Genesis 46 26

Genesis 46:26 kjv

All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls were threescore and six;

Genesis 46:26 nkjv

All the persons who went with Jacob to Egypt, who came from his body, besides Jacob's sons' wives, were sixty-six persons in all.

Genesis 46:26 niv

All those who went to Egypt with Jacob?those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons' wives?numbered sixty-six persons.

Genesis 46:26 esv

All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who were his own descendants, not including Jacob's sons' wives, were sixty-six persons in all.

Genesis 46:26 nlt

The total number of Jacob's direct descendants who went with him to Egypt, not counting his sons' wives, was sixty-six.

Genesis 46 verses

Genesis 46 26 meaning

This verse states that sixty-six direct biological descendants of Jacob, born from his lineage and excluding his sons' wives, comprised the specific number of individuals who journeyed with him into Egypt. This count provides a precise genealogical detail for the formative family group that would later grow into the nation of Israel at the moment of their significant migration.

Genesis 46 26 Context

Genesis chapter 46 details Jacob's momentous journey to Egypt with his entire family, following God's assurance and Joseph's invitation during a severe famine in Canaan. The context of verse 26 specifically focuses on the exact numerical compilation of Jacob's descendants (listed in Genesis 46:8-25) as they enter a foreign land. This precise accounting is fundamental as it quantifies the small, foundational group from which God intended to form a vast nation. Historically, this migration marks the beginning of Israel's sojourn in Egypt, a period predicted in the Abrahamic covenant (Gen 15:13), setting in motion divine plans for their exponential growth, eventual enslavement, and ultimate liberation under God's mighty hand.

Genesis 46 26 Word analysis

• All the persons:

  • Hebrew: Kol nefesh (כָּל־נֶפֶשׁ).
  • "Nefesh" (נֶפֶשׁ): Literally "soul," but in this context signifies each individual, living person. It denotes a careful count of distinct lives.
  • Significance: Emphasizes the individual nature and value of each person within the larger group, highlighting God's meticulous care for His covenant people.

• belonging to Jacob:

  • Hebrew: layeqōv (לְיַעֲקֹב).
  • Indicates direct familial association and dependence on Jacob as the patriarch and head of the emerging nation.
  • Significance: Affirms Jacob's central role as the father figure through whom God's covenant promises are being continued and developed.

• who came into Egypt:

  • Hebrew: bāʾū Miṣrayim (בָּאוּ מִצְרָיְמָה).
  • Refers to the act of physically entering the land of Egypt. This denotes a significant, divinely orchestrated transition in their history.
  • Significance: Marks the critical fulfillment of prophetic declarations regarding their sojourn, initiating the pivotal phase of the nation's formation outside the promised land.

• who came from his thigh:

  • Hebrew: yoṣʾēʾey yerēkhō (יֹצְאֵי יְרֵכוֹ).
  • An idiomatic expression indicating direct biological offspring or descendants, typically through the male lineage. "Thigh" (yerekh) serves as a euphemism for the procreative organs.
  • Significance: This critical phrase specifically defines the group being counted: those born from Jacob's direct bloodline, thereby explicitly excluding those joined by marriage only (like daughters-in-law). It highlights the emphasis on blood-descent for covenant continuity and explains the numerical precision.

• besides Jacob’s sons’ wives:

  • Hebrew: miblĕvaddēy nĕshēy bĕnēy Ya‘aḳōv (מִלְּבַד נְשֵׁי בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב).
  • An explicit clarification that the wives of Jacob's sons are excluded from this particular sixty-six person count. This reinforces the "from his thigh" criteria.
  • Significance: Precisely delineates the count as only direct lineal descendants, not encompassing the broader family unit including spouses. This clarification helps in reconciling the various numbers given in biblical texts (66, 70, 75).

• were sixty-six persons in all:

  • Hebrew: shishīm vĕshēsh nefesh kol (שִׁשִּׁים וְשֵׁשׁ נֶפֶשׁ כָּל).
  • Provides the exact total count of direct blood descendants who accompanied Jacob. The term "nefesh" is repeated for emphasis.
  • Significance: Offers the precise numerical detail of the biological core of Israel at their entry into Egypt. This relatively small number underscores the miraculous growth into a multitude that occurred under God's promise and sovereignty.

Genesis 46 26 Bonus section

• The "Seventy" vs. "Seventy-Five" Discussion: While Gen 46:26 explicitly states 66 persons "from his thigh," Gen 46:27 clarifies that the total "persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy" (this adds Jacob, Joseph, and Joseph's two sons). The Septuagint (LXX), an ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, and Acts 7:14 list the number as 75. This difference is reconciled by understanding that the Hebrew Masoretic Text (the basis for most English Bibles) counts only those who descended from Jacob and entered Egypt, including Joseph and his sons already in Egypt, plus Jacob himself to reach 70. The 75 count (Acts 7:14, LXX) often includes additional members, such as some of the sons' wives, or perhaps Jacob's grandchildren through his daughters who were not listed, emphasizing the complete household that eventually entered or assembled in Egypt.
• The Power of God in Multiplication: This seemingly mundane genealogical detail serves a powerful theological purpose. The starting figure of a mere sixty-six, which becomes seventy for the entire house, directly sets up the astonishing contrast with the immense population figures given in Exodus (e.g., 600,000 men in Exod 12:37). This numerical progression underscores the direct fulfillment of God's repeated promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to make their descendants a vast multitude, demonstrating God's supernatural power over natural limitations.

Genesis 46 26 Commentary

Genesis 46:26 offers a precise demographic snapshot of Jacob's family at a pivotal moment. The verse underscores the divine precision in enumerating God's chosen people, distinguishing between bloodline descendants ("from his thigh") and other family members such as wives. This focus on male-line descent was crucial for tribal identity and the transmission of covenant promises in ancient Israelite society. The count of sixty-six highlights the incredibly small beginnings of the nation Israel—a testimony to God's power to grow a great people from seemingly insignificant origins. This verse lays the statistical foundation for the extraordinary growth that will lead to their later emergence as a numerous people capable of challenging Egypt and ultimately inheriting the land of promise. It implicitly reminds us that God meticulously keeps account of His covenant with His people, even in the details of their genealogies.