THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
The revered Moses lists the children of Jacob, reminding us through his account of the qualities of the righteous. To prevent the misconception that Jacob's unions with Rachel, Leah, and the two handmaids were mere happenstance, Moses illustrates that these relationships were purposeful, designed for the establishment of the twelve tribes. Consequently, the narrative does not mention any other offspring of Jacob, emphasizing that these events occurred with intention and significance.
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The Scripture states, "But the sons of Jacob were twelve." It distinguishes between the sons of Leah and the sons of Rachel, then also accounts for those born of the maidservants, declaring, "These are the sons of Jacob, born to him in Mesopotamia." However, Benjamin’s birth took place as Jacob was en route to Bethlehem, prompting the question of why the Scripture refers to them as "born to him in Mesopotamia." It is possible that Rachel conceived him before their departure from Mesopotamia.