Goshen is of special importance to us because it was the home of the Israelites during their time in Egypt. It was on the eastern side of the Nile and stretched from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea; it contained 2,331 km2 of alluvial, flat and rich land. It was an excellent section of Egypt and was admirably adapted for the herds and flocks of Israel and was ample to accommodate the marvelous growth of the Israelites. The Nile separated them from the rest of Egypt and made them a separate people. It is still a handsome and productive district, separated from Arabia by the Suez Canal. It is therefore the extreme province towards Canaan and appears to have been near the palace of Pharaoh Joseph. The apparent ease with which Moses came and went from Israel to Pharaoh has led some to believe that the king lived there. Memphis was the capital, but the early pharaohs might have had palaces there, and Ramses II, the
pharaoh of the time of Moses, could have lived there part of the time, since Goshen is called “the land of Rameses” (Genesis 47:11). He could have lived there during harvest time.
Joseph promised Goshen to his brothers, Genesis 45:10.
Israel entered Goshen and Joseph found and instituted them there, Genesis 46:28-34. At his request, Goshen was assigned a home to Israel, Genesis 47:1-12. Israel prospered and multiplied greatly there. Genesis 47:27.
Jacob was taken from there to Canaan to be buried, Gen. 50:1-14 (see v. 8).
God did not allow the plagues there as he did in the rest of Egypt, Exodus
8:22; 9:26.
The children of Israel lived there for 430 years, Exodus 12:40, 41; Galatians 3:17.
Israel left Goshen (Raemses) to Sukkot where they were delivered from Pharaoh,
Exodus 12:37; Numbers 33:3, 5.
Source: Geographic Dictionary of the Bible