Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 46:8
And these [are] the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.
Gen 46:8-27
And these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt
The catalogue of the children of Israel
I.
IT MARKS THE COMMENCEMENT, AND GIVES THE OUTLINE OF, THE NATIONS HISTORY.
II. IT MARKS THE TRIBE OF THE MESSIAH.
III. THE NAMES ARE SIGNIFICANT. Thus the names of Reubens sons signify: teacher, distinguished, beautiful one, noble one. These express a sanguine hope. Also the names of Levis sons signify: expulsion of the profane, congregation of the consecrated, practiser of discipline. These are the leading principles and proper characteristics of priestly rule. We hasten rapidly over Biblical names, but much instruction may be gathered from them.
IV. THE FACTS CONNECTED WITH SOME OF THE NAMES ARE SUGGESTIVE. Thus Dinah, though condemned to a single life, is yet reckoned among the founders of the house of Israel in Egypt. This points to the elevation of woman, and to the idea of female inheritance. Again, Judah was the fathers minister to Joseph. By his faithfulness, strength, and wisdom he rises in the opinion of his father. His distinguished place in the annals of the nation comes out, at length, in the grandeur of that prophetic word which declares Gods loving purpose in this great history (Gen 49:10).
V. THE NUMBER OF THE NAMES IS ALSO SUGGESTIVE. It is remarkable that it is the product of seven, the number of holiness; and ten, the number of completeness. It is still more remarkable that it is the number of the names of those who were the heads of the primitive nations. The Church is the counterpart of the world, and it is to be the instrument by which the kingdom of the world is to become the kingdom of Christ. When the Most High bestowed the inheritance on the nations, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the sons of Israel (Deu 32:8). This curious sentence may have an immediate reference to the providential distribution of the human family over the habitable parts of the earth, according to the number of His church and of His dispensation of grace: but, at all events, it conveys the great and obvious principle, that all things whatsoever, in the affairs of men, are antecedently adapted with the most perfect exactitude to the benign reign of grace already realized in the children of God, and yet to be extended to all the sons and daughters of Adam. (T. H. Leale.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 8. These are the names of the children of Israel] It may be necessary to observe here,
First, that several of these names are expressed differently elsewhere, Jemuel for Nemuel, Jachin for Jarib, Gershon for Gershom, c. compare Nu 26:12; 1Ch 4:24. But it is no uncommon case for the same person to have different names, or the same name to be differently pronounced; See Clarke on Ge 25:18.
Secondly, that it is probable that some names in this list are brought in by prolepsis or anticipation, as the persons were born (probably) during the seventeen years which Jacob sojourned in Egypt, see Ge 46:12.
Thirdly, that the families of some are entered more at large than others because of their peculiar respectability, as in the case of Judah, Joseph, and Benjamin; but see the tables under verse 20. See Clarke on Ge 46:20.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This genealogy is both here and elsewhere described exactly and particularly, as well to show the faithfulness of God in the performance of his promise concerning the vast multiplication of Abrahams seed, and that in so short a time, as to distinguish the tribes; which was of great importance, and necessary for the disposal of the kingdom and priesthood, and above all, for the discovery of the true Messias. Compare this following catalogue with that Num 26:1-65; 1Ch 6:1-8:40.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8-27. all the souls of the house ofJacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and tenStrictlyspeaking, there were only sixty-six went to Egypt; but to these addJoseph and his two sons, and Jacob the head of the clan, and thewhole number amounts to seventy. In the speech of Stephen (Ac7:14) the number is stated to be seventy-five; but as thatestimate includes five sons of Ephraim and Manasseh (1Ch7:14-20), born in Egypt, the two accounts coincide.
Ge46:28-34. ARRIVAL INEGYPT.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And these [are] the names of the children of Israel which came into Egypt,…. Not meaning precisely Jacob’s seed and offspring, but the body of the people of Israel, as they were when they went into Egypt, including Jacob himself:
Jacob and his sons; for he went with them to Egypt, and was the head and principal of them:
Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn; see Ge 29:32.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The size of Jacob’s family, which was to grow into a great nation, is given here, with evident allusion to the fulfilment of the divine promise with which he went into Egypt. The list of names includes not merely the “sons of Israel” in the stricter sense; but, as is added immediately afterwards, “ Jacob and his sons, ” or, as the closing formula expresses it (Gen 46:27), “ all the souls of the house of Jacob, who came into Egypt ” ( for , Ges. 109), including the patriarch himself, and Joseph with his two sons, who were born before Jacob’s arrival in Egypt. If we reckon these, the house of Jacob consisted of 70 souls; and apart from these, of 66, besides his sons’ wives. The sons are arranged according to the four mothers. Of Leah there are given 6 sons, 23 grandsons, 2 great-grandsons (sons of Pharez, whereas Er and Onan, the sons of Judah who died in Canaan, are not reckoned), and 1 daughter, Dinah, who remained unmarried, and was therefore an independent member of the house of Jacob; in all, therefore, 6 + 23 + 2 + 1 = 32, or with Jacob, 33 souls. Of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, there are mentioned 2 sons, 11 grandsons, 2 great-grandsons, and 1 daughter (who is reckoned like Dinah, both here and Num 26:46, for some special reason, which is not particularly described); in all, 2 + 11 + 2 + 1 = 16 souls. Of Rachel, “Jacob’s (favourite) wife,” 2 sons and 12 grandsons are named, of whom, according to Num 26:40, two were great-grandsons, = 14 souls; and of Rachel’s maid Bilhah, 2 sons and 5 grandsons = 7 souls. The whole number therefore was 33 + 16 + 14 + 7 = 70.
