ISRAEL'S SECRET DESCENDANT
by Jeremy Chance Springfield
4/11/2015
Did you know that the Bible devotes quite a bit of content to lists? A good portion of the Word is actually lists of genealogical records and familial explanatory notes. You can only get a couple chapters into the Good Book before you run right smack into genealogy central. They come and go as you flip through the pages, apparently out of nowhere, it sometimes seems, just to remind you that no sane human mind wrote this - any human author would be bonkers galore to go this list-happy route in the midst of a book purported to be the record of Divine inspiration.
Did you ever wonder why such "boring lists" were included in the INSPIRED Word of the Creator of the universe?
I have. And I still do. In my flesh, in my strictly grey-matter moments, I have to question the wisdom in including so many droll, stultifying lists in the Word. Why would the Creator of EVERYTHING think it necessary to throw in a bunch of family member's names into His most important work? Couldn't those passages have been better used for recounting some miracles, or prophecies, or just a couple more psalms or proverbs, or just one more chapter of The Song of Songs... Now that's just my brain firing on all pistons, but not on pistis (there's a Greek wordplay there, for the one person scratching your head).
I think there are many reasons for these lists, actually. They serve multiple purposes. I firmly believe in the words of our Messiah, who said not one letter or stroke would pass from the Word until all is fulfilled (see Matthew 5:18). To me, that means EVERY. SINGLE. DETAIL. IS. NECESSARY.
When I look at these lists through the eyes of faith (note to the aforementioned one person scratching your head: replace pistis with this theological term and give your scalp a break), I start to see glimpses of the wisdom of the Creator in the details. Some still elude me, I readily grant, but others begin to take on a worth beyond the bland begats and the tongue-twisting Hebrew name pronunciations. They start to breathe with a breath that invigorates the ink and gives purpose to the paper on which it is written; the heart of the Holy One beats beautifully behind even the ostensibly driest of divine dictum.
That said, let's look at one list in particular that presents a conundrum of counting. Not only is it a long list of those oddball Hebrew names from history's arguably most dis-functional family, it also contains a riddle in it that will have just about everyone scratching their head, and with no Greek wordplays in to worry over!
Did you ever wonder why such "boring lists" were included in the INSPIRED Word of the Creator of the universe?
I have. And I still do. In my flesh, in my strictly grey-matter moments, I have to question the wisdom in including so many droll, stultifying lists in the Word. Why would the Creator of EVERYTHING think it necessary to throw in a bunch of family member's names into His most important work? Couldn't those passages have been better used for recounting some miracles, or prophecies, or just a couple more psalms or proverbs, or just one more chapter of The Song of Songs... Now that's just my brain firing on all pistons, but not on pistis (there's a Greek wordplay there, for the one person scratching your head).
I think there are many reasons for these lists, actually. They serve multiple purposes. I firmly believe in the words of our Messiah, who said not one letter or stroke would pass from the Word until all is fulfilled (see Matthew 5:18). To me, that means EVERY. SINGLE. DETAIL. IS. NECESSARY.
When I look at these lists through the eyes of faith (note to the aforementioned one person scratching your head: replace pistis with this theological term and give your scalp a break), I start to see glimpses of the wisdom of the Creator in the details. Some still elude me, I readily grant, but others begin to take on a worth beyond the bland begats and the tongue-twisting Hebrew name pronunciations. They start to breathe with a breath that invigorates the ink and gives purpose to the paper on which it is written; the heart of the Holy One beats beautifully behind even the ostensibly driest of divine dictum.
That said, let's look at one list in particular that presents a conundrum of counting. Not only is it a long list of those oddball Hebrew names from history's arguably most dis-functional family, it also contains a riddle in it that will have just about everyone scratching their head, and with no Greek wordplays in to worry over!
It begins with the 10 sons of Jacob going to Egypt to find grain during a severe famine, and once there, finding their long-lost brother, Joseph. They return home to the land of Israel and give their father, Jacob, the good news that his long-thought-dead son – Joseph – is still alive. Once this news is delivered, the whole family packs up and moves to Egypt. The list below is the list found in Genesis chapter 46:8-27 of the family members who make the trip to the land of the Pharaohs.
8 And these are the names of the sons of Yisra’El who came to Mitsrayim – Yaaqov and his sons: Yaaqov’s firstborn, Re’uveyn.
