Bible Commentaries

GENEALOGICAL TABLE OF THE ISRAELITES.

(8) These are the names of the children of Israel which came into Egypt.—This document, consisting of Genesis 46:8-27, is one that would be of the highest importance to the Israelites, when taking possession of Canaan, being as it were their title-deed to the land. Accordingly we find that it is drawn up in a legal manner, representing as sons some who were really grandsons, but who took as heads of families the place usually held by sons. We next find that it represents them as all born in Canaan, not in a natural sense, but as the rightful heirs of the country. Technically every head of a family was born in Canaan, and thus the danger was obviated of an objection to the possession of this rank being accorded to one born in Egypt. As a matter of fact Pharez (Genesis 46:12) was an infant when taken down into Egypt. (See Genesis 38:29, and Excursus on Chronology of Jacob’s life.) It is difficult enough to find time sufficient for his birth in the interval between the return from Padan-Aram, and the descent into Egypt; for the birth of his two sons, Hezron and Hamul, there is no space whatsoever. In Genesis 46:21 Benjamin has ten sons assigned him, but he was at most about thirty years of age when he went into Egypt, and some of these sons are expressly said elsewhere to have been his grandsons. Commentators have indeed endeavoured to show that Benjamin might have been a few years older, but they do this by upsetting their own conclusions previously arrived at; and there is no process which so legitimately produces scepticism as the re-statement by commentators of the facts so marshalled on each occasion as to suit the apparent exigencies of the passage before them, but in a manner irreconcilable with previous difficulties.

The genealogical table of the twelve patriarchs is thrice given in Holy Scripture: here, in Numbers 26, and in 1 Chronicles 1-8. See also Exodus 6:14-16, where only Reuben, Simeon, and Levi are given.

(9) Reuben has four sons: Hanoch, Phallu, Hezron, Carmi. In these the genealogies all agree.

(10) Simeon has six sons, namely

Numbers 26:12-13. 1Chronicles 4:24.

Jemuel,

Nemuel,

Nemuel,

Jamin,

Jamin,

Jamin,

Ohad,

(omitted)

(omitted)

Jachin,

Jachin,

Jarib,

Zohar,

Zerah,

Zerah,

Shaul.

Shaul.

Shaul.

Jewish tradition represents Shaul as being really the son of Dinah by a Canaanite father, Shechem, but as adopted by Simeon to save his sister’s honour, yet with a note that he was of half Canaanitish blood.

(11) Levi has three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

(12) Judan has five sons, of whom Er and Onan die prematurely. The names of the other three are Shelah. Pharez, and Zarah (spelt correctly Zerah in Numbers 26:20; 1Chronicles 2:4). So also the right spelling is Pherez, and not Pharez. In 1Chronicles 4:1 Judah has five sons: Pharez, Hezron, Carini, Hur, and Shobal, and Shelah is also mentioned there in Genesis 46:21, but see Note there.

(13) Issachar has four sons:

Numbers 26:23-24. 1Chronicles 7:1.

Tola,

Tola,

Tola,

Phuvah,

Pua,

Puah,

Job,

Jashiib,

Jaehub,

Shimron.

Shimron.

Shimrom.

(14) Zebulun has three sons: Numbers 26:26.

Sered,

Sered,

Elon,

Elon,

Jahleel.

Jahleel.

No genealogy of the tribe of Zebulun is given in the Book of Chronicles.

(15) All the souls . . . were thirty and three.—That is, six sons, twenty-three grandsons, two great grandsons, Dinah, and Jacob himself. The other daughters and granddaughters are omitted.