THEOSISVissarion (Nechaev)
The sons of Jacob who established their families in Egypt represent the prototypes of the distinct tribes that arose from them. The listing of the sons of Israel is arranged not by their birth order but by their mothers; thus, we first encounter the names of Jacob's sons by Leah: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. Following them is the youngest brother, Benjamin, the son of Rachel. Next, we find the sons born to the handmaids of Leah and Rachel: Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. Notably, Joseph, another son of Rachel, is not included in the enumeration with his brothers; it is simply noted that he was already in Egypt prior to their relocation, serving as a precursor to their settlement in a land where their descendants would thrive as a nation.
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The narrative mentions that Jacob brought with him all his household, encompassing his wives, children, grandchildren, and all their possessions, which included servants, livestock, and various belongings. This broad definition of “household” aligns with the account in Genesis, where it states that “his sons and his sons' sons, and all his seed, his daughters and his daughters' daughters, came into Egypt with Jacob, and that they took their cattle and all their goods with them” (Gen. XLVI:6-7).
Additionally, Genesis specifies the names of the family members that accompanied Jacob into Egypt. However, the phrase “came” or “traveled” with Jacob raises intriguing questions. Does it imply that each one physically journeyed with him to Egypt? The answer is no, as Joseph had already established himself in Egypt long before Jacob’s arrival. Moreover, others noted in the Genesis genealogy, such as Joseph's children Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. XLVI:27), or Judah's and Benjamin’s grandchildren, were already born in Egypt. Therefore, when it's stated that all those listed as having gone into Egypt accompanied Jacob, this must mean that some of them did indeed travel with him, while others were born during the lifetimes of either Jacob or Joseph, hence being included in the count of those entering Egypt.
In total, it is said that seventy-five souls descended from Jacob (the Hebrew suggests 'from Jacob's loins') entered Egypt. The Hebrew text, reflecting this passage in Exodus alongside the accounts in Genesis (XLVI:27) and Deuteronomy (X:22), lists 70 souls, contrasting with the number 75 found in the Greek and Slavonic translations. This discrepancy arises because the Greek translators of Genesis added five of Joseph's grandsons and great-grandsons, leading to a higher figure of 75, drawing emphasis on Joseph's significance in the narrative of the migration. Stephen, the first martyr, echoed the number 75 in his address to the Hellenistic Jews, who were familiar with the Septuagint text (Acts VII:14).
Thus, while the figure of 75 highlights some of the principal ancestors of Jacob's lineage, it is essential to recognize that this count does not encompass the wives and daughters of Jacob's sons or any of the servants associated with them—essentially, those who were not directly descended from Jacob. If we account for all those who established themselves in Egypt alongside Jacob, as well as those born there during his and Joseph’s lifetimes, the actual number is undoubtedly much greater.