Genesis 46:26-27 · Bible study
Genesis 46:26-27 Commentary: Counting God's Faithfulness
Hebrew · 5 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How do the numbers 66 and 70 reconcile? This study examines the census of Jacob's family and what it reveals about God's preserving care.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The passage records the number of Jacob’s direct descendants who entered Egypt, showing both an exact count and a symbolic total that emphasizes God’s preservation.
- Key words: nefesh (soul, person) occurs four times; yarekh (thigh, loins) stresses procreative descent and the covenant lineage.
- Main debate: The LXX reads 75 instead of 70, followed in Acts 7:14; some scholars see the MT as original, while others see the LXX as expanding from Numbers 26.
- Theological theme: God faithfully preserves His covenant people, even through famine and displacement, establishing a community that will become a great nation.
- Best use: Teaching on God’s care for details, the reliability of Scripture despite textual variants, and the significance of numbers in redemptive history.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
26All those belonging to Jacob who came to Egypt—his direct descendants, besides the wives of Jacob’s sons—numbered sixty-six persons.
27And with the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family who went to Egypt were seventy in all.
WEB World English Bible 2000
26All the souls who came with Jacob into Egypt, who were his direct offspring, in addition to Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were sixty-six.
27The sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two souls. All the souls of the house of Jacob, who came into Egypt, were seventy.
KJV King James Version 1769
26All 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;
27And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
26All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, that came out of his loins, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were threescore and six;
27and the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, that came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
26All the persons who are coming to Jacob to Egypt, coming out of his thigh, apart from the wives of Jacob's sons, all the persons are sixty and six.
27And the sons of Joseph who have been born to him in Egypt are two persons. All the persons of the house of Jacob who are coming into Egypt are seventy.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
26All the souls that came with Jacob to Egypt, that had come out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives: all the souls were sixty-six.
27And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt, were two souls. All the souls of the house of Jacob that came to Egypt were seventy.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
26All the souls that went with Jacob into Egypt, and that came out of his thigh, besides his sons' wives, sixty-six.
27And the sons of Joseph, that were born to him in the land of Egypt, two souls. All the souls of the house of Jacob, that entered into Egypt, were seventy.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Genesis 46:26
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Gill and the Cambridge Bible agree that the numbers in these verses are consistent: the 66 total counts only Jacob’s direct descendants who traveled with him to Egypt, excluding Jacob himself, Joseph, and Joseph’s two sons. The 70 total then adds those three as well as Jacob, reaching a round, theologically significant number. Cambridge notes that the list of names in the preceding verses already totals 70 if all are included (including Er and Onan, who died), so 66 appears by deducting Joseph and his two sons (and possibly Er and Onan). The LXX reads 75, a difference the Cambridge editors attribute to adding Joseph’s grandchildren from Numbers 26:28, 37. Despite the accounting puzzle, all commentators see here a deliberate emphasis on completeness: God was preserving a full family, a seed that would become a nation.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Masoretic Text priority: The MT 70 is original and exact, and the LXX 75 is a later expansion based on other genealogies.
- Septuagint priority: The LXX 75 may preserve a fuller tradition that includes later births to Joseph, supported by Acts 7:14.
What is clear: God preserved Jacob's family through famine and migration, and from these 70 (or 75) souls He formed the nation of Israel, fulfilling His covenant promise.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The total number of Jacob's household entering Egypt | Both the MT and LXX traditions agree that the number is significant and communicates completeness. | The MT gives 70, while the LXX gives 75, followed in Acts 7:14. The disagreement stems from whether Joseph’s grandchildren are included. The Cambridge Bible suggests the LXX added five descendants mentioned in Numbers 26:28, 37. |
| The count of 66 in verse 26 | All commentators agree that the 66 excludes Jacob himself, Joseph, and Joseph’s two sons. | Some (like Gill) include Er and Onan in the 66 total and then subtract Joseph and his sons. Others (like the Cambridge Bible) exclude Er and Onan from the outset because they died in Canaan, changing how the list is totalled. |
| The symbolic meaning of the number 70 | 70 is understood as a number of completeness, corresponding to the 70 nations in Genesis 10 and the 70 elders of Israel. | Whether the number is precisely accurate or a round sacred number. The Cambridge Bible says it is 'secured, though at the cost of some adjustment,' implying a rounded count. Others, such as Gill, treat it as exact. |
| The exclusion of the wives of Jacob's sons | All note that wives are excluded from the count of Jacob's direct descendants. | No significant debate; the focus on the male bloodline reflects the patriarchal emphasis on the covenant line. Some may see it as a limitation, but the text does not problematize it. |
Historical & Cultural Context
These verses sit at the crossroads of Genesis, between the promise to Abraham and the nation-building in Exodus. Jacob’s family is migrating from Canaan to Egypt to escape famine, aided by Joseph’s rise to power. The census-like list follows an ancient Near Eastern pattern: a patriarch counts his household before a significant relocation. The phrase “came out of his loins” (Hebrew yarekh, meaning thigh or procreative organs) stresses direct biological descent, important for establishing the covenant lineage.
The number 70 carries deep resonance. Genesis 10 lists 70 nations descended from Noah, and Jacob’s 70 family members mirror that completeness. By connecting the family to the nations, the text hints that Israel will represent God’s purposes for all humanity. The 70 also prefigures the 70 elders of Israel (Exodus 24:1, 9) and the Sanhedrin. The move to Egypt ironically preserves the family that will later be enslaved, showing how God works through hardship to fulfill His promises.
