Joseph told his brothers to bring Jacob the family and all their posessions down to Egypt in order to escape the famine. God told Jacob that he would be with him and that he would make him a great nation in Egypt. the reason for this was to increase and multiply under to protection of Egypt and without the influence of the Canaanite cultures in Canaan. God places His people in situations in order that God's purposes may be achieved, even though His people may not understand it.