Genesis 46:26–27—How Many Persons Were in Jacob’s Household When They Moved into Egypt?

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“All the souls belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who came out of his upper thigh, not including the wives of the sons of Jacob, were sixty-six souls in all. And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two souls. All the souls of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy.” —Genesis 46:26–27, UASV

“And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all.” —Acts 7:14, UASV

The perceived discrepancy between Genesis 46 and Acts 7—namely, the numbers 66, 70, and 75—has long been cited as a Bible difficulty. However, a faithful, historical-grammatical approach that considers context, textual tradition, and intent resolves the matter without undermining the inerrancy of Scripture.

Understanding the Numbers in Genesis 46

Genesis 46 contains a detailed genealogical listing of those who migrated with Jacob into Egypt during the famine. Verse 26 gives the total number as 66 persons, with the following qualifications:

Excludes Jacob himself
Excludes Joseph, already in Egypt
Excludes Joseph’s two sons, born in Egypt
Excludes the wives of Jacob’s sons

Then, in verse 27, the text adds:

Jacob (1)
Joseph (1)
Manasseh and Ephraim (2)

These four, when added to the previous 66, bring the total to 70 persons associated with the house of Jacob in Egypt. This number is consistent with the Masoretic Text and focuses narrowly on biological descendants through Jacob’s line, excluding spouses and any non-descendant persons.

This careful accounting fits the patriarchal framework of Genesis, which centers on lineage through covenantal descent, particularly in the Abrahamic line.

Acts 7:14 and the Septuagint

In Acts 7, Stephen refers to the number 75, stating that Joseph summoned his father Jacob and “all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all.” This number matches the Greek Septuagint (LXX) version of Genesis 46:27, which reads:

“And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in the land of Egypt were nine persons; all the souls of the house of Jacob who came with Joseph into Egypt were seventy-five souls.”

The difference lies in which family members are included in the count. The Septuagint adds five more descendants through Joseph’s sons, beyond those listed in the Masoretic Text. These are later descendants of Manasseh and Ephraim, such as:

Machir (son of Manasseh)
Gilead (son of Machir)
Shuthelah and Tahan (sons of Ephraim)
Possibly Edom, a descendant (though his name is textually uncertain)

These were included in the Septuagint’s count of Joseph’s offspring, resulting in a total of 75. Therefore, Stephen, who was Greek-speaking and addressing a Hellenistic Jewish audience in Acts 7, naturally referenced the Septuagint—a version commonly accepted and widely used in the first-century Greco-Roman world.

Harmonizing the Totals: 66, 70, and 75

Rather than contradicting, the numbers represent different scopes and textual traditions:

66 (Genesis 46:26) — Only Jacob’s direct descendants who made the physical journey to Egypt, excluding Jacob, Joseph, Joseph’s sons, and all wives.
70 (Genesis 46:27) — Includes Jacob, Joseph, and Joseph’s two sons, totaling the full patriarchal household.
75 (Acts 7:14) — Drawn from the Septuagint, includes five additional descendants through Joseph’s line not found in the Masoretic text.

Each total is accurate and meaningful within its own context. The differences arise not from error but from differences in textual sources, audiences, and purposes.

Why the New Testament Cites the Septuagint

Some question why Luke, in the book of Acts, did not follow the Masoretic count. Several factors explain this:

The Septuagint was the standard Old Testament for Greek-speaking Jews, especially in the Diaspora.
Luke’s audience was Hellenistic, and the Septuagint would have been most familiar and accessible to them.
The Septuagint often reflects a slightly broader genealogical scope, including additional offspring or generations.

The Apostles, writing under inspiration, used the Septuagint when it suited the theological and rhetorical aims of their message, without compromising accuracy. The Holy Spirit guided the use of appropriate textual traditions suited to the audience, always in harmony with divine truth.

Common but Weak Alternative Theories

Other attempts to reconcile Acts 7:14 with Genesis 46 have been proposed but are unconvincing:

Counting wives of Jacob’s sons to make 75: Genesis 46:26 explicitly states wives are not included in the 66.
Assuming children of Benjamin were born in Egypt and retroactively included: this contradicts Genesis 46:21, where all ten sons of Benjamin are listed before the journey.
Claiming Acts 7 contains a textual error: this undermines inspiration and should not be entertained by those holding to the authority and inerrancy of Scripture.

The most faithful and accurate resolution is to recognize that Stephen in Acts is quoting the Septuagint, which reflects a different but not contradictory family total. There is no error—only contextual difference.

Conclusion: Scripture in Harmony

The apparent discrepancy in headcounts between Genesis 46:26–27 and Acts 7:14 is harmonized when one considers the different textual traditions (Masoretic vs. Septuagint), intended audience, and scope of inclusion. Genesis 46 offers a covenantally focused count of Jacob’s direct biological descendants. Acts 7, referencing the Septuagint, includes a broader kinship group, extending into the next generation through Joseph’s sons.

Each number—66, 70, and 75—is historically and theologically accurate within its own framework. Far from undermining confidence in Scripture, such details underscore the precision and diversity of inspired record-keeping. What appears at first glance as a contradiction is, upon close and reverent examination, an example of Scripture’s layered depth and contextual consistency.

This case invites modern readers to greater textual discernment and deeper trust in the integrity of God’s Word, which is always true when rightly handled (2 Timothy 2:15).

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About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).