Genesis 45:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The term "Arabian" is included here, although it does not appear in the Hebrew texts. This has led to the mistaken belief that the region of Gesen is located in Arabia. Additionally, if we consider, as our texts suggest, that the final letter in the word m is gesem (גשם), which I find quite unsatisfactory, it can be interpreted as the land where it rains, since gesem means "rain."

In the region of Gesem (Arabia), the last name was appended to the Hebrew text by seventy scholars, likely because they believed Gesem to be located in the Arabian area adjacent to Egypt. The location of this land can be discerned from the Sacred History, as it was situated not far from the city where Joseph resided, specifically Tanis (Psalms 77:12), and along the route connecting this city to the land of Canaan (Genesis 46:28, 29). Joseph selected this area for the Israelites due to its closeness to his own home, the richness of its pastures (Genesis 47:6), the necessity of keeping the Israelites separate from the Egyptians, who despised shepherds (Genesis 46:34), and the practicality it offered for travel between Canaan and Egypt.

Joseph welcomed Jacob, along with his entire family and belongings, and designated the land of Goshen as their residence. This region was situated not far from the then capital of Egypt, emphasizing that they would be near him, specifically in relation to Tanis (Ps. 77:12), and it was adjacent to the Nile River (Ex. 2:3; Num. 11:5; Deut. 11:10). The western border of Goshen extended to Arabia, which is why it is referred to as Arabian in the LXX, and it also bordered the territory of the Philistines (cf. Exod. 13:17; 1 Chr. 7:21). The principal city in this area was Ramessah (Gen. 47:11). This region was the most favorable in Egypt due to its plentiful pasturage, making it particularly suitable for the Israelites, who were herdsmen (Gen. 46:34).