Note the exclusion of the wives: the count focuses on bloodline, not marriage alliances. This reflects the patriarchal concern for descent through the father, but it also keeps the census clean for tracking the growth of the nation later in Exodus 1:5, where the same 70 are mentioned.
Textual Notes
The primary textual variant is the number in verse 27. The Masoretic Text reads 70, while the Septuagint (LXX) reads 75. Acts 7:14 follows the LXX. The Cambridge Bible suggests the extra five come from the inclusion of Joseph’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren (cf. Genesis 50:23; Numbers 26:28, 37). Most scholars consider the MT to preserve the original number, with the LXX reflecting a later expansion that harmonizes the count with other genealogical data. No other significant variants are noted in the consulted sources.
Reception History
Early Jewish tradition used the 70 souls to connect Jacob’s family with the 70 nations of Genesis 10, portraying Israel as a microcosm of humanity. In Christian reception, the number 70 became a symbol of completeness and order, echoed in the 70 disciples sent by Jesus (Luke 10:1 in some manuscripts) and the 70 elders of Israel. The list was also read as a demonstration of God’s faithful preservation: a small family destined for greatness. Modern scholars focus on resolving the numerical discrepancy, but across history the passage has served primarily to emphasize that God counts and cares for every member of His covenant people.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God sees every person. The careful count shows that each soul matters to God, not just the patriarchs. In a world of big movements, He knows the individuals.
- Completeness belongs to God. The numbers 66 and 70 are not a contradiction in Scripture but a demonstration of how God rounds up His family. What looks like a discrepancy is really a fuller picture.
- Preservation precedes multiplication. The 70 who entered Egypt become the multitude who leave. God protects a remnant to bring about a great nation.
Five-point outline
- The journey from promise to provision (famine forces movement).
- The careful genealogy (God records names, not just numbers).
- The exclusion and inclusion (wives left out; Jacob, Joseph, grandchildren added).
- The sacred total (70 as a number of wholeness).
- The forward glance (these 70 are the seed of a nation).
Illustration hooks
- A family reunion where you create a guest list, realize you forgot a branch, recalculate, and end with everyone present. The final number brings satisfaction.
- A small business owner counting inventory before moving warehouses; the shift reveals both what is missing and what is already in place.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did God include these exact numbers? Aren’t there more important details?
- Does the difference between 66 and 70 mean the Bible has a counting error?
- What does this census have to do with God’s love for me today?
Leading a Discussion
This passage presents a numbers puzzle that helps us see God’s detailed care for His people. The count of 66 and 70 may seem tedious, but it shows the writer’s attention to accuracy and symbolic completeness. Use these questions to explore the meaning together.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think the text gives two different totals (66 and 70) within two verses? What purpose does that serve?
- Who is excluded from the 66 count, and why? What does that tell you about how the biblical writer views family and lineage?
- The number 70 appears elsewhere in Scripture (nations in Genesis 10, elders in Exodus 24). What does this repeated number suggest about God’s plan?
- How does knowing that Jacob’s family entered Egypt with 70 people, and later left as a multitude, affect your view of God’s timing?
- Why might the wives be excluded from this count? What does that reveal about ancient Israelite culture and about God’s covenant focus?
- The LXX gives 75, and Acts 7:14 follows that. How do you handle textual differences in Scripture? What can they teach us about the transmission of God’s Word?
- In what ways does this seemingly small detail (a census list) strengthen your trust in God’s care for details in your own life?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 35:11 | God said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations will be from you, and kings will come out of your body. |
| Exodus 1:5 | All the souls who came out of Jacob’s body were seventy souls, and Joseph was in Egypt already. |
| Judges 8:30 | Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body, for he had many wives. |
| Exodus 24:1 | He said to Moses, “Come up to Yahweh, you, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship from a distance. |
| Deuteronomy 10:22 | Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons; and now Yahweh your God has made you as the stars of the sky for multitude. |
| Acts 7:14 | Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his relatives, seventy-five souls. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
5 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the total of seventy people is a sacred number in Scripture, and the text secures it even at the cost of some adjustment. It observes that the sixty-six souls who came with Jacob are arrived at by deducting Er, Onan, and Joseph's two sons from the full list. The Septuagint gives seventy-five, which is followed in Acts.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note carefully tallies the count of Jacob's household. It distinguishes between the sixty-six descendants who traveled with Jacob from Canaan and the two sons born to Joseph in Egypt, making seventy souls in total who entered Egypt as part of Jacob's family.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill carefully distinguishes between the 66 souls from Jacob's own descendants who traveled with him into Egypt and the 70 souls who made up the whole house of Jacob present there. The difference comes from including Jacob himself and Joseph's two sons, who were already in Egypt and so did not travel with the patriarch.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange identifies the core theme as the divine-sanctioned migration of Israel into Egypt, framed by a permanent reservation regarding their eventual return to Canaan. He highlights how Egyptian prejudice against shepherds provided protective isolation for the family. This arrangement allowed them to grow in Goshen while maintaining their distinct identity until the promised exodus.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that the detailed genealogy confirms Jacob’s family arrived as a complete, organized household rather than a scattered group. He emphasizes that Joseph’s sons were counted with Benjamin to show how the twelve tribes remained distinct even while growing in Egypt. This record preserves the identity of each branch for future generations.