(Note: Instead of the number 70 given here, Exo 1:5, and Deu 10:22, Stephen speaks of 75 (Act 7:14), according to the lxx, which has the number 75 both here and Exo 1:5, on account of the words which follow the names of Manasseh and Ephraim in Gen 46:20: , , , . . . : and which are interpolated by conjecture from Gen 1:23, and Num 26:29, Num 26:35, and Num 26:36 (33, 39, and 40), these three grandsons and two great-grandsons of Joseph being reckoned in.)
The wives of Jacob’s sons are neither mentioned by name nor reckoned, because the families of Israel were not founded by them, but by their husbands alone. Nor is their parentage given either here or anywhere else. It is merely casually that one of the sons of Simeon is called the son of a Canaanitish woman (Gen 46:10); from which it may be inferred that it was quite an exceptional thing for the sons of Jacob to take their wives from among the Canaanites, and that as a rule they were chosen from their paternal relations in Mesopotamia; besides whom, there were also their other relations, the families of Ishmael, Keturah, and Edom. Of the “daughters of Jacob” also, and the “daughters of his sons,” none are mentioned except Dinah and Serah the daughter of Asher, because they were not the founders of separate houses.
If we look more closely into the list itself, the first thing which strikes us is that Pharez, one of the twin-sons of Judah, who were not born till after the sale of Joseph, should already have had two sons. Supposing that Judah’s marriage to the daughter of Shuah the Canaanite occurred, notwithstanding the reasons advanced to the contrary in Gen 38, before the sale of Joseph, and shortly after the return of Jacob to Canaan, during the time of his sojourn at Shechem (Gen 33:18), it cannot have taken place more than five, or at the most six, years before Joseph was sold; for Judah was only three years older than Joseph, and was not more than 20 years old, therefore, at the time of his sale. But even then there would not be more than 28 years between Judah’s marriage and Jacob’s removal to Egypt; so that Pharez would only be about 11 years old, since he could not have been born till about 17 years after Judah’s marriage, and at that age he could not have had two sons. Judah, again, could not have taken four sons with him into Egypt, since he had at the most only two sons a year before their removal (Gen 42:37); unless indeed we adopt the extremely improbable hypothesis, that two other sons were born within the space of 11 or 12 months, either as twins, or one after the other. Still less could Benjamin, who was only 23 or 24 years old at the time (vid., pp. 200f. and 204f.), have had 10 sons already, or, as Num 26:38-40 shows, eight sons and two grandsons. From all this it necessarily follows, that in the list before us grandsons and great-grandsons of Jacob are named who were born afterwards in Egypt, and who, therefore, according to a view which we frequently meet with in the Old Testament, though strange to our modes of thought, came into Egypt in lumbis patrum . That the list is really intended to be so understood, is undoubtedly evident from a comparison of the “sons of Israel” (Gen 46:8), whose names it gives, with the description given in Num 26 of the whole community of the sons of Israel according to their fathers’ houses, or their tribes and families. In the account of the families of Israel at the time of Moses, which is given there, we find, with slight deviations, all the grandsons and great-grandsons of Jacob whose names occur in this chapter, mentioned as the founders of the families, into which the twelve tribes of Israel were subdivided in Moses’ days. The deviations are partly in form, partly in substance. To the former belong the differences in particular names, which are sometimes only different forms of the same name; e.g., Jemuel and Zohar (Gen 46:10), for Nemuel and Zerah (Num 26:12-13); Ziphion and Arodi (Gen 46:16), for Zephon and Arod (Num 26:15 and Num 26:17); Huppim (Gen 46:21) for Hupham (Num 26:39); Ehi (Gen 46:21), an abbreviation of Ahiram (Num 26:38); sometimes different names of the same person; viz., Ezbon (Gen 46:16) and Ozni (Num 26:16); Muppim (Gen 46:21) and Shupham (Num 26:39); Hushim (Gen 46:23) and Shuham (Num 26:42). Among the differences in substance, the first to be noticed is the fact, that in Num 26 Simeon’s son Ohad, Asher’s son Ishuah, and three of Benjamin’s sons, Becher, Gera, and Rosh, are missing from the founders of families, probably for no other reason than that they either died childless, or did not leave a sufficient number of children to form independent families. With the exception of these, according to Num 26, all the grandsons and great-grandsons of Jacob mentioned in this chapter were founders of families in existence in Moses’ time. From this it is obvious that our list is intended to contain, not merely the sons and grandsons of Jacob, who were already born when he went down to Egypt, but in addition to the sons, who were the heads of the twelve tribes of the nation, all the grandsons and great-grandsons who became the founders of mishpachoth, i.e., of independent families, and who on that account took the place or were advanced into the position of the grandsons of Jacob, so far as the national organization was concerned.
