Definition: All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacobâs sonsâ wives, all the souls [were] threescore and six;
Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this Bible verse together. It’s a really interesting and somewhat surprising passage! Here's what it means in simpler terms: The Basic Idea: This verse describes a massive group of people who came with Jacob to Egypt. It’s about the number of people involved. Let’s unpack it piece by piece: "Genesis 46:26" : This is the specific part of the Bible we're focusing on. It's a story from the Old Testament, specifically in the Book of Genesis. “All the souls that came with Jacob…” : This tells us it’s about everyone who was associated with Jacob. Think of it as a massive family line. “…into Egypt…” : Jacob, one of the twelve sons of Abraham, traveled to Egypt. This is key – he was traveling with a huge group. “which came out of his loins…” : This is a clever way of saying "from his father's lineage." Jacob’s ancestry (his family line) started with his father, Abraham. "Loins" refers to the parts of his body that were connected to his father's lineage. “…besides Jacob’s sons…” : This is important! It means more than just Jacob’s sons . It includes other relatives and descendants who came with him. “all the souls…” : This is the core of the verse – it's talking about a large number of people. Now, let’s translate that number: "All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacobâs sonsâ wives, all the souls were threescore and six.” “threescore and six” : This is where it gets a little tricky. The Hebrew word for "soul" (נשמה – neshama ) can mean many things - like a person, an individual, or even a concept. In this context, “threescore and six” refers to roughly 360 souls . So, the whole verse is saying: Approximately 360 people came with Jacob into Egypt, including his relatives, and they were all individuals. Why was this important? This story is significant because it shows that Jacob's lineage was incredibly vast. It’s a powerful illustration of how many people were connected to him and his family. It also highlights the importance of understanding ancestry in ancient times! --- Do you want me to: Explain any part of this verse in more detail? Talk about the historical context of this story? Compare it to another Bible passage with a similar theme?