Exodus 1:5

5 Therefore all the souls of them that went out of the hip of Jacob were seventy and five. Forsooth Joseph was in Egypt; (And so all the souls of those who went out of the hip of Jacob were seventy. And Joseph was already in Egypt;)

Exodus 1:5 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 1:5

And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were
seventy souls
"Souls" are put for persons; of the number seventy, and how reckoned, (See Gill on Genesis 46:27). This was but a small number that went down to Egypt, when compared with that which went out of it; and that it should be compared with it is the design of its being mentioned, see ( Exodus 12:37 ) :

for Joseph was in Egypt already;
and is the reason why he is not reckoned among the sons of Jacob, that came thither with him; though rather it may be better rendered, "with Joseph who was in Egypt" F3; for he must be reckoned, and indeed his two sons also, to make up the number seventy; therefore Jonathan rightly supplies it,

``with Joseph and his sons who were in Egypt,''

(See Gill on Genesis 46:27).


FOOTNOTES:

F3 (Poyw) "cum Josepho qui erat in Aegypto", Junius & Tremellius, Ainsworth, Noldius, No. 1197. p. 273. so the Arabic version, Kimchi, and Ben Melech.

Exodus 1:5 In-Context

3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
5 Therefore all the souls of them that went out of the hip of Jacob were seventy and five. Forsooth Joseph was in Egypt; (And so all the souls of those who went out of the hip of Jacob were seventy. And Joseph was already in Egypt;)
6 and when he was dead (and after he died), and all his brethren, and all his kindred,
7 the sons of Israel increased, and were multiplied as burgeoning, and they were made strong greatly, and filled the land. (the Israelites increased, and were multiplied like burgeonings, and they were made very strong, and filled the land.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.