Genesis 46:27

27 And with the two sons [a] who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family who went to Egypt were seventy [b] in all.

Genesis 46:27 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 46:27

And the sons of Joseph, which were born in Egypt, [were] two
souls
Ephraim and Manasseh; which is observed to show that they do not come into the above reckoning, but are to be taken into another that follows: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, [were]
threescore and ten;
here it may be observed, the phrase is varied; it is not said, "all the souls which came out of the loins of Jacob", but "all the souls of the house" or family of Jacob; all that that consisted of, and takes in Jacob himself, the head of his house or family; nor is it said, "which came with Jacob into Egypt", as before, but "which came into Egypt"; not which came with him thither, but yet were there by some means or another, as Joseph and his two sons; Joseph by being brought down, and sold there, and his two sons by being born there; if therefore Jacob, Joseph, and his two sons, are added to the above number of sixty six, it will make seventy; as for the account of Stephen, making the number seventy five, (See Gill on Acts 7:14).

Genesis 46:27 In-Context

25 These are the sons of Jacob born to Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel—seven in all.
26 All those belonging to Jacob who came to Egypt—his direct descendants, besides the wives of Jacob’s sons—numbered sixty-six persons.
27 And with the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family who went to Egypt were seventy in all.
28 Now Jacob had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When Jacob’s family arrived in the land of Goshen,
29 Joseph prepared his chariot and went there to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, embraced him, and wept profusely.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Hebrew; LXX the nine sons, probably including Joseph’s grandsons through Ephraim and Manasseh; see 1 Chronicles 7:14–29.
  • [b]. Hebrew (see also Exodus 1:5); LXX (see also Acts 7:14) seventy-five
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