9 And the sons of Re’uveyn: Khanok, and Fallu, and Khets’ron, and Kar’mi.
10 And the sons of Shim’on: Yemu’El, and Yamin, and Ohad, and Yakin, and Tsokhar, and Shaul, son of a K’naani woman.
11 And the sons of Leyvi: Geyr’shon, Q’hath, and M’rari.
12 And the sons of Y’hudah: Eyr, and Onan, and Sheylah, and Perets, and Zerakh. And Eyr and Onan died in the land of K’naan. And the sons of Perets were Khets’ron and Khamul.
13 And the sons of Yissakar: Tola, and Fuvah, and Yov, and Shim’ron.
14 And the sons of Zevulun: Sered, and Eylon, and Yakh’l’Eyl.
15 These are the sons of Leyah, whom she bore to Yaaqov in Padan Aram, and Dinah, his daughter; every soul of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three.
16 And the sons of Gad: Tsif’on, and Khaggi, Shuni, and Ets’bon, Eyri, and Arodi, and Ar’Eyli.
17 And the sons of Asheyr: Im’nah, and Yish’vah, and Yishvi, and B’riah, and Serakh their sister. And the sons of B’riah: Khever and Mal’ki’Eyl.
18 These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Lavan gave to Leyah his daughter, and she bore these to Yaaqov – six and ten souls.
19 The sons of Rakheyl, Yaaqov’s wife: Yosef and Binyamin.
20 And born to Yosef in the land of Mitsrayim whom As’nath, daughter of Poti-Fera, priest of On, bore for him: M’nashsheh and Efrayim.
21 And the sons of Binyamin: Bela and Beker, and Ash’beyl, Geyra, and Naaman, Eykhi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Khuppim, and Ar’d.
22 These are the sons of Rakheyl, who were born to Yaaqov: every soul was four and ten.
23 And the sons of Dan: Khushim.
24 And the sons of Naf’tali: Yakh’ts’Eyl, and Guni, and Yeytser, and Shilleym.
25 These are the sons of Bil’hah, whom Lavan gave to Rakheyl his daughter, and she bore these to Yaaqov: every soul was seven.
26 Every soul for Yaaqov that came to Mitsrayim, that came from his loins, besides the wives of Yaaqov’s sons – every soul was sixty and six.
27 And the sons of Yosef who were born to him in Mitsrayim were two souls. Every soul of the house of Yaaqov that came to Mitsrayim was seventy.
Isn’t this a fantastic list? Don’t you feel so much more spiritual and enlightened now for having read it? Seriously – don’t you? This is inspired text by the Holy One Himself! This will never pass away! So, what is the point? What is in this list that makes it significant for the believer to read and understand? Aside from the Hebrew names that are fun to pronounce, there is something amiss in this list.
Did you notice anything odd? Is anything perhaps not right with what the Word has conveyed to us? In case you didn't bother to count the people mentioned here (don't you always count lists of names?), there is one person missing! Do the count yourself if you need to – it doesn't add up!
What? You have no desire to count the names of seventy people? Okay, how about we knock off more than half and count those left over? Let’s limit the count to the descendants of Leah and Jacob, and see what we find. Here’s the list again, zeroed-in on Leah’s children and grandchildren, with names numbered for clarity:
8 And these are the names of the sons of Yisra’El who came to Mitsrayim – Yaaqov and his sons: Yaaqov’s firstborn, Re’uveyn (1).
9 And the sons of Re’uveyn: Khanok (2), and Fallu (3), and Khets’ron (4), and Kar’mi (5).
10 And the sons of Shim’on (6): Yemu’El (7), and Yamin (8), and Ohad (9), and Yakin (10), and Tsokhar (11), and Shaul (12), son of a K’naani woman.
11 And the sons of Leyvi (13): Geyr’shon (14), Q’hath (15), and M’rari (16).
12 And the sons of Y’hudah (17): Eyr, and Onan, and Sheylah (18), and Perets (19), and Zerakh (20). And Eyr and Onan died in the land of K’naan. And the sons of Perets were Khets’ron (21) and Khamul (22).
13 And the sons of Yissakar (23): Tola (24), and Fuvah (25), and Yov (26), and Shim’ron (27).
14 And the sons of Zevulun (28): Sered (29), and Eylon (30), and Yakh’l’Eyl (31).
15 These are the sons of Leyah, whom she bore to Yaaqov in Padan Aram, and Dinah (32), his daughter; every soul of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three.
