Genesis 46:29

46:29 Joseph harnessed his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. When he met him, 1  he hugged his neck and wept on his neck for quite some time.

Genesis 46:34

46:34 Tell him, ‘Your servants have taken care of cattle 2  from our youth until now, both we and our fathers,’ so that you may live in the land of Goshen, 3  for everyone who takes care of sheep is disgusting 4  to the Egyptians.”

1 tn Heb “and he appeared to him.”

2 tn Heb “your servants are men of cattle.”

3 sn So that you may live in the land of Goshen. Joseph is apparently trying to stress to Pharaoh that his family is self-sufficient, that they will not be a drain on the economy of Egypt. But they will need land for their animals and so Goshen, located on the edge of Egypt, would be a suitable place for them to live. The settled Egyptians were uneasy with nomadic people, but if Jacob and his family settled in Goshen they would represent no threat.

4 tn Heb “is an abomination.” The Hebrew word תּוֹעֵבָה (to’evah, “abomination”) describes something that is loathsome or off-limits. For other practices the Egyptians considered disgusting, see Gen 43:32 and Exod 8:22.