Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 46

8These are the names of the children of Israel who were now coming to Egypt, i.e., Jacob and his sons. Jacob’s firstborn was Reuben.   חוְאֵ֨לֶּה שְׁמ֧וֹת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הַבָּאִ֥ים מִצְרַ֖יְמָה יַֽעֲקֹ֣ב וּבָנָ֑יו בְּכֹ֥ר יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב רְאוּבֵֽן:
הַבָּאִים מִצְרַיְמָה - Who were coming to Egypt. Relative to the time of the narrative, the verse refers to them as “coming” (present tense), and thus one need not question why it does not say אֲשֶׁר בָּאוּ “who came” (past tense).   הַבָּאִים מִצְרַיְמָה.  עַל שֵׁם הַשָּׁעָה קוֹרֵא לָהֶם הַכָּתוּב בָּאִים, וְאֵין לִתְמֹהַּ עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹא כָתַב אֲשֶׁר בָּאוּ:
9Reuben’s sons were Chanoch, Palu, Chetzron, and Karmi.   טוּבְנֵ֖י רְאוּבֵ֑ן חֲנ֥וֹךְ וּפַלּ֖וּא וְחֶצְרֹ֥ן וְכַרְמִֽי:
10Simeon’s sons were Yemu’el, Yamin, Ohad, Yachin, Tzochar, and Sha’ul son of Dinah, who was the woman who had been violated by Shechem, the Canaanite.   יוּבְנֵ֣י שִׁמְע֗וֹן יְמוּאֵ֧ל וְיָמִ֛ין וְאֹ֖הַד וְיָכִ֣ין וְצֹ֑חַר וְשָׁא֖וּל בֶּן־הַכְּנַֽעֲנִֽית:
בֶּן־הַכְּנַֽעֲנִֽית - (lit.) Son of the Canaanite woman - i.e., the son of Dinah who had been violated by Shechem, the Canaanite. When her brothers killed Shechem, Dinah did not wish to leave until Simeon swore to her that he would marry her.   בֶּן־הַכְּנַֽעֲנִֽית.  בֶּן דִּינָה שֶׁנִּבְעֲלָה לִכְנַעֲנִי; כְשֶׁהָרְגוּ אֶת שְׁכֶם לֹא הָיְתָה דִּינָה רוֹצָה לָצֵאת עַד שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּע לָהּ שִׁמְעוֹן שֶׁיִּשָּׂאֶנָּה (בראשית רבה):
11Levi’s sons were Gershon, Kehat, and Merari.   יאוּבְנֵ֖י לֵוִ֑י גֵּֽרְשׁ֕וֹן קְהָ֖ת וּמְרָרִֽי:
12Judah’s sons were Er, Onan, Shelah, Peretz, and Zerach, but Er and Onan died in Canaan; and the sons of Peretz were Chetzron and Chamul.   יבוּבְנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה עֵ֧ר וְאוֹנָ֛ן וְשֵׁלָ֖ה וָפֶ֣רֶץ וָזָ֑רַח וַיָּ֨מָת עֵ֤ר וְאוֹנָן֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ בְנֵי־פֶ֖רֶץ חֶצְרֹ֥ן וְחָמֽוּל:
13Issachar’s sons were Tola, Puvah, Yov, and Shimron.   יגוּבְנֵ֖י יִשָּׂשכָ֑ר תּוֹלָ֥ע וּפֻוָּ֖ה וְי֥וֹב וְשִׁמְרֹֽן:
14Zebulun’s sons were Sered, Elon, and Yachle’el.   ידוּבְנֵ֖י זְבֻל֑וּן סֶ֥רֶד וְאֵל֖וֹן וְיַחְלְאֵֽל:
15The above are the offspring of Leah whom she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, besides his daughter Dinah. All these sons and daughters came to 33 persons.   טואֵ֣לֶּה | בְּנֵ֣י לֵאָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָֽלְדָ֤ה לְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ בְּפַדַּ֣ן אֲרָ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת דִּינָ֣ה בִתּ֑וֹ כָּל־נֶ֧פֶשׁ בָּנָ֛יו וּבְנוֹתָ֖יו שְׁלשִׁ֥ים וְשָׁלֽשׁ:
אֵלֶּה בְּנֵי לֵאָה וְאֵת דִּינָה בִתּוֹ - The above are the offspring of Leah…besides his daughter Dinah. The males are attributed to Leah and the female is attributed to Jacob. This teaches you that when the wife emits seed first she gives birth to a male, but when the husband emits seed first the wife gives birth to a female.   אֵלֶּה בְּנֵי לֵאָה וְאֵת דִּינָה בִתּוֹ.  הַזְּכָרִים תָּלָה בְלֵאָה וְהַנְּקֵבוֹת תָּלָה בְיַעֲקֹב, לְלַמֶּדְךָ, אִשָּׁה מַזְרַעַת תְּחִלָּה יוֹלֶדֶת זָכָר, אִישׁ מַזְרִיעַ תְּחִלָּה יוֹלֶדֶת נְקֵבָה:
שְׁלשִׁים וְשָׁלֽשׁ - 33 - but when they are enumerated above you find only 32. However, the one not mentioned is Yocheved who was born within the walls of Egypt, i.e., once they entered the city, as it says: “Yocheved the daughter of Levi, whom Levi’s wife had borne to Levi in Egypt” 1 – her birth was in Egypt but her conception was not in Egypt.   שְׁלשִׁים וְשָׁלֽשׁ.  וּבִפְרָטָן אִי אַתָּה מוֹצֵא אֶלָּא שְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁנַיִם, אֶלָּא זוֹ יוֹכֶבֶד שֶׁנּוֹלְדָה בֵין הַחוֹמוֹת בִּכְנִיסָתָן לָעִיר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה אֹתָהּ לְלֵוִי בְּמִצְרָיִם – לֵדָתָהּ בְּמִצְרַיִם וְאֵין הוֹרָתָהּ בְּמִצְרַיִם:
16Gad’s sons were Tzifyon, Chagi, Shuni, Etzbon, Eri, Arodi, and Ar’eli.   טזוּבְנֵ֣י גָ֔ד צִפְי֥וֹן וְחַגִּ֖י שׁוּנִ֣י וְאֶצְבֹּ֑ן עֵרִ֥י וַֽאֲרוֹדִ֖י וְאַרְאֵלִֽי:
17Asher’s sons were Yimnah, Yishvah, Yishvi, and Beri’ah, and their sister was Serach. The sons of Beri’ah were Chever and Malki’el.   יזוּבְנֵ֣י אָשֵׁ֗ר יִמְנָ֧ה וְיִשְׁוָ֛ה וְיִשְׁוִ֥י וּבְרִיעָ֖ה וְשֶׂ֣רַח אֲחֹתָ֑ם וּבְנֵ֣י בְרִיעָ֔ה חֶ֖בֶר וּמַלְכִּיאֵֽל:
18The above are the offspring of Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah. She bore these to Jacob—16 persons.   יחאֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י זִלְפָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָבָ֖ן לְלֵאָ֣ה בִתּ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֤לֶד אֶת־אֵ֨לֶּה֙ לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב שֵׁ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה נָֽפֶשׁ:
19The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.   יטבְּנֵ֤י רָחֵל֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב יוֹסֵ֖ף וּבִנְיָמִֽן:
בְּנֵי רָחֵל אֵשֶׁת יַֽעֲקֹב - The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel. But regarding all the other wives, “Jacob’s wife” is not stated. The reason for this singularity was that Rachel was the main wife of the household.   בְּנֵי רָחֵל אֵשֶׁת יַֽעֲקֹב.  וּבְכֻלָּן לֹא נֶאֱמַר בָּהֶן אֵשֶׁת, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיְתָה עִקָּרוֹ שֶׁל בַּיִת:
20Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in Egypt by Asenat daughter of Potiphera, lord of On.   כוַיִּוָּלֵ֣ד לְיוֹסֵף֘ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֒יִם֒ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָֽלְדָה־לּוֹ֙ אָֽסְנַ֔ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֖רַע כֹּהֵ֣ן אֹ֑ן אֶת־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה וְאֶת־אֶפְרָֽיִם:
21And Benjamin’s sons were Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Geira, Na’aman, Echi, Rosh, Mupim, Chupim, and Ard.   כאוּבְנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֗ן בֶּ֤לַע וָבֶ֨כֶר֙ וְאַשְׁבֵּ֔ל גֵּרָ֥א וְנַֽעֲמָ֖ן אֵחִ֣י וָרֹ֑אשׁ מֻפִּ֥ים וְחֻפִּ֖ים וָאָֽרְדְּ:
22The above are the offspring of Rachel who were born to Jacob—14 persons in all.   כבאֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י רָחֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֻלַּ֖ד לְיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב כָּל־נֶ֖פֶשׁ אַרְבָּעָ֥ה עָשָֽׂר:
23Dan’s son was Chushim.   כגוּבְנֵי־דָ֖ן חֻשִֽׁים:
24Naphtali’s sons were Yachtze’el, Guni, Yetzer, and Shilem.   כדוּבְנֵ֖י נַפְתָּלִ֑י יַחְצְאֵ֥ל וְגוּנִ֖י וְיֵ֥צֶר וְשִׁלֵּֽם:
25The above are the offspring of Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel. She bore these to Jacob—seven persons in all.   כהאֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י בִלְהָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָבָ֖ן לְרָחֵ֣ל בִּתּ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֧לֶד אֶת־אֵ֛לֶּה לְיַֽעֲקֹ֖ב כָּל־נֶ֥פֶשׁ שִׁבְעָֽה:
26Thus, all the people who were now coming to Egypt along with Jacob and who were his own issue were altogether 66 persons. This number was aside from the wives of Jacob’s sons.   כוכָּל־הַ֠נֶּ֠פֶשׁ הַבָּאָ֨ה לְיַֽעֲקֹ֤ב מִצְרַ֨יְמָה֙ יֹֽצְאֵ֣י יְרֵכ֔וֹ מִלְּבַ֖ד נְשֵׁ֣י בְנֵי־יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב כָּל־נֶ֖פֶשׁ שִׁשִּׁ֥ים וָשֵֽׁשׁ:
כָּל־הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַבָּאָה לְיַֽעֲקֹב - All the people who were coming with Jacob - i.e., who left the land of Canaan to come to Egypt. This verb הַבָּאָה is not a past tense but a present tense, as in: “in the evening she would go (lit., she enters) (בָאָה),” 2 and as in: “and here is his daughter Rachel, approaching (בָּאָה) with the flocks.” 3 Therefore, its accent is on the last syllable, on the א, denoting the present, since when they started out from Canaan they were only 66. But the second הַבָּאָה, “The total of Jacob’s household who came (הַבָּאָה) to Egypt was 70 persons,” 4 is in the past tense, and therefore its accent is on the first syllable of the verb, on the ב, since once they entered they numbered 70; for there they found Joseph and his two sons, and Yocheved was added to their number within the walls. According to the opinion that twin sisters were born with the tribes (Jacob’s sons), we must say that those not married to the tribes died before Jacob and his family went down to Egypt, because they are not enumerated here as are Dinah and Serach. I have found in Vayikra Rabbah: 5 Esau’s family consisted of six people, yet Scripture calls them “the members (נַפְשׁוֹת) of his household” 6 – in the plural – because they served many gods, whereas Jacob’s family consisted of 70 people, yet the verse calls them נֶפֶשׁ (in the singular) because they all served one God.   כָּל־הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַבָּאָה לְיַֽעֲקֹב.  שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מֵאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לָבֹא לְמִצְרַיִם; וְאֵין "הַבָּאָה" זוֹ לְשׁוֹן עָבָר אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן הוֹוֶה, כְּמוֹ בָּעֶרֶב הִיא בָאָה (אסתר ב' ד'), וּכְמוֹ וְהִנֵּה רָחֵל בִּתּוֹ בָּאָה עִם הַצֹּאן (בראשית כ"ט), לְפִיכָךְ טַעְמוֹ לְמַטָּה בָּאָלֶ"ף, לְפִי שֶׁכְּשֶׁיָּצְאוּ לָבֹא מֵאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לֹא הָיוּ אֶלָּא שִׁשִּׁים וָשֵׁשׁ, וְהַשֵּׁנִי, כָּל הַנֶּפֶשׁ לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב הַבָּאָה מִצְרַיְמָה שִׁבְעִים – הוּא לְשׁוֹן עָבָר, לְפִיכָךְ טַעְמוֹ לְמַעְלָה בַּבֵּי"ת, לְפִי שֶׁמִּשֶּׁבָּאוּ שָׁם הָיוּ שִׁבְעִים, שֶׁמָּצְאוּ שָׁם יוֹסֵף וּשְׁנֵי בָנָיו, וְנִתּוֹסְפָה לָהֶם יוֹכֶבֶד בֵּין הַחוֹמוֹת. וּלְדִבְרֵי הָאוֹמֵר תְּאוֹמוֹת נוֹלְדוּ עִם הַשְּׁבָטִים, צְרִיכִים אָנוּ לוֹמַר שֶׁמֵּתוּ לִפְנֵי יְרִידָתָן לְמִצְרַיִם, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא נִמְנוּ כָאן; מָצָאתִי בְּוַיִּקְרָא רַבָּה, עֵשָׂו שֵׁשׁ נְפָשׁוֹת הָיוּ לוֹ, וְהַכָּתוּב קוֹרֵא אוֹתָן נַפְשׁוֹת בֵּיתוֹ, לְשׁוֹן רַבִּים, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹבְדִין לֶאֱלֹהוּת הַרְבֵּה; יַעֲקֹב שִׁבְעִים הָיוּ לוֹ, וְהַכָּתוּב קוֹרֵא אוֹתָן נֶפֶשׁ, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה עוֹבְדִים לְאֵל אֶחָד:
27Joseph’s sons who were born to him in Egypt were two persons. Thus the total of Jacob’s household who came to Egypt was 70 persons.   כזוּבְנֵ֥י יוֹסֵ֛ף אֲשֶׁר־יֻלַּד־ל֥וֹ בְמִצְרַ֖יִם נֶ֣פֶשׁ שְׁנָ֑יִם כָּל־הַנֶּ֧פֶשׁ לְבֵֽית־יַֽעֲקֹ֛ב הַבָּ֥אָה מִצְרַ֖יְמָה שִׁבְעִֽים: