Genesis 46:18
What is Genesis 46:18 about? Read the meaning and summary with full commentary explained, historical context, verse insights, word analysis, and cross-references.
Genesis chapter 46 - The Migration Of Israel Into Egypt
Genesis 46 documents the holy migration of Jacob and his 70 descendants from the Promised Land into the safety of Egypt. It includes a divine confirmation at Beersheba, where God reassures Jacob that this move is part of the plan to grow Israel into a great nation. This chapter provides a detailed census of the tribes, marking the formal beginning of their 400-year Egyptian tenure.
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.
KJV: These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls.
NIV: These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah?sixteen in all.
NKJV: These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob: sixteen persons.
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.
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.
Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:2 | "...I will make of you a great nation..." | God promises Abraham numerous descendants. |
| Gen 13:16 | "I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth..." | Reiteration of God's promise to Abraham. |
| Gen 15:5 | "...Look toward heaven, and number the stars...So shall your offspring be." | Divine covenant promise of innumerable offspring. |
| Gen 17:6 | "I will make you exceedingly fruitful...nations shall come from you..." | God's covenant with Abraham on fruitfulness. |
| Gen 22:17 | "...I will surely multiply your offspring..." | Promise re-affirmed after Abraham's obedience. |
| Gen 28:3 | "...May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you..." | Isaac's blessing to Jacob on multiplication. |
| Gen 28:14 | "...your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth..." | God's promise to Jacob at Bethel. |
| Gen 29:24 | "Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maidservant." | Origin of Zilpah in Jacob's household. |
| Gen 30:9-13 | "When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing children...Zilpah bore Gad..." | Account of Zilpah bearing Gad and Asher. |
| Gen 35:11 | "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply..." | God reiterates promise of nations to Jacob. |
| Gen 46:1-7 | "So Jacob set out from Beersheba...took his sons...into Egypt." | Context of Jacob's journey to Egypt. |
| Gen 46:26 | "All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt...were sixty-six." | Total sum of Jacob's immediate family. |
| Exo 1:5 | "All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons..." | Confirms total number entering Egypt. |
| Exo 1:7 | "But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly..." | Fulfilment of multiplication in Egypt. |
| Num 1:1-46 | "The Lord spoke to Moses...take a census..." | Major census showing Israel's large numbers. |
| Num 26:1-51 | "...Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel..." | Another major census reflecting the nation's size. |
| Deut 10:22 | "Your fathers went down to Egypt, seventy persons in all..." | Reinforces the historical count. |
| Deut 26:5 | "A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt...few in number..." | Reflects on the small beginnings in Egypt. |
| Josh 14:1-5 | "These are the inheritances...from the descendants of Joseph..." | Tribal allocation in Canaan after multiplication. |
| Act 7:14 | "Then Joseph sent and invited Jacob his father and all his relatives, seventy-five persons..." | New Testament account of the number, following the LXX. |
| Heb 11:12 | "From one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars..." | Theological reflection on Abraham's offspring and faith. |
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.
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.
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.
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.
Read genesis 46 chapter and explore various translations, from word-for-word KJV and ESV to thought-for-thought NIV and NLT.
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