Genesis 46:22

Study note

Setting — The narrator records a genealogical inventory of Jacob’s household as the family prepares to descend to Egypt. The verse functions as a formal ledger within the broader descent narrative.

The words — יֻלַּ֖ד (yu.Lad) translates literally as "it was born," and כָּל־ נֶ֖פֶשׁ (kol- Ne.fesh) renders as "every person." Together they establish a precise, passive accounting of Rachel’s offspring.

The thread — Genealogical tallies of Jacob’s sons and their descendants appear in Genesis 35:22, Exodus 1:2–5, and 1 Chronicles 2:1–2. These parallel lists track the covenant family’s expansion across generations.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition of a fixed, enumerated lineage rather than a symbolic or theological argument. Readers must note the exact count and the specific maternal line before drawing any further conclusions.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.