On no other hypothesis can we explain the fact, that in the time of Moses there was not one of the twelve tribes, except the double tribe of Joseph, in which there were families existing, that had descended from either grandsons or great-grandsons of Jacob who are not already mentioned in this list. As it is quite inconceivable that no more sons should have been born to Jacob’s sons after their removal into Egypt, so is it equally inconceivable, that all the sons born in Egypt either died childless, or founded no families. The rule by which the nation descending from the sons of Jacob was divided into tribes and families ( mishpachoth) according to the order of birth was this, that as the twelve sons founded the twelve tribes, so their sons, i.e., Jacob’s grandsons, were the founders of the families into which the tribes were subdivided, unless these grandsons died without leaving children, or did not leave a sufficient number of male descendants to form independent families, or the natural rule for the formation of tribes and families was set aside by other events or causes. On this hypothesis we can also explain the other real differences between this list and Num 26; viz., the fact that, according to Num 26:40, two of the sons of Benjamin mentioned in Gen 46:21, Naaman and Ard, were his grandsons, sons of Belah; and also the circumstance, that in Gen 46:20 only the two sons of Joseph, who were already born when Jacob arrived in Egypt, are mentioned, viz., Manasseh and Ephraim, and none of the sons who were born to him afterwards (Gen 48:6). The two grandsons of Benjamin could be reckoned among his sons in our list, because they founded independent families just like the sons. And of the sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim alone could be admitted into our list, because they were elevated above the sons born to Joseph afterwards, by the fact that shortly before Jacob’s death he adopted them as his own sons and thus raised them to the rank of heads of tribes; so that wherever Joseph’s descendants are reckoned as one tribe (e.g., Jos 16:1, Jos 16:4), Manasseh and Ephraim form the main divisions, or leading families of the tribe of Joseph, the subdivisions of which were founded partly by their brothers who were born afterwards, and partly by their sons and grandsons. Consequently the omission of the sons born afterwards, and the grandsons of Joseph, from whom the families of the two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, who were elevated into tribes, descended, forms only an apparent and not a real exception to the general rule, that this list mentions all the grandsons of Jacob who founded the families of the twelve tribes, without regard to the question whether they were born before or after the removal of Jacob’s house to Egypt, since this distinction was of no importance to the main purpose of our list. That this was the design of our list, is still further confirmed by a comparison of Exo 1:5 and Deu 10:22, where the seventy souls of the house of Jacob which went into Egypt are said to constitute the seed which, under the blessing of the Lord, had grown into the numerous people that Moses led out of Egypt, to take possession of the land of promise. From this point of view it was a natural thing to describe the seed of the nation, which grew up in tribes and families, in such a way as to give the germs and roots of all the tribes and families of the whole nation; i.e., not merely the grandsons who were born before the migration, but also the grandsons and great-grandsons who were born in Egypt, and became founders of independent families. By thus embracing all the founders of tribes and families, the significant number 70 was obtained, in which the number 7 (formed of the divine number 3, and the world number 4, as the seal of the covenant relation between God and Israel) is multiplied by the number 10, as the seal of completeness, so as to express the fact that these 70 souls comprehended the whole of the nation of God.
(Note: This was the manner in which the earlier theologians solved the actual difficulties connected with our list; and this solution has been adopted and defended against the objections offered to it by Hengstenberg ( Dissertations) and Kurtz (History of the Old Covenant).)
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Verses 8-15:
The list of Israel’s sons who “came into Egypt” includes some who were likely born in Egypt, as well as Joseph and his two sons who were already there. It is likely that Benjamin’s children were also born in Egypt, although they are included in this list.
The present verses list the sons of Leah, which she bore to Jacob. Dinah is also included, although it is not customary to list the daughters in the genealogical record. Also listed are Er and Onan, both of whom died before Israel left Canaan for Egypt.
The danger of inter-marriage with the Canaanite inhabitants of the land is evident, in the notation of the Canaanite wife of Simeon.
The number of Jacob’s children and grandchildren by Leah is 33, including Er and Onan. The Scriptures imply that there were daughters in addition to those names listed. This number does not include the sons’ wives.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
8. These are the names of the children of Israel. He recounts the sons and grandsons of Jacob, till he arrives at their full number. The statement that there were but seventy souls, while Stephen (Act 7:14) adds five more, is made, I doubt not, by an error of the transcribers. For the solution of Augustine is weak, that Stephen, by a prolepsis, enumerates also three who afterwards were born in Egypt; for he must then have formed a far longer catalogue. Again, this interpretation is repugnant to the design of the Holy Spirit, as we shall hereafter see: because the subject here treated of, is not respecting the number of children Jacob left behind him at his death, but respecting the number of his family on the day when he went down into Egypt. He is said to have brought with him, or to have found there, seventy souls born unto him, in order that the comparison of this very small number, with that immense multitude which the Lord afterwards led forth, might the more fully illustrate His wonderful benediction. But that the error is to be imputed to the transcribers, is hence apparent, that with the Greek interpreters, it has crept only into one passage, while, elsewhere, they agree with the Hebrew reckoning. And it was easy when numerals were signified by marks, for one passage to be corrupted. I suspect also that this happened from the following cause, that those who had to deal with the Scripture were generally ignorant of the Hebrew language; so that, conceiving the passage in the Acts to be vitiated, they rashly changed the true number. If any one, however, chooses rather to suppose that Luke in this instance accommodated himself to the rude and illiterate, who were accustomed to the Greek version, I do not contend with them. (179) In the words of Moses there is, indeed, no ambiguity, nor is there any reason why so small a matter, in which there is no absurdity, should give us any trouble; for it is not wonderful, that, in this mode of notation, one letter should have been put in the place of another. It is more to the purpose, to examine wherefore this small number of persons is recorded by Moses. For, the more improbable it appears, that seventy men, in no lengthened space of time, should have grown to such a multitude; so much the more clearly does the grace of God shine forth. And this is also the reason why he so frequently mentions this number. For it was, by no means, according to human apprehension, a likely method of propagating the Church, that Abraham should live childless even to old age; that, after the death of Isaac, Jacob alone should remain; that he, being increased with a moderate family, should be shut up in a corner of Egypt, and that there an incredible number of people should spring up from this dry fountain. (180) When Moses declares that Shaul, one of the sons of Simon, was born of a Canaanitish woman, while he does not even mention the mothers of the other sons, his intention, I doubt not, is to fix a mark of dishonor on his race. For the holy Fathers were on their guard, not to mix in marriage with that nation, from which they were separated by the decree of heaven. When Moses, having put down the names of Leah’s sons, says there were thirty-three souls, whereas he has only mentioned thirty-two; I understand that Jacob himself is to be reckoned the first in order. The statement that he had so many sons or daughters by Leah does not oppose this conclusion. For although, strictly speaking, his discourse is concerning sons, yet he commences with the head of the family. I reject the interpretation of the Hebrews, who suppose Jochebed the mother of Moses to be included, as being overstrained. A question suggests itself concerning the daughters, whether there were more than two. If Dinah alone were named, it might be said that express mention was made of her, because of the notorious fact which had happened to her. But since Moses enumerates another female in the progeny of Aser, I rather conjecture that these had remained unmarried, or single; for no mention is made of those who were wives.
