Exodus 1:5

1:1-7 During more than 200 years, while Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived at liberty, the Hebrews increased slowly; only about seventy persons went down into Egypt. There, in about the same number of years, though under cruel bondage, they became a large nation. This wonderful increase was according to the promise long before made unto the fathers. Though the performance of God's promises is sometimes slow, it is always sure.

And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls,.... "Souls" are put for persons; of the number seventy, and how reckoned; see Gill on Genesis 46:27 . This was but a small number that went down to Egypt, when compared with that which went out of it; and that it should be compared with it is the design of its being mentioned, see Exodus 12:37 , for Joseph was in Egypt already; and is the reason why he is not reckoned among the sons of Jacob, that came thither with him; though rather it may be better rendered, "with Joseph who was in Egypt" (c); for he must be reckoned, and indeed his two sons also, to make up the number seventy; therefore Jonathan rightly supplies it,"with Joseph and his sons who were in Egypt,''See Gill on Genesis 46:27. (c) "cum Josepho qui erat in Aegypto", Junius & Tremellius, Ainsworth, Noldius, No. 1197. p. 273. so the Arabic version, Kimchi, and Ben Melech.

Exodus 1:5 . Seventy souls — Or persons, according to the computation we had, Genesis 46:27 , including Joseph and his two sons. This was just the number of the nations by which the earth was peopled, (Genesis 10.,) for when “God separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel,” Deuteronomy 32:8 .

(5) All the souls . . . were seventy souls. Comp. Genesis 46:8-27 . The number is made up as follows:—Jacob himself, 1; his sons, 12; his daughter, Dinah, 1; his grandsons, 51; his grand-daughter Serah, 1; his great-grandsons, 4—Total, 70. His daughters, except Dinah, and his sons’ daughters, except Serah, spoken of in Genesis 46:7 , are not included. If his female descendants were, at the time of his descent into Egypt, as numerous as the males, the entire number of those who “came out of his loins” must have been 132. To form a calculation of the number of persons who entered Egypt with him, we must add the wives of his sons and grandsons, and the husbands of his daughters and granddaughters. A further liberal allowance must be also made for retainers. (See the comment on Exodus 1:1 .) It is not perhaps surprising that Kurtz, taking all these classes into account, should calculate that those who entered Egypt with Jacob amounted to “several thousands” ( History of The Old Covenant, vol. ii. p. 149, E.T.).

5 . all the souls that came out , &c.] As Genesis 46:26 (also P). seventy souls ] The number was traditional: cf. Deuteronomy 10:22 (where ‘with’ should be as). This passage shews that P interpreted the tradition in the sense of 70 souls without Jacob: other writers interpreted it in the sense of Deuteronomy 10:22 , and made the number 70 souls including Jacob (cf. Genesis 46:8 ; Genesis 46:27 b). See the writer’s Genesis (in the ‘Westminster Commentaries’), pp. 365, 368. Soul in the sense of ‘person,’ though found occasionally elsewhere (but never in the earlier historical books), is peculiarly frequent in P (nearly 100 times). Exodus 1:5

To place the multiplication of the children of Israel into a strong nation in its true light, as the commencement of the realization of the promises of God, the number of the souls that went down with Jacob to Egypt is repeated from Genesis 46:27 (on the number 70, in which Jacob is included, see the notes on this passage); and the repetition of the names of the twelve sons of Jacob serves to give to the history which follows a character of completeness within itself. "With Jacob they came, every one and his house," i.e., his sons, together with their families, their wives, and their children. The sons are arranged according to their mothers, as in Genesis 35:23-26 , and the sons of the two maid-servants stand last. Joseph, indeed, is not placed in the list, but brought into special prominence by the words, "for Joseph was in Egypt" ( Exodus 1:5 ), since he did not go down to Egypt along with the house of Jacob, and occupied an exalted position in relation to them there.

[Bible] 50:23. After which he told his brethren: God will visit you after my death, and will make you go up out of this land, to the land which he swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 50:24. And he made them swear to him, saying: God will visit you, carry my bones with you out of this place: 50:25. And he died, being a hundred and ten years old. And being embalmed, he was laid in a coffin in Egypt. THE BOOK OF EXODUS The Second Book of Moses is called EXODUS, from the Greek word EXODOS, which signifies going out: because it contains the history of the going out of the children of Israel out of Egypt. The Hebrews, from the words with which it begins, call it VEELLE SEMOTH: These are the names. It contains transactions for 145 years; that is, from the death of Joseph to the erecting of the tabernacle. Exodus Chapter 1 The Israelites are multiplied in Egypt. They are oppressed by a new king, who commandeth all their male children to be killed. 1:1. These are the names of the children of Israel, that went into Egypt with Jacob: they went in every man with his household: 1:2. Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Juda, 1:3. Issachar, Zabulon, and Benjamin, 1:4. Dan, and Nephthali, Gad and Aser. 1:5. And all the souls that came out of Jacob's thigh, were seventy: but Joseph was in Egypt. 1:6. After he was dead, and all his brethren, and all that generation, 1:7. The children of Israel increased, and sprung up into multitudes, and growing exceedingly strong they filled the land. 1:8. In the mean time there arose a new king over Egypt, that knew not Joseph: 1:9. And he said to his people: Behold the people of the children of Israel are numerous and stronger than we. 1:10. Come let us wisely oppress them, lest they multiply: and if any war shall rise against us, join with our enemies, and having overcome us, depart out of the land. 1:11. Therefore he set over them masters of the works, to afflict them with burdens: and they built for Pharao cities of tabernacles, Phithom, and Ramesses.

And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father`s house; and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years. And Joseph saw Ephraim`s children of the third [generation]; the sons also of Machir the son of Manasseh were born on Joseph`s knees. And Joseph said to his brethren, I die; and God will certainly visit you, and bring you up out of this land, into the land that he swore unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will certainly visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones hence. And Joseph died, a hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him; and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. Exodus Chapter 1 And these are the names of the sons of Israel who had come into Egypt; with Jacob had they come, each with his household: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher. And all the souls that had come out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls; and Joseph was in Egypt. And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the children of Israel were fruitful, and swarmed and multiplied, and became exceeding strong; and the land was full of them. And there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more numerous and stronger than we.