Jacob's Family Moves to Egypt
During a widespread famine in Canaan, Jacob and his family of seventy members journeyed to Egypt at the invitation of Joseph, who had risen to power there and provided them with fertile land in Goshen for settlement. This relocation allowed the family to reunite with Joseph after years of separation and ensured their survival through the years of scarcity. The event holds significant importance in Scripture as it represents the beginning of the Israelites' sojourn in Egypt, fulfilling God's covenant promise to Abraham regarding his descendants and setting the stage for the future Exodus narrative.
Meanwhile in the World
Egypt's Old Kingdom builds the pyramids (c. 2600-2100 BC). Mesopotamia is dominated by Akkad and then Ur III. The Indus Valley civilization flourishes. Stonehenge is being constructed in Britain. This is the era of the great ziggurats and the first law codes (Ur-Nammu).