(179) Various methods have been resorted to, for the purpose of accounting for the difference of numbers given in this chapter and in Act 7:14. It is true that Luke, after the Septuagint, says there were seventy-five souls, whereas the Hebrew mentions only seventy. The reading of the Septuagint is, “The sons of Joseph, who were with him in Egypt, were nine souls; all of the souls of the house of Jacob which came with Jacob into Egypt, where seventy-five souls.” Add then nine to the sixty-six, mentioned in verse 26, and the number is made up. There is, however, some difficulty to make out the nine. — See Patrick, Poole, Bush, etc. in loc. — Ed.
(180) From the date of God’s promise of a holy seed to Abraham, unto the birth of Isaac was twenty-five years. Isaac lived sixty years before Jacob was born. Jacob had nearly reached the age of eighty at the time of his marriage. So that about two hundred and forty years elapsed before more than two persons were born of a family which was to be as the stars of heaven, and as the sand on the sea-shore, for multitude! — See Bush in loc. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES.
Gen. 46:8-28. And these are the names of the children of Israel, etc.] Catalogue of Jacobs sons, grandchildren, and great-grand children who went down into Egypt. The children are ranged according to their mothers. In Gen. 46:27, the LXX make the whole number who went down to Egypt to be 75. This reckoning is followed by Stephen (Act. 7:14), who as a Hellenistic Jew naturally goes by the LXX. The list is probably neither complete nor accurate, and must be regarded rather as a formal than as an historical document. (Alford).If Stephen here quoted the LXX, he was accountable only for the correctness of his quotation, and not for the error which had crept into his authority. This was immaterial to his present purpose, and it was not the manner of the sacred speakers to turn aside from their grand task to the pedantry of criticism. (Murphy).
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Gen. 46:8-27
THE CATALOGUE OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL
This catalogue of the names of the children of Israel is instructive from several points of view.
I. It marks the commencement and gives the outlines of the nations history. We have here the first draft of those lines of history along which this nation of Israel was to move. The list here given shows the separation of the tribes, and gives us a clear view of the peoples increase. We have here the promise of a great nation.
II. It marks the tribe of the Messiah. Our Lord was to spring from the tribe of Judah. This notes Gods redemptive purpose in this history, how God designed thereby to bring His First Begotten into the world.
III. The names are significant. Thus the names of Reubens sons signifyteacher, distinguished, beautiful one, noble one. These express a sanguine hope. Also the names of Levis sons signifyexpulsion of the profane, congregation of the consecrated, practiser of discipline. These are the leading principles and proper characteristics of priestly rule. We hasten rapidly over biblical names, but much instruction may be gathered from them.
IV. The facts connected with some of the names are suggestive. Thus Dinah, though condemned to a single life, is yet reckoned among the founders of the house of Israel in Egypt. This points to the elevation of woman, and to the idea of female inheritance. Again, Judah was the fathers minister to Joseph. By his faithfulness, strength, and wisdom he rises in the opinion of his father. His distinguished place in the annals of the nation comes out, at length, in the grandeur of that prophetic word which declares Gods loving purpose in this great history. (Gen. 49:10).
V. The number of the names is also suggestive. It is remarkable that it is the product of seven, the number of holiness; and ten, the number of completeness. It is still more remarkable that it is the number of the names of those who were the heads of the primitive nations. The Church is the counterpart of the world, and is to be the instrument by which the kingdom of the world is to become the kingdom of Christ. When the Most High bestowed the inheritance on the nations, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the sons of Israel. (Deu. 32:8). This curious sentence may have an immediate reference to the providential distribution of the human family over the habitable parts of the earth, according to the number of His church, and of His dispensation of grace; but at all events it conveys the great and obvious principle, that all things whatsoever, in the affairs of men, are antecedently adapted with the most perfect exactitude to the benign reign of grace already realised in the children of God, and yet to be extended to all the sons and daughters of Adam.(Murphy).
