Genesis 46:8-15·~1 min

The Children of Leah

The list opens with Jacob's sons who go to Egypt and begins tracing Leah's line through Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Even here, the record pauses to note Er and Onan died earlier in Canaan.

N⁸ow these are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn. ⁹The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. ¹⁰The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. ¹¹The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. ¹²The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

The register continues with Issachar and Zebulun, then gathers Leah's children born to Jacob in Paddan-aram, along with Dinah, into a total of thirty-three.

¹³The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Job, and Shimron. ¹⁴The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. ¹⁵These are the sons of Leah born to Jacob in Paddan-aram, in addition to his daughter Dinah. The total number of sons and daughters was thirty-three.

Section summaryThe first family register names Leah's branch of Jacob's household, moving through her sons and their children. The list remembers Judah's dead sons in Canaan and ends by counting Leah's descendants, including Dinah, at thirty-three.

Role in the chapterThis section begins the genealogy with Leah, Jacob's first and largest household branch. It gives the migration weight and texture by naming persons, losses, and totals rather than treating the family as a crowd.