Ge 46:28 Then he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to point out before him the way to Goshen. And they came to the land of Goshen.

29 So Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.

30 And Israel said to Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive."

31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, "I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and say to him, 'My brothers and those of my father's house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me.

32 'And the men are shepherds, for their occupation has been to feed livestock; and they have brought their flocks, their herds, and all that they have.'

33 "So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, 'What is your occupation?'

34 "that you shall say, 'Your servants' occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,' that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians."

Moses' point here in writing this to his original Israelite readers is to emphasize the separation their forefathers had with the Egyptians. Jacob and company dwelt in Goshen, a land which was situated on the border of Egypt, relatively far away from Egyptian culture and civilization.

Just as their forefathers separated from the Egyptians so should Moses' original Israelite readers keep themselves from the idolatry and pollution of Egypt, which some of the Israelites have imbibed.