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Gen. 46:8-27. Compared with the families of Abraham and Isaac, these names appear to be numerous, and afford a prospect of a great nation; yet compared with those of Ishmael and Esau, they are but few. Three and twenty years ago there was a company of Ishmaelites, who bought Joseph; and as to Esau, he seems to have become a nation in a little time. We see from hence that the most valuable blessings are often the longest ere they reach us. The just shall live by faith.(Fuller).
The full people of Israel consisted of twelve sons, and seventy souls; and the Christian Church consisted of twelve apostles, and seventy disciples.(Ross).
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
GENEALOGICAL TABLE OF THE ISRAELITES.
(8) These are the names of the children of Israel which came into Egypt.This document, consisting of Gen. 46:8-27, is one that would be of the highest importance to the Israelites, when taking possession of Canaan, being as it were their title-deed to the land. Accordingly we find that it is drawn up in a legal manner, representing as sons some who were really grandsons, but who took as heads of families the place usually held by sons. We next find that it represents them as all born in Canaan, not in a natural sense, but as the rightful heirs of the country. Technically every head of a family was born in Canaan, and thus the danger was obviated of an objection to the possession of this rank being accorded to one born in Egypt. As a matter of fact Pharez (Gen. 46:12) was an infant when taken down into Egypt. (See Gen. 38:29, and Excursus on Chronology of Jacobs life.) It is difficult enough to find time sufficient for his birth in the interval between the return from Padan-Aram, and the descent into Egypt; for the birth of his two sons, Hezron and Hamul, there is no space whatsoever. In Gen. 46:21 Benjamin has ten sons assigned him, but he was at most about thirty years of age when he went into Egypt, and some of these sons are expressly said elsewhere to have been his grandsons. Commentators have indeed endeavoured to show that Benjamin might have been a few years older, but they do this by upsetting their own conclusions previously arrived at; and there is no process which so legitimately produces scepticism as the re-statement by commentators of the facts so marshalled on each occasion as to suit the apparent exigencies of the passage before them, but in a manner irreconcilable with previous difficulties.
The genealogical table of the twelve patriarchs is thrice given in Holy Scripture: here, in Numbers 26, and in 1 Chronicles 1-8. See also Exo. 6:14-16, where only Reuben, Simeon, and Levi are given.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
THE MUSTER-ROLL OF ISRAEL, Gen 46:8-27.
“There is a painstaking minuteness in the dates and statistics of this history, which stands in wonderful contrast with the round numbers and vague statements of mythical narratives. The numerical and statistical difficulties so much dwelt on by Colenso and others, mostly arise from an ignorant or perverse misapprehension of the antique style of the author, which must present real difficulties even to candour and learning. This list of names is not a full census of the whole family of Israel, since none of the wives are mentioned anywhere; nor of Israel’s descendants, since only two female descendants occur in it; nor is it intended to give simply all the grandsons of Jacob who were born in Canaan, for, as his sons migrated in the prime of life, it is wholly improbable that no children were born to them in Egypt, where it is said that Israel was ‘fruitful and increased abundantly;’ while the list of Numbers xxvi, gives us no new names. This is simply a list of the heads of tribes, and of the grandsons and great-grandsons who became heads of independent tribal families, whether born in Canaan or in Egypt. Five of the grandsons here mentioned are missing from the list in Numbers, probably because their families became extinct; two of the grandsons of this list appear there as great-grandsons, an unimportant variation, when it is seen that they appear only as heads of families, and not in their personal relation; while the two women had some special historical importance Dinah, as Jacob’s daughter who was connected with the slaughter of the Shechemites, (Genesis 34,) although he may have had other daughters, (Gen 46:9,) and Sarah, or Serah, daughter of Asher, as historically conspicuous alone among all the granddaughters, for reasons that are unrecorded. Only the two sons of Joseph who became heads of tribes are mentioned, although he probably had other children. Gen 48:5-6. The sacred number seventy was thus made up from sixty-seven male descendants, who were heads of tribes and of tribal families, two female descendants, and Jacob himself. The author groups them in four lists: thirty-two descendants of Leah, to whom he adds Jacob himself, without mentioning it, (although implied in the expression of Gen 46:8, ‘Jacob and his sons,’) making thirty-three; fourteen descendants of Rachel; sixteen of Zilpah; and seven of Bilhah making seventy in all. They are again grouped as sixty-six of the Canaan family, three of the Egyptian, and Jacob himself. Gen 46:26-27. Yet inattention to the Hebrew idiom will lead the careless or captious reader to suspect discrepancies in the narrative, as when it is said (Gen 46:27) that ‘all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt,’ were threescore and ten, although Joseph and his two sons had just been mentioned as necessary to complete the number. See the same statement in Deu 10:22. Also it is said in Gen 46:15, ‘all the souls of his sons and his daughters,’ although only one daughter is mentioned, and Jacob himself must be included with the descendants of Leah to make the number thirty-three. So it is no discrepancy when it is made probable from the ages of Joseph and Benjamin, that some of their sons were born after the descent into Egypt. St. Stephen, following the Septuagint Old Testament, calls the number seventy-five, which number the Septuagint makes up by reckoning in five other heads of families not mentioned in the Hebrew.” Newhall.
