Jacob Stops at Beersheba

(Genesis 46:1–7)                                                                            Pastor. Songsoo Park

So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, "Jacob! Jacob!" "Here I am," he replied.

"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.

I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes."

Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel's sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him.

 They also took with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan, and Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt.

He took with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters--all his offspring.

The northern border of the land of Canaan that God promised to Abraham, the father of faith, was Dan, and the southern border was Beersheba. So in the Old Testament, when referring to the promised land of Canaan, the expression “from Dan to Beersheba” is frequently used.

Judges 20:1 — “Then all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba … assembled before the Lord in Mizpah.”

1 Samuel 3:20 — “All Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord.”

2 Samuel 3:10 — “to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David’s throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.”

1 Kings 4:25 — “During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel lived in safety, from Dan to Beersheba, each under their own vine and fig tree.”

Now, both Dan and Beersheba share a common feature: they are regions closely connected to water.

To do agriculture and shepherding in the land of Canaan, securing water at the right time was essential. Canaan had a unique climate—six months of dry season with no rain, followed by six months of rainy season. Securing and storing water was never easy.

The northern border, Dan, was blessed with Mount Hermon right above it, a mountain with perennial snow. The melted snow seeped underground and then surfaced in Dan as spring water. So even without rainfall, agriculture and shepherding could continue there.

On the other hand, Beersheba in the south had a deep underground water table. If one dug in the right place, they could secure an unfailing well. In fact, the name “Beersheba” itself means “Well of the Oath.” It was a special region where people could survive even without rainfall by accessing water through wells.

Abraham settled in Beersheba. Later Isaac also settled there. And it was precisely in Beersheba that Jacob deceived his father Isaac and his brother Esau to receive the blessing of the firstborn. So, Beersheba was not only significant to Abraham and Isaac but also deeply meaningful for Jacob.

Yes—Beersheba was the place where Jacob received the promise of the birthright. Although Jacob fled to his uncle Laban’s house to escape Esau’s anger, he knew he must one day return to Beersheba—the place where all his dreams and hopes began.

But unfortunately, Jacob never returned to Beersheba. Instead, he settled in nearby Hebron—perhaps because he was still wary of Esau. After crossing the Jabbok River, Jacob had learned that Esau had about 400 men—practically a small army. Settling in Beersheba could easily provoke misunderstanding, so Jacob stayed next door in Hebron, waiting for the day he might safely return.

And what happened in Hebron?

Jacob’s beloved son Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt by his jealous brothers. Believing the lie that Joseph had died in an accident, Jacob lived with sorrow buried in his heart for more than twenty years.

Then one day, news came that Joseph—whom he thought dead—was alive and had become prime minister of Egypt. Joseph invited his family to come live under his protection. Moreover, a severe seven-year famine had struck the ancient Near East; without help they could starve. So Joseph instructed his brothers to bring their father, regardless of Jacob’s hesitation.

Genesis 45:11 — “There are still five years of famine left. I will provide for you there…”

Thus Jacob was compelled to leave Canaan and move to Egypt.
But this was not an easy decision.

Of course, it is understandable that he wanted to see his long-lost son Joseph. And Joseph was the one holding the key to survival during the famine.

But for Jacob, the land of Canaan represented a lifetime of God’s promises—God’s blessing, the inheritance of the firstborn. Even when he fled alone from home, God had promised him:

Genesis 28:15 — “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land.”

That promise had been Jacob’s strength and hope through his entire life.

Now at age 130, Jacob knew that descending to Egypt likely meant he would never return to the land of promise.

So on his way to Egypt, Jacob stopped at Beersheba, the southernmost border of Canaan—the last edge of the promised land.

Genesis 46:1 - “Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.”

Jacob could not move past Beersheba lightly. Beyond it lay land that was no longer the promised land. Beyond it, the inheritance of the land might no longer apply to him.

Sensing he might never return, Jacob offered what could have been his final worship in the promised land.

And how does Scripture describe this worship?

It says he offered sacrifices “to the God of his father Isaac,” not “to his God.”

This means Jacob carried within him the image of God that his father Isaac had experienced—the faith transmitted and embodied by Isaac. The faith Jacob possessed had been shaped, deepened, and inherited through the faith of his father.

Our faith, too, does not develop in isolation. We are shaped by those closest to us—especially by family.

When Paul speaks of Timothy’s faith, he says:

2 Timothy 1:5 — “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and now lives in you also.”

Jacob received crucial help from his mother Rebekah to obtain the blessing of the firstborn. But the message of God’s promise and blessing embedded in the birthright was passed down through his father Isaac.

Thus Hebrews 11 praises Isaac’s faith:

Hebrews 11:20 — “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.”

More precisely, Isaac spoke a blessing to Jacob and a curse to Esau. Why? Because Isaac believed firmly that God, being faithful to His promise, blesses those who honor His promise and curses those who treat it lightly.

Although Isaac loved Esau more (Gen 25:28), he still pronounced the curse when Esau begged through tears. Isaac’s faith in God’s promise outweighed his personal emotions.

Genesis 27:38–40 records Isaac’s solemn words to Esau.

Jacob held onto this same faith. “God is faithful to His promise. And the one who clings to that promise will receive the true blessing.”

Therefore, in Genesis 49, when Jacob pronounces blessings on his twelve sons, he does not bless them all. Just as Isaac cursed Esau, Jacob also pronounces curses on Reuben, Simeon, and Levi for their sins (Gen 49:3–6).

This is why Hebrews 11 places the faith of Isaac and the faith of Jacob side by side:

Hebrews 11:20–21 — “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau…; by faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons…”

Both men understood that God’s promise—not natural birth order—determined the true heir.

Therefore, when Jacob stopped at Beersheba to offer sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac just before going down to Egypt, it was a declaration:

“Even if I go to Egypt, my faith in the promise of the land and descendants—passed down from Abraham and Isaac—will never shake.”

And God responded to that worship:

Genesis 46:3–4
“I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there… I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again.”

God saw Jacob’s faith exactly.

Thus Jacob later tells Joseph:

Genesis 48:21
“I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers.”

Jacob would die, but the promise of God would never die. Because God is faithful, and He remains with those who cling to His promise.

Scripture is divided into the Old Covenant and New Covenant—the very word “covenant” (約) means “promise.” The Bible is the revelation of God’s promises, and those promises still apply to us today.

Faith is the key that receives those promises. Faith is what allows us to walk with the God who fulfills them.

Hebrews 11:1–2 — “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.”

At Beersheba, Jacob stopped, worshiped, and reaffirmed his trust in God’s promise.

That is what faith is:
Stopping when needed, standing before God, making a decision again, and then walking forward.

Not stopping because of fear,
not pausing because of anxiety,
but stopping to pray, to worship, to test whether our faith is truly in God and not merely in ourselves.