Genesis 46:8-27 Reconciling the Number of Souls in Egypt CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

When Jacob left Canaan to go into Egypt, he took all of his family with him.  This episode in his life is recorded in Gen. 46, Ex. 1 and Acts 7.  These three chapters show four different counts for the family members in Egypt.  Thus, some scholars have alleged that these numbers are irreconcilable and, therefore, represent a contradiction in the Bible.  That’s not true, as you will see in this lesson.

First, we have to establish the number of family members that are named in the whole family.  From that list we can determine the reconciliation for each of the other lists.  The family members are as follows.

• Jacob
• Jacob’s four wives: Leah, Zilpah, Rachel and Bilhah
• Jacob’s twelve sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, and Naphtali
• Jacob’s one daughter: Dinah
• Jacob’ fifty-eight grandchildren and great-grandchildren: 1. Hanoch, 2. Phallu, 3. Hezron, 4. Carmi, 5. Jemuel, 6. Jamin, 7. Ohad, 8. Jachin, 9. Zohar, 10. Shaul,   11. Gershon, 12. Kohath, 13. Merari, 14. Er, 15. Onan, 16. Shelah, 17. Pharez, 18. Zarah, 19. Hezron, 20. Hamul, 21. Tola, 22. Phuvah, 23. Job, 24. Shimron, 25. Sered, 26. Elon, 27. Jahleel, 28. Ziphion, 29. Haggi, 30. Shuni, 31. Ezbon, 32. Eri, 33. Arodi, 34. Areli, 35. Jimnah, 36. Ishuah, 37. Isui, 38. Beriah, 39. Serah 40. Heber, 41. Malchiel, 42. Manasseh, 43. Ephraim, 44. Belah, 45. Becher, 46. Ashbel, 47. Gera, 48. Naaman, 49. Ehi, 50. Rosh, 51. Muppim, 52. Huppim,    53. Ard, 54. Hushim, 55. Jahzeel, 56. Guni, 57. Jezer, and 58. Shillem.

When you add the number of people in these lists you get 76 names:

1 + 4 + 12 + 1 + 58 = 76

The first number to reconcile is 66 found in Gen. 46:26.  These are “all the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins.”  The number is calculated as follows:

76  total family members

-1  for Jacob (because he didn’t come out of his own loins)

-4  for the wives (who were not out of his loins)

-2  for Er and Onan (who had died in Canaan and, thus, didn’t come with Jacob)

-3  for Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim (who were already in Egypt)

66 who were out of his loins and who came with him to Egypt

The second number to reconcile is 70 found in Gen 46:27.  These are “all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt.”  This number is calculated as follows:

66  the family out of his loins who came with him into Egypt

+3  for Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim (who were already in Egypt)

+1  for Jacob (who also came to Egypt)

70    souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt

The third number to reconcile is 70 found in Ex. 1:5.  These are the “souls that came out of the loins of Jacob.”  Notice that Joseph is excluded from the number because he is set apart by himself in the verse.  The Bible says, “for Joseph was in Egypt already.”  This number is calculated as follows:

76    total family members

-1  for Jacob (because he didn’t come out of his own loins)

-4  for the wives (who were not out of his loins)

  -1  for Joseph who was in Egypt already

70  souls out of the loins of Jacob, not including Joseph

The fourth number to reconcile is 75 found in Acts 7:14.  These are Joseph’s “father Jacob … and all his kindred.”  This number is calculated as follows:

76    total family members

-1  for Joseph who did the calling

75  Joseph’s kindred including his father Jacob

We put this reconciliation together so that some scholar couldn’t trip you up by calling these lists contradictory.