A comparison of this family record of Jacob and his sons with that of the census in the time of Moses (Numbers 26) will help illustrate the peculiarities of Hebrew genealogies. For the convenience of the reader, we present these lists in parallel columns, and also select from the genealogies of 1 Chronicles 2-8 the corresponding names, so far as they appear there. For convenience of reference, we have placed the corresponding names opposite each other, but the student will note the different order in which the names stand in the different lists as they appear in the several chapters.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Those Who Went Down Into Egypt ( Gen 46:8-27 ).
There now follows a catalogue of ‘all the souls who came into Egypt.’ At first sight this is rather an understatement. It excludes his sons’ wives (Gen 46:26) and ignores retainers and camp followers. The number who actually went down into Egypt may well have numbered a few thousand for we have the households of each of the sons as well as Jacob’s household. (And we must remember that from his household Abraham was able to raise three hundred and eighteen fighting men (Gen 14:14)). The numbers may have diminished because of the effect of the famine making them surplus to requirements, and some may have been left in Canaan for other reasons, but there would still be a goodly number.
But this passage is a good example of the early use of numbers. The ‘seventy’, which is the divine number seven intensified, included everyone by implication and indicated the divine completeness of the number who went down to Egypt. It said in effect that not one was missing. They were ‘seventy’. They were God’s divinely complete band. No early reader would take the number literally. They would know exactly what it indicated.
However, in accordance with ancient practise this number is now applied, and it is done by manipulation of what is known, including or excluding as necessary. This is immediately apparent from the names given. It is very questionable whether the sons of Perez, Hezron and Hamul, could yet have been born (see on Gen 38:6-10), or even more so that at this stage the young man Benjamin would have ten sons (Gen 46:21). These were rather seen as going down ‘in the loins’ of their fathers. And the number is made up by including Dinah, but excluding his sons’ daughters, and including the sons of Joseph who were born in Egypt but had ‘gone down to Egypt’ in the loins of their father.
This table of names therefore was written by the writer in Egypt at a later date. He looks at the extended family as it was then and names them in his list. By then these sons had been born and were acknowledged as being part of ‘the seventy’, the divinely complete band. We do not think like this but it is quite in accord with ancient thinking. It is probable that he had a genealogical list and amended it to suit his purpose. This would explain why he mentions Er and Onan, and then excludes them, and brought Jacob and Dinah in to replace them. Also why he introduced Zilpah’s daughter Serah (Gen 46:17).
The original list had thirty three ‘sons’ of Leah. He specifically excluded Er and Onan and brought in Dinah and Jacob to make up the thirty three, the thirty three signifying a complete number (intensified three, compare Gen 4:24). The second part of the list included Joseph and his two sons, but he excludes them in making up his sixty six, although retaining them in the text. He also now excludes Jacob and introduces Serah. This was necessary to make up the sixty and six (twice thirty and three) and finally the seventy.
Thus for the purpose of the record the number is split into two main groups, one of thirty and three, (intensified three – compare the contrast of seven with seventy and seven in Gen 4:24), depicting completeness, and one to make up the number sixty six (but see below). Both these groups are therefore ‘complete’ in themselves, being made up, by inference in the second case, of intensified three. And there were ‘three’ in Egypt, Joseph and his two sons. Together with Jacob they make up seventy. Thus the divine completeness of the whole group is made apparent and emphasised to the ancient mind.
Gen 46:8
‘And these are the names of the children of Israel who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and the sons of Reuben: Hanoch and Pallu and Hezron and Carmi.’
We know from Gen 42:37 that Reuben had two sons at that stage (he would be about 46). Therefore two of these must be recent births, possibly twins, or else they may have ‘gone down to Egypt’ in the loins of their father.
Gen 46:9-12
‘And the sons of Simeon: Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. And the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. And the sons of Judah: Er and Onan and Shelah and Perez and Zerah. But Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.’
Joseph was about eighteen when he was sold into slavery (Gen 37:2) making Judah about twenty two when he married Shua. He was possibly twenty three when he bore Er and Er grew up and married. If Er married at eighteen that would make Judah forty one. Shelah was too young to marry when Er died. Thus when Shelah came of age Judah was at least forty three. So unless Er married very young Judah must have been at the very least forty four when he bore Perez. Thus Perez could not have two children before he moved to Egypt (when Judah was about forty four – Gen 41:46 plus seven good years plus two bad years plus say five years older than Joseph).
It is clear therefore that Hezron and Hamul were seen as ‘in the loins of Perez’.
Gen 46:13-15
‘And the sons of Issachar: Tola and Puvah and Iob and Shimron. And the sons of Zebulun: Sered and Elon and Jahleel. These are the sons of Leah whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty three.’
A count of ‘the sons and daughters’ produces thirty three if we include Er and Onan, who died in Canaan, and exclude Dinah, but they are clearly intended to be excluded. If we exclude them and include Dinah there are only thirty two. Note that the plural is used for ‘daughters’, but we can compare Gen 46:23 where ‘sons’ is followed by only one son. They were technical descriptions. To make the thirty third Jacob was counted in. But the important thing for the writer was to reach thirty three to demonstrate completeness. He did not mind too much of what it consisted.
This ‘artificiality’ is confirmed by the fact that the final sixty six includes thirty four names in the second part, making sixty six including Dinah but excluding Jacob. This is to indicate double thirty three. Jacob then comes in with Joseph and his sons to make the seventy.
Gen 46:16-18
‘And the sons of Gad: Ziphion and Haggi, Shuni and Ezbon, Eri and Arodi and Areli. And the sons of Asher: Imnah and Ishvah and Ishvi and Beriah, and Serah their sister. And the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel. These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob, even sixteen souls.’
