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The sons of Zilpah (Gen. 46: 16-18) which include Serah the daughter of Asher amount
to 16, which brings the sum up to 48.
The sons of Rachel (Gen. 46: 19-22), are fourteen in number, but from this must be
subtracted Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, from the list of those who comprise the 66, as
they were already in Egypt. This brings the number to 59, of those who went "with"
Jacob, or 62 of those who came into Egypt. To these totals must be added the Sons of
Bilhah (Gen. 46: 23-25) seven in all making the total 66. (??? out of fourteen of Rachel
can only Manasseh and Ephraim be subtracted! Therefore one is accountable.)
The three lists may be visualized thus:
The "66" The "70" The "75"
The Sons of Leah, Zilpah, Rachel, Bilhah
66
66
66
Jacob himself
1
1
Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim
3
3
Two sons of Manasseh & three of Ephraim
5
70
75
With this computation, the time periods of the book of Genesis come to an end. With
the opening of the book of Exodus we are confronted with another chronological problem
but that we will leave for another article.
Mere lists of figures may not be very edifying, but as we face the fact that every link
in the chronological chain from Adam to Joseph is complete, that nothing is left to
surmise or chance, that an apparent omission in one place is supplied by material in
another, we cannot help expressing our delight and our thankfulness in all these
evidences of inspiration and of truth, and find it increasingly impossible to lower the
standard that the Scripture sets for itself, "given by inspiration of God".