Who are the "fathers" (Acts 7:12) that Jacob
sent to Egypt first, and eventually followed?
The sons of Jacob except Joseph and Benjamin (see
Patriarchs and Genesis 42:1-47:12).
How many relatives did Joseph receive in Egypt?
"Seventy-five" (Acts 7:14)
What is written in Genesis?
"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.
And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two persons. All
the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy." (Genesis 46:26-27)
What is written in Exodus?
"All those who came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy persons (for
Joseph was in Egypt already)." (Exodus 1:5)
What is written in Deuteronomy?
"Your fathers went down to Egypt in seventy persons, and now the
LORD your God has made you as the stars of heaven in multitude." (Deuteronomy 10:22)
Which account is correct?
All of them. The number of Jacob's sons and (grandsons) who went with him to
Egypt was 64, as follows:
Reuben | Simeon | Levi | Judah | Issachar | Zebulun | Benjamin | Dan | Napthali | Gad | Asher | Subtotal |
Hanoch Pallu Hezron Carm |
Jemuel Jamin Ohad Jakin Zohar Shaul |
Gershon Kohath Merari |
Er* Onan* Shelah Perez (Hezron Hamul) Zerah *died in Canaan |
Tola Puah Jashub Shimron |
Sered Elon Jahleel |
Bela Beker Ashbel Gera Naaman Ehi Rosh Muppim Huppim Ard |
Hashim |
Jahziel Guni Jezer Shillem |
Zephon Haggi Shuni Ezbon Eri Arodi Areli |
Imnah Ishvah Ishvi Beriah (Heber Malkie) |
|
5 | 7 | 4 | 6 (8-2) | 5 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 64 |
How is "64" reconciled with what is written in Genesis 46:26-27?
Jacob also had a daughter named Dinah (Genesis 46:15), who was a sister of
the twelve patriarchs, and Asher had a daughter named Serah (Genesis 46:17), so
indeed, "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." And Jacob himself, as well as Joseph and
his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim in Egypt counted for 4 more, so
"All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy."
How about Exodus 1:5, which states that the number of
persons who came "out of the loins of" Jacob were seventy?
The original Hebrew word yarek literally means "loins, thigh, the
area of genitals, the area of procreative power," refers to what we would
call today the genetic makeup, and includes Jacob.
How about the "seventy-five people" in Acts 7:14?
Acts 7:14 states that "all his relatives" were 75 people,
and "relatives" includes Joseph's surviving sisters-in-law.