Er and Onan are named but not counted, since they died in the land of Canaan before ever coming to Egypt. The sum thus reaches only thirty-two, but the text tells us thirty-three was the sum of descendants who made the journey! So, who was the 33rd descendant of Leah? The text tells us there were 33, but the text counts only 32! Why?
Don't think for a moment that I am creating a problem by leaving out Jacob. The text itself in chapter 46:15 is careful to tell you who is being counted and who is not. The text says 33 people, but counts 32. Is Scripture in error? Read on and you will see what I mean.
Genesis 46:26 counts sixty-six people who went to Egypt that came from Jacob’s body (besides Joseph, Menasheh, and Ephraim – who were uncontestably from his body but already in Egypt, and also excluded his son’s wives).
Genesis 46:27 counts seventy people from the house of Jacob who went to Egypt (this includes Joseph, Menasheh, and Ephraim).
But the true count only adds to sixty-nine! We know that it excludes Jacob himself because 46:15 and 46:26 tells us the number is arrived-at by excluding Jacob, for they went “with” him.
None of this should be confused with the count found in the New Covenant book of Acts chapter 7, which has Stephen tell us that seventy-five people went into Egypt, instead of seventy – as this is merely the count of the sixty-six from Genesis 46:26, plus the other wives of Israel’s sons, which were nine in total, since Judah’s wife, Shua, had already passed before the family moved into Egypt (Genesis 38:12), as well as Simeon’s first unnamed wife having already passed by that time (Genesis 46:10). Sixty-six plus nine equals seventy-five, which shows no discrepancy, just another way of counting.
The issue still remains, however, as to how the count reaches seventy when those typically numbered only reach sixty-nine. Who is this shadowy person number seventy?
What? You have no desire to count the names of seventy people? Okay, how about we knock off more than half and count those left over? Let’s limit the count to the descendants of Leah and Jacob, and see what we find. Here’s the list again, zeroed-in on Leah’s children and grandchildren, with names numbered for clarity:
8 And these are the names of the sons of Yisra’El who came to Mitsrayim – Yaaqov and his sons: Yaaqov’s firstborn, Re’uveyn (1).
9 And the sons of Re’uveyn: Khanok (2), and Fallu (3), and Khets’ron (4), and Kar’mi (5).
10 And the sons of Shim’on (6): Yemu’El (7), and Yamin (8), and Ohad (9), and Yakin (10), and Tsokhar (11), and Shaul (12), son of a K’naani woman.
11 And the sons of Leyvi (13): Geyr’shon (14), Q’hath (15), and M’rari (16).
12 And the sons of Y’hudah (17): Eyr, and Onan, and Sheylah (18), and Perets (19), and Zerakh (20). And Eyr and Onan died in the land of K’naan. And the sons of Perets were Khets’ron (21) and Khamul (22).
13 And the sons of Yissakar (23): Tola (24), and Fuvah (25), and Yov (26), and Shim’ron (27).
14 And the sons of Zevulun (28): Sered (29), and Eylon (30), and Yakh’l’Eyl (31).
15 These are the sons of Leyah, whom she bore to Yaaqov in Padan Aram, and Dinah (32), his daughter; every soul of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three.
Er and Onan are named but not counted, since they died in the land of Canaan before ever coming to Egypt. The sum thus reaches only thirty-two, but the text tells us thirty-three was the sum of descendants who made the journey! So, who was the 33rd descendant of Leah? The text tells us there were 33, but the text counts only 32! Why?
Don't think for a moment that I am creating a problem by leaving out Jacob. The text itself in chapter 46:15 is careful to tell you who is being counted and who is not. The text says 33 people, but counts 32. Is Scripture in error? Read on and you will see what I mean.
Genesis 46:26 counts sixty-six people who went to Egypt that came from Jacob’s body (besides Joseph, Menasheh, and Ephraim – who were uncontestably from his body but already in Egypt, and also excluded his son’s wives).
Genesis 46:27 counts seventy people from the house of Jacob who went to Egypt (this includes Joseph, Menasheh, and Ephraim).
But the true count only adds to sixty-nine! We know that it excludes Jacob himself because 46:15 and 46:26 tells us the number is arrived-at by excluding Jacob, for they went “with” him.
None of this should be confused with the count found in the New Covenant book of Acts chapter 7, which has Stephen tell us that seventy-five people went into Egypt, instead of seventy – as this is merely the count of the sixty-six from Genesis 46:26, plus the other wives of Israel’s sons, which were nine in total, since Judah’s wife, Shua, had already passed before the family moved into Egypt (Genesis 38:12), as well as Simeon’s first unnamed wife having already passed by that time (Genesis 46:10). Sixty-six plus nine equals seventy-five, which shows no discrepancy, just another way of counting.
