The migration of Jacob and his family from Canaan to Egypt marks the dawn of the exile, yet it unfolded through a profound sense of acceptance, unity, and submission to the will of God. Originally, the family left their homes merely to accompany Jacob and reunite with Joseph, having no intention of bringing all their belongings. However, once Jacob received a prophetic vision from God confirming this descent into Egypt, the family understood they were meant to settle there until God chose to redeem them. Embracing the decree of exile without resistance, they committed to moving their entire lives [אור החיים, מלבי״ם].
As they traveled, they gathered their livestock, which served as their primary livelihood as shepherds, along with the rest of their movable goods [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The manner in which they transported their animals suggests that this was no ordinary journey. Rather than driving the herds in a typical fashion, the journey occurred miraculously, with the physical distance contracting in honor of Jacob's merit. Furthermore, they brought a vast amount of wealth with them, entirely disregarding Pharaoh's earlier advice to leave their belongings behind [שפתי כהן].
The specific origin of this wealth is deeply significant, as it consisted exclusively of property acquired within Canaan [משכיל לדוד]. Jacob deliberately separated the assets he gathered in the Land of Israel from the wealth he had earned elsewhere. All the silver and gold he had amassed while living with Laban in Paddan Aram had already been given to Esau in exchange for his portion of the Cave of Machpelah, a transaction likely finalized during the burial of their father, Isaac. Although Jacob was known to be meticulously careful with every honestly earned penny, he felt a deep distaste for wealth accumulated outside the Land of Israel and willingly parted with it completely [רש״י, צאינה וראינה, ברכת אשר על התורה].
Ultimately, Jacob arrived in Egypt surrounded by his entire family. Unlike his predecessors, Abraham and Isaac, who suffered the heartbreak of children abandoning their spiritual path, Jacob merited seeing all his descendants remain united. Even though they had grown into numerous independent households, they clung to him and moved as a single, cohesive body [רש״ר הירש]. Jacob and his sons made this journey willingly and with a joyful spirit, knowing that the prophesied enslavement in Egypt would not begin during their lifetimes. His grandchildren, however, who would eventually bear the heavy burden of slavery, felt a natural hesitation about the move, requiring Jacob to actively guide and bring them along [מלבי״ם].