And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two. All the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The text carefully distinguishes between "the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt" and "the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt." This subtle phrasing is crucial because it clarifies that Joseph's sons, though part of Jacob's extended family in Egypt, weren't counted in the original migration group. It highlights how the family's presence in Egypt began before Jacob's arrival and expanded through births within Egypt itself.
And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two. All the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy.
English Standard Version (ESV)
As Jacob and his entire family finally make their way into Egypt, this verse offers a precise count of those who arrived. It specifically notes Joseph's two sons born in Egypt, clarifying that they are included in the total count of seventy people who constituted the house of Jacob entering Egypt, all part of God's unfolding plan for his chosen people.
Ever notice how the Bible sometimes fixates on specific numbers? Genesis 46:27 mentions 'seventy souls.' Why this exact number, and what's its significance?
The number seventy in the Bible often symbolizes completeness or a full divine measure. Here, it signifies the complete family of Jacob, marking the end of an era in Canaan and the beginning of a new chapter in Egypt.
A Full Measure
Notice how the text carefully adds Joseph and his sons born in Egypt to reach this 'seventy,' showing God's meticulous plan even in the details of family and migration.
Jacob's family moved to Egypt. It sounds like a place of refuge, but was it meant to be their forever home? This verse holds a key to understanding their destiny.
The arrival of Jacob's family in Egypt, totaling seventy souls, is a pivotal moment. While Egypt offered immediate safety and provision, it was never intended to be their ultimate dwelling place. God's promise to make Abraham's descendants a 'great nation' required more than just survival; it required a land of their own.
Ask a follow-up
A Temporary Haven
Notice how the narrative, even as it counts the seventy souls entering Egypt, is already steeped in God's promises for their future, both His presence with them and His plan to 'bring you up again.'
Understand the original words
bayith · Hebrew Noun
A title for the head of a family, clan, or tribe. In a theological context, it refers to the extended family unit or the corporate entity of God's covenant people.
Yoseph · Hebrew Proper Noun
A prominent son of Jacob, used here as the primary figure representing the branch of the family established in Egypt. His life illustrates God's providence in using suffering for the ultimate salvation of his people.
The precise count of seventy highlights the small beginnings of Israel in Egypt, emphasizing God's power to fulfill His promises of making them a great nation from such humble origins.
c. 1700 BC
Joseph sold into Egypt
Joseph, son of Jacob, is sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers and eventually rises to a position of great power under Pharaoh.
c. 1660 BC— this verse
Jacob's family migrates to Egypt
A severe famine in Canaan prompts Jacob and his entire household, numbering seventy people, to relocate to Egypt, settling in the land of Goshen.
c. 1660 BC
Joseph's sons born in Egypt
Manasseh and Ephraim, Joseph's sons, are born to him in Egypt before Jacob and his family arrive.
c. 1600 BC
The Israelites grow in number
The seventy Israelites who arrived in Egypt begin to multiply rapidly, laying the foundation for their future growth into a great nation.
This passage directly enumerates the number of Israelites who left Egypt, highlighting how the 'seventy souls' who entered Egypt in Genesis grew into a massive multitude.
Deuteronomy 10:22This verse echoes the 'seventy souls' from Genesis, further emphasizing the small beginnings of Israel in Egypt and God's faithfulness in multiplying them.
Acts 7:14Stephen's speech in Acts provides a slightly different count (seventy-five), which sparks discussion about how to reconcile the numbers and includes Joseph's sons and grandsons who were born in Egypt, bringing a fuller picture of the family's presence.
Romans 11:17Paul uses the olive tree analogy, where some branches were broken off and others grafted in, which can parallel how the 'seventy' represented the core lineage of Israel, with Joseph's Egyptian-born sons being part of this new growth and inclusion.
gillGenesis 46:27: "And 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."
And the sons of Joseph, which were born in Egypt, were two souls,.... Ephraim and Manasseh; which is observed to show that they do not come into the above reckoning, but are to be taken into another that follows: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten; here it may be observed, the…
calvinGenesis 46:1-34: "And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac."
- Et dixit Deus ad Israel in visi onibus noctis, dixit inquam, Jahacob Jahacob. Ille respondit, Ecce, adsum.
3 And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:
- Et dixit, Ego sum Deus, Deus patris tui: ne timeas descendere in Aegyptum: quia in gentem magnam ponam to ibi…
The text carefully distinguishes between "the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt" and "the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt." This subtle phrasing is crucial because it clarifies that Joseph's sons, though part of Jacob's extended family in Egypt, weren't counted in the original migration group. It highlights how the family's presence in Egypt began before Jacob's arrival and expanded through births within Egypt itself.
As Jacob and his entire family finally make their way into Egypt, this verse offers a precise count of those who arrived. It specifically notes Joseph's two sons born in Egypt, clarifying that they are included in the total count of seventy people who constituted the house of Jacob entering Egypt, all part of God's unfolding plan for his chosen people.
As Jacob and his entire family finally make their way into Egypt, this verse offers a precise count of those who arrived. It specifically notes Joseph's two sons born in Egypt, clarifying that they are included in the total count of seventy people who constituted the house of Jacob entering Egypt, all part of God's unfolding plan for his chosen people.
"And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two. All the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy." — The text carefully distinguishes between "the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt" and "the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt." This subtle phrasing is crucial because it c…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026