Thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen— Goshen was the most easterly province of Lower AEgypt, not far from the Arabian gulph, lying next to Canaan; for Jacob went directly thither, when he came into AEgypt, and stayed there till Joseph came to him, ch. Genesis 46:28. It is called also the land of Rameses, ch. Genesis 47:11. See the note on that verse. Josephus, in his Antiquties, b. ii. c. 4. makes Heliopolis, the city of Joseph's father-in-law, the place of the Israelites' residence: and so it might be, for geographers place it within, or very near, the same country. Wells's Geog. vol. i. p. 369. St. Jerome derives the name of Goshen from a word which signifies rain, because it was oftener refreshed with showers than the other provinces of AEgypt.
And thou shalt be near unto me— The province of Goshen could not therefore be far from the royal city, where Joseph resided at Pharaoh's court, which was at this time in the Lower AEgypt at Zoan, Psalms 78:43 called by other authors, Tanis. To have an idea of the situation of the Lower AEgypt, where Goshen was situated, consult the Universal History, vol. 1: p. 392, &c.