Serah is added in to make the ‘sixteen souls’ although she is not a son.
Gen 46:19-25
‘The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife, Joseph and Benjamin. And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, daughter of the priest of On bore to him. And the sons of Benjamin: Bela and Becher and Ashbel, Gera and Naaman, Ehi and Rosh, Muppim and Huppim and Ard. These are the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob. All the souls were fourteen. And the sons of Dan: Hushim. And the sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel and Guni and Jezer and Shillem. These are the sons of Bilhah whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob. All the souls were seven.
Benjamin has ten sons, but we must question whether he has had all ten by this stage. Certainly the impression we have of him as a ‘young man’ does not tie in with this. They are probably seen as going down to Egypt ‘in his loins’, but by the time of the writer they are there to be seen walking about. The writer is careful to number all the groups. In all there are sixteen plus fourteen plus seven making thirty seven. This with the previous thirty three makes seventy.
Gen 46:26-27
‘All the souls who came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were sixty and six. And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two souls. All the souls of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy.
The writer is careful with his wording. Having made up thirty and three for the first group by including Jacob, he then says all who came ‘with Jacob’ were sixty and six, because there were thirty four in the second group excluding Joseph and his two sons. But he carefully points out that he has not included the sons’ wives. These would have taken the number above seventy and therefore had to be excluded. Reaching the number seventy was the important thing, not because of some attempt to fit in with other writings but because the number seventy was so significant. It signified that the group was divinely complete. But the group as a whole was actually composed of a much larger number because of their households. And they were included in the divine completeness.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
List of the Souls in Jacob’s Family
v. 8. And these are the names of the children of Israel which came into Egypt: Jacob and his sons, v. 9. And the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.
v. 10. And the sons of Simeon: Jemuel v. 11. And the sons of Levi: Gershon v. 12. And the sons of Judah: Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zarah. But Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul.
v. 13. And the sons of Issachar: Tola, and Phuvah v. 14. And the sons of Zebulun: Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel.
v. 15. These be the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padanaram, v. 16. And the sons of Gad: Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon v. 17. And the sons of Asher: Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serah, their sister; and the sons of Beriah: Heber, and Malchiel.
v. 18. These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah, his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls; v. 19. The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s v. 20. And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, bare unto him.
v. 21. And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim v. 22. These are the sons of Rachel which were born to Jacob. All the souls were fourteen; v. 23. And the sons of Dan: Hushim.
v. 24. And the sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem.
v. 25. These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel, his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob. All the souls were seven; v. 26. All the souls that came with Jacob in to Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were threescore and six; v. 27. and the sons of Joseph which were born him in Egypt were two souls; all the souls of the house of Jacob which came into Egypt were three-score and ten.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Gen 46:8. Jacob and his sons Jacob himself is to be reckoned in the number of those who went into AEgypt, as in Gen 46:10 the sons of Simeon include Simeon, with his sons; and so of the other patriarchs.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
See Num 26:5
I detain not the Reader through these verses, but only to observe upon the whole, that it was now more than 200 years since GOD promised to make of Abraham a great nation and yet that branch of Abraham’s seed with whom the promise was deposited, was not increased but to 70 souls: that is, including the threescore and six persons which went down with Jacob into Egypt Jacob himself, Joseph, and Joseph’s two sons, none of which were included in the threescore and six enumerated.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Gen 46:8-27
8Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn. 9The sons of Reuben: Hanoch and Pallu and Hezron and Carmi. 10The sons of Simeon: Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. 11The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12The sons of Judah: Er and Onan and Shelah and Perez and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan). And the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13The sons of Issachar: Tola and Puvvah and Iob and Shimron. 14The sons of Zebulun: Sered and Elon and Jahleel. 15These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, with his daughter Dinah; all his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three. 16The sons of Gad: Ziphion and Haggi, Shuni and Ezbon, Eri and Arodi and Areli. 17The sons of Asher: Imnah and Ishvah and Ishvi and Beriah and their sister Serah. And the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel. 18These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah; and she bore to Jacob these sixteen persons. 19The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 20Now to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him. 21The sons of Benjamin: Bela and Becher and Ashbel, Gera and Naaman, Ehi and Rosh, Muppim and Huppim and Ard. 22These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob; there were fourteen persons in all. 23The sons of Dan: Hushim. 24The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel and Guni and Jezer and Shillem. 25These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel, and she bore these to Jacob; there were seven persons in all. 26All the persons belonging to Jacob, who came to Egypt, his direct descendants, not including the wives of Jacob’s sons, were sixty-six persons in all, 27and the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt were two; all the persons of the house of Jacob, who came to Egypt, were seventy.
Gen 46:10-24 These verses are very similar to the list in Numbers 26 and 1 Chronicles 4-7. These other two lists have variant spellings and, in some cases, variant names. See Contextual Insights, B. I believe that it can be explained by oral tradition or that people during this period of time often had two different names.
Gen 46:10 “Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman” There has been much discussion about why this person would have been included. It is obviously not normative. Rashi says that it refers to Dinah’s child, sired by Shechem (cf. Gen. R. 80).
Gen 46:12 Gen 46:10-27 are supposed to be a list of all the people who came with Jacob to Egypt, but the naming of two of Judah’s children who were already dead (i.e., Er and Onan, cf. Gen 38:7; Gen 38:10) shows that this list was added from another time. Not that it is inaccurate, but just not part of this context.
