thee a great nation--How truly this promise was fulfilled, appears in the fact that the seventy souls who went down into Egypt increased [Ex 1:5-7], in the space of two hundred fifteen years, to one hundred eighty thousand.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 46:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 46
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries