Genesis 46:18 kjv

These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls.

Genesis 46:18 nkjv

These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob: sixteen persons.

Genesis 46:18 niv

These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah?sixteen in all.

Genesis 46:18 esv

These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob ? sixteen persons.

Genesis 46:18 nlt

These were the sons of Zilpah, the servant given to Leah by her father, Laban. The number of Jacob's descendants through Zilpah was sixteen.

Genesis 46 verses

Genesis 46 18 Meaning

Genesis 46:18 concludes the list of Jacob's descendants who came with him to Egypt, specifically enumerating the "sixteen persons" born through Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, to Jacob. This verse highlights the meticulously recorded growth of Jacob's household, forming the early stages of the nation of Israel as promised by God, prior to their settlement in Egypt. It emphasizes the origin and counting of distinct family lines within Jacob's burgeoning family.

Genesis 46 18 Context

Genesis chapter 46 recounts Jacob's journey with his entire household from Canaan to Egypt to escape the severe famine. The Lord had assured Jacob of His presence and promise to make him a great nation there (Gen 46:3). Following this divine reassurance, a detailed genealogical list is provided, meticulously enumerating all the individuals who accompanied Jacob. This list is categorized by the mothers of Jacob's sons: Leah (vv. 8-15), Zilpah (vv. 16-18), Rachel (vv. 19-22), and Bilhah (vv. 23-25). Genesis 46:18 specifically concludes the list for Zilpah's lineage, providing a precise count of her immediate and generational offspring for Jacob. This census underscores the early stages of Israel's formation as a people and sets the stage for their time in Egypt, highlighting God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promise of numerous descendants even as they entered a foreign land.

Genesis 46 18 Word analysis

• These: Refers directly to the previously listed sons of Zilpah – Gad and Asher – and their own offspring, completing that particular family branch's enumeration.
• are the sons of Zilpah (בְּנֵ֣י זִלְפָּ֔ה, B’nei Zilpah): "B'nei" means "sons" or "children of." Zilpah was Leah's handmaid (Gen 29:24), given to her by Laban. Her status as a handmaid whose children were considered born to the legal wife (Leah) was a customary practice, ensuring the children were fully integrated into Jacob's family and his lineage.
• whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter (אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֨ן לָבָ֤ן לְלֵאָה֙ בִּתּ֔וֹ, asher-natan Lavan l'Leah bitto): "Natan" (נָתַן) means "gave." This phrase explicitly clarifies Zilpah's origin and her designated role as a maidservant gifted by Laban to Leah at the time of her marriage. This action culturally signifies Zilpah as property associated with Leah, which dictated the lineage of her children born to Jacob. It indirectly underscores Leah's familial rights within Jacob's household, as her children via Zilpah are still reckoned as hers. This detail is also important as it grounds the narrative in specific family and legal arrangements of the time. It implies a legal recognition of these children as part of Jacob's core family.
• and these she bore to Jacob (וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ יָלְדָ֣ה לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב, w'eleh yaldah l'Yaakov): "Yaldah" (יָלְדָה) means "she bore" or "she gave birth to." Despite Zilpah being the biological mother, the phrase explicitly states these children were borne to Jacob, affirming their full paternal legitimacy within Jacob's household. This legal and social framework ensured the children of handmaids were indeed recognized as the patriarch's descendants. This highlights the clear establishment of paternal lineage critical for the formation of the tribes.
• sixteen persons (שֵׁשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה נָֽפֶשׁ, shesh-esreh nefesh): "Shesh-esreh" is sixteen. "Nefesh" (נֶפֶשׁ) means "soul" or "living being" and is frequently used to denote a person, as in a count. This precise numerical total for Zilpah's descendants signifies the meticulous nature of the biblical record. It is crucial for contributing to the overall count of Jacob's household going into Egypt (whether 70 or 75, depending on the textual tradition), demonstrating the quantitative growth of the nascent nation of Israel according to God's promise.

Genesis 46 18 Bonus section

The consistent listing of descendants by the maternal lineage (Leah, Zilpah, Rachel, Bilhah) throughout Genesis 46, including this verse, underscores the importance of the mother's status in establishing the distinct family groups that would eventually become the twelve tribes of Israel. Although children of handmaids, Zilpah's sons (Gad and Asher) each founded distinct tribes that later played significant roles in Israel's history. This detail counters any notion of a mere biological count, emphasizing the social and theological structure being built by God's providence. The very act of numbering reinforces God's divine oversight and attention to detail in the formation of His covenant people.

Genesis 46 18 Commentary

Genesis 46:18, while seemingly a straightforward part of a genealogical list, holds significant theological weight. It concludes the count of the descendants tracing their lineage through Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, reaffirming their full incorporation into Jacob's household. This meticulous record-keeping underscores the divine meticulousness in building His chosen people. The listing of these sixteen "persons" contributes to the seventy (or seventy-five) souls who entered Egypt, marking a pivotal moment in the Abrahamic covenant's unfolding. From a relatively small family unit, God's promise of multiplication was already visibly taking root. The verse also implicitly confirms the legitimacy of children born from handmaids within the patriarchal society, as these individuals were fully counted as Jacob's offspring, destined to become tribes of Israel. This accounting serves not merely as a historical record, but as a testimony to God's faithfulness in beginning to fulfill His promise to create a great nation from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, even amidst famine and displacement.