Gen 46:13 “Iob” Many commentators have assumed that this should be spelled “Job”(BDB 398, ), but in 1Ch 7:1 and Num 26:24 his name is “Jashub” (BDB 1000, ).
Gen 46:15 “all his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three” Gen 46:15; Gen 46:18; Gen 46:22; Gen 46:25 all list the sum total of the different divisions of Jacob’s family.
1. In Gen 46:15 we have the sons and daughter of Leah
2. In Gen 46:18 we have the sons of Leah’s maiden, Zilpah
3. In Gen 46:22 we have the sons of Rachel
4. In Gen 46:25 we have the sons of Rachel’s maiden, Bilhah
The combined total of these groups appears in Gen 46:26 as “sixty-six persons” and in Gen 46:27 as “seventy.”
There has been much discussion as to how these two numbers relate to the list. Some say the number “seventy,” plus the daughter, Dinah, of Gen 46:15, equals “seventy-one” minus Er and Onan of Gen 46:12, as well as subtracting Joseph and his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen 46:27). Others have asserted that the “sixty-six” of Gen 46:26, plus Jacob, Joseph and his two sons, equals “seventy.” It is interesting that in Act 7:14 Stephen mentions seventy-five persons. However, this number comes from the Septuagint, which apparently lists five of Joseph’s grandchildren. See Gleason Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, pp. 378-379; Hard Sayings of the Bible, pp. 521-522.
Gen 46:17 “and their sister Serah” Inclusion of this daughter shows that the list is meant to be inclusive. It may be that more sons were born into this family than daughters.
Gen 46:20 Joseph has two sons by an Egyptian woman. These two sons will be adopted by Jacob as his own, thus bringing the total number of sons to thirteen.
It seems that Joseph was given the double inheritance usually reserved for the firstborn, but he was not given the head position in the family. This was reserved for Judah, Leah’s fourth son. These unusual decisions signal God’s leadership in the covenant family!
Ephraim will become the largest, most powerful tribe in northern Canaan, while Judah will become the largest and most powerful tribe in the south.
The LXX has an extended list of descendants connected to this verse. Some scholars think it was purposely omitted by the MT because of Deu 32:8 (UBS, Preliminary and Interim Report on the Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, p. 70).
Gen 46:21 “The sons of Benjamin” Benjamin’s sons seem to be listed here, but when one compares this with 1Ch 7:6, there are only three sons mentioned. Some commentators have asserted that the others listed here are grandsons (cf. Num 26:38-40; 1Ch 7:6 ff; 1Ch 8:1 ff).
Gen 46:26 “his direct descendants” This list is somewhat confusing because
1. it lists the names of sons who died earlier
2. some of the names are plural and seem to be names of later tribal clans
3. Benjamin, in Gen 46:21, is said to have ten sons instead of the more traditional three
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
the names. Compare the above order with that of Gen 49:3-27, and see App-45.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the names: Gen 29:1 – Gen 30:43, Gen 35:23, Gen 49:1-33, Exo 1:1-5, Exo 6:14-18, 1Ch 2:1-55, 1Ch 8:1-40
Reuben: Gen 29:32, Gen 35:22, Gen 35:23, Gen 49:3, Gen 49:4, Exo 6:14, Num 1:5, Num 1:20, Num 1:21, Num 2:10-13, Num 26:5-11, Deu 33:6, 1Ch 2:1-10
Reciprocal: Gen 42:13 – Thy servants Rth 4:11 – Rachel 1Ch 5:1 – he was Mat 1:2 – Jacob begat
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Israel’s household’s move to Egypt 46:8-27
This section contains a list of the individuals in Jacob’s family about the time he moved to Egypt. As in chapter 31, when he left Paddan-aram, this move was also difficult for Jacob. Moses recorded a total of 70 persons (Gen 46:27; cf. Exo 1:5). The 66 referred to in Gen 46:26 excluded Jacob, Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh, or perhaps Er and Onan (Gen 46:12) and Ephraim and Manasseh. Stephen said there were 75, but he must have added Joseph’s three grandsons and two great-grandsons (Act 7:14). These five were born later, as were some or all of Benjamin’s 10 sons (Gen 46:21), in all probability.
". . . according to a view which we frequently meet with in the Old Testament, though strange to our modes of thought, [they] came into Egypt in lumbus patrum [i.e., in the loins of their father]." [Note: Keil and Delitzsch, 1:371.]
"It [Gen 46:8] means: shortly after the children of Israel had come to Egypt there were to be found those seventy fathers from whom were derived the seventy clans that were the prevailing clans throughout Israel’s early history." [Note: Leupold, 2:1115.]
This was the humble beginning of the great nation of Israel.
"It can hardly go without notice that the number of nations in Genesis 10 is also ’seventy.’ Just as the ’seventy nations’ represent all the descendants of Adam, so now the ’seventy sons’ represent all the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob-the children of Israel. Here in narrative form is a demonstration of the theme in Deu 32:8 that God apportioned the boundaries of the nations (Genesis 10) according to the number of the children of Israel. Thus the writer has gone to great lengths to portray the new nation of Israel as a new humanity and Abraham as a second Adam. The blessing that is to come through Abraham and his seed is a restoration of the original blessing of Adam, a blessing which was lost in the Fall." [Note: Sailhamer, The Pentateuch . . ., p. 225.]