Genesis 46:15 kjv

These be the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padanaram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three.

Genesis 46:15 nkjv

These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the persons, his sons and his daughters, were thirty-three.

Genesis 46:15 niv

These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, besides his daughter Dinah. These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all.

Genesis 46:15 esv

These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, together with his daughter Dinah; altogether his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three.

Genesis 46:15 nlt

These were the sons of Leah and Jacob who were born in Paddan-aram, in addition to their daughter, Dinah. The number of Jacob's descendants (male and female) through Leah was thirty-three.

Genesis 46 verses

Genesis 46 15 Meaning

This verse details the specific enumeration of the direct descendants of Leah, Jacob’s first wife, who accompanied him to Egypt. It lists the number of her sons and one daughter, Dinah, stating that they collectively totaled thirty-three souls. This provides a precise record of the early members of the developing nation of Israel.

Genesis 46 15 Context

Genesis 46 marks a pivotal moment in the Abrahamic narrative: the descent of Jacob and his entire household into Egypt. Following Joseph’s revelation to his family and the severe famine gripping the land, Joseph instructs his family to join him in Egypt. Before embarking, Jacob offers sacrifices to God in Beersheba, and God assures him that He will go with Jacob to Egypt and there make him a great nation (Gen 46:3-4). The ensuing verses (Gen 46:8-27) meticulously list all the individuals who accompanied Jacob, affirming the direct fulfillment of God’s promise to multiply Jacob’s offspring. Verse 15 specifically focuses on the children born to Leah in Padan Aram, emphasizing her significant contribution to the rapidly expanding family. These genealogical records underscore God's faithfulness in preserving and multiplying the covenant people, establishing the foundational group that would later grow into the nation of Israel during their four centuries in Egypt.

Genesis 46 15 Word analysis

• These: (Hebrew: 'elleh - אֵלֶּה) Refers back to the list of Leah's sons mentioned immediately prior (Gen 46:8-14), indicating a summation of those specifically belonging to Leah's line. It serves as an enumerative transition.
• are the sons of Leah: (Hebrew: bene Le'ah - בְּנֵי לֵאָה) Designates the paternal lineage and attributes the individuals directly to Leah, Jacob's first and often overlooked wife, highlighting her crucial role in bearing many of the tribal founders of Israel.
• whom she bare unto Jacob: (Hebrew: 'asher yalda leYa'aqov - אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה לְיַעֲקֹב) Confirms the biological relationship, emphasizing these are Jacob's direct children through Leah, reinforcing the divine plan of forming a nation from his descendants.
• in Padanaram: (Hebrew: beFadan 'Aram - בְּפַדַּן אֲרָם) A specific geographical detail, pinpointing the location where Jacob resided and had children while working for Laban (Gen 28:2; 29:20-30), indicating the initial expansion of his family occurred outside the land of Canaan, consistent with God's preparatory providence.
• with his daughter Dinah: (Hebrew: 'im Dinah bito - עִם דִּינָה בִּתּוֹ)
  • Dinah: The only daughter explicitly named in these lists. Her specific inclusion, after the tragedy of Gen 34, shows the meticulousness of the Biblical record in counting all direct descendants, not just male heirs. It ensures a complete accounting of "souls" who traveled to Egypt, highlighting every individual's worth in the eyes of God within His covenant purposes.
  • his daughter: Reinforces her direct familial relationship to Jacob for accounting purposes.
• all the souls of his sons and his daughters: (Hebrew: kol nefesh banav uvenotav - כָּל נֶפֶשׁ בָּנָיו וּבְנֹתָיו)
  • all the souls: (Hebrew: kol nefesh - כָּל נֶפֶשׁ) The term nefesh often means "living being" or "person." Its use here signifies a count of individual persons, encompassing all of Leah’s immediate progeny regardless of gender or marital status, underscoring the completeness of the record.
  • his sons and his daughters: Explicitly clarifies that the count includes both male and female offspring, emphasizing a total population rather than solely male lineage for inheritance or military purposes, which is vital for the growth of a future nation.
• were thirty and three: (Hebrew: sheloshim veshalesh - שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשָׁלֹשׁ) The precise numerical figure for Leah's direct descendants entering Egypt. This exactness speaks to the divine attention to detail in tracking the seed of Abraham, reinforcing the accuracy of the narrative and the verifiable beginnings of the chosen people, who would eventually grow to become a multitude.

Genesis 46 15 Bonus section

This verse, along with others in Genesis 46, forms part of the crucial biblical genealogies that not only trace lineage but also validate God’s ongoing covenant promises of multiplication. The very act of numbering these individuals signals God's detailed providence over the developing Israelite community, even when they are moving into a foreign land. The distinct count for each mother's children, like Leah's here, highlights the familial segments that would eventually become the tribes of Israel, demonstrating a structured and deliberate formation of the nation. It sets the stage for the book of Exodus, where the dramatic growth of these 70 souls (totaling the whole house of Jacob as they entered Egypt, Gen 46:27) into a multitude of several hundred thousand would fully actualize God’s ancient promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Gen 12:2; 22:17; 35:11). This detailed account assures believers that God works in specific and measurable ways to bring about His divine purposes.

Genesis 46 15 Commentary

Genesis 46:15 serves as a meticulously preserved detail within the grand narrative of God’s covenant with Abraham. It highlights the continued faithfulness of God in growing Jacob’s family into a substantial group despite challenging circumstances like famine, preparing them to become a "great nation" in Egypt (Gen 46:3). The precise enumeration of Leah's 33 direct descendants—including Dinah, whose mention is significant given her prior narrative prominence (Gen 34)—underscores the biblical commitment to detailed record-keeping for Israel's foundational history. This level of specific accounting affirms the validity and authenticity of the emerging people of God, demonstrating that each individual life, including daughters, holds value within God's sovereign plan to establish His chosen nation. It is a foundational record, paving the way for the multiplication foretold to Jacob and eventually detailed in Exodus, establishing a direct connection between divine promise and historical fulfillment.