Genesis 46:15

15 These be the sons of Leah, which she childed (to Jacob) in Mesopotamia of Syria, with Dinah, her daughter; all the souls of his sons and (of his) daughters (by Leah), (were) three and thirty. (These be the sons of Leah, whom she bare for Jacob in Paddan-aram, besides their daughter Dinah; all of his sons and his daughter by Leah, were three and thirty.)

Genesis 46:15 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 46:15

These are the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in
Padanaram
Which must be restrained to the six sons only, who were properly Leah's, and not to their sons' sons, for they were not born in Padanaram, but in Canaan: with his daughter Dinah;
who also was by Leah: all the souls of his sons and daughters [were] thirty and three;
that is, together with himself, or otherwise it will be difficult to give the exact number; if all before mentioned are to be reckoned there will be thirty four, wherefore some are for excluding Dinah; but she is not only expressly mentioned, but is the only one intended by his daughters here, the plural being put for the singular; and there is as much reason for retaining her here, as Sarah the daughter of Asher hereafter: some think Er and Onan are to be excluded, as indeed they are, because they died in the land of Canaan, and then there will be but thirty two; wherefore some are for adding Jochebed the daughter of Levi, but she is neither mentioned in the genealogy, nor did she go with Jacob into Egypt, but was born in Egypt long after: it seems best therefore to take Jacob himself into the account, as several Jewish writers do F23, and who is expressly named and set at the head of this account, ( Genesis 46:8 ) , which will make thirty three.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 Aben Ezra, Gersom, & Abarbinel.

Genesis 46:15 In-Context

13 The sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron.
14 The sons of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel.
15 These be the sons of Leah, which she childed (to Jacob) in Mesopotamia of Syria, with Dinah, her daughter; all the souls of his sons and (of his) daughters (by Leah), (were) three and thirty. (These be the sons of Leah, whom she bare for Jacob in Paddan-aram, besides their daughter Dinah; all of his sons and his daughter by Leah, were three and thirty.)
16 The sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli.
17 The sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah; and Serah, the sister of them (and their sister Serah). The sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.