The issue still remains, however, as to how the count reaches seventy when those typically numbered only reach sixty-nine. Who is this shadowy person number seventy?
Bible critics LOVE to point to this apparent discrepancy as proof that the Word has an error in it. They have used this instance repeatedly to try to tear down the faith of believers for years. But there is a very certain answer to this that can be derived at from hints in the text itself. Below is the details of how it works itself out.
Hebrew tradition says that Dinah conceived by Shekhem before Simeon and Levi killed him and his people. In case you don't recall, back in Genesis chapter 34 is recorded for us the entire account: Shekhem was an inhabitant of the land of Canaan, and he happened to see Jacob's daughter, Dinah, kidnapped her, and took her for his bride. That's the truth of the matter recorded blatantly in Scripture, but the Hebrew tradition goes on to say that she actually conceived a child from this brief and unfortunate union! Tradition says she ended up giving birth to a daughter, and Jacob, in his anguish over the whole event of being so shamed before his family and the people of the land, did something astonishing.
According to the ancient Jewish text of Pirke Rabbi Eliezer haGadol, written by Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrkanus during first century Israel, Jacob took this daughter of Dinah and, in his fear of the reaction of his own sons, as well as the people of the land who would likely desire to retaliate against his family if an heir to Shekhem was found alive, secreted her away. An excerpt from the text explains it all for us:
Hebrew tradition says that Dinah conceived by Shekhem before Simeon and Levi killed him and his people. In case you don't recall, back in Genesis chapter 34 is recorded for us the entire account: Shekhem was an inhabitant of the land of Canaan, and he happened to see Jacob's daughter, Dinah, kidnapped her, and took her for his bride. That's the truth of the matter recorded blatantly in Scripture, but the Hebrew tradition goes on to say that she actually conceived a child from this brief and unfortunate union! Tradition says she ended up giving birth to a daughter, and Jacob, in his anguish over the whole event of being so shamed before his family and the people of the land, did something astonishing.
According to the ancient Jewish text of Pirke Rabbi Eliezer haGadol, written by Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrkanus during first century Israel, Jacob took this daughter of Dinah and, in his fear of the reaction of his own sons, as well as the people of the land who would likely desire to retaliate against his family if an heir to Shekhem was found alive, secreted her away. An excerpt from the text explains it all for us:
The story tells us that he placed around her neck a medallion with the inscription QODESH L’YHWH, that is, “Holy To YHWH,” and left her alone in the wilderness. The angel Michael then delivered this infant down to Egypt, and specifically to Poti-phera, priest of On, who raised her as his own. The story thus tells us that the proposed daughter of Poti-phera, whom the Torah names as Asenath, was in reality the daughter of Dinah and Shekhem, and thus, Israel’s secret descendant! While there is no way to validate the manner in which her daughter actually made it to Egypt (a divergent tradition states that Dinah herself took the infant Asenath to Egypt and left her to be found there), the concept of Asenath as a legitimate Hebrew of the family of Jacob and the missing descendant of Leah actually makes perfect sense when given more thought based upon other details in the text of Scripture.
If it seems too far-fetched to readily accept, note well the fact that Asenath is the only wife of Jacob’s sons who is mentioned by name in the list of the “children of Israel.” The text of 46:26 specifically excludes the wives of Jacob’s sons, yet Asenath – the wife of Joseph – is strangely included in the list! Why would the Torah intentionally tell us none were counted in the list, and then proceed to include Asenath? The text is apparently giving the answer to the missing individual blatantly for all to read!
It is also very important to note that back in Genesis 46:7, the list contains the plural for “daughters.” The literal Hebrew reads: BANAV UVNEY BANAV EETO B’NOTAV UVNOTH BANAV, literally reading: “His sons, and the sons of his sons with him; his daughters, and the daughters of his sons.” It is very similar to most translations, but notice that the term “daughters” is plural! Jacob only had ONE daughter – Dinah, and one listed granddaughter – Serakh!
These two are the only explicitly named females in the inspired list of Scripture in this passage that are undeniably from the line of Jacob, but that only adds up to one true daughter (not “daughters”) and one true granddaughter (not “daughters of his sons”) – so what is actually going on? How can the Torah say both in the plural when a single girl fits in one category and another single girl fits into the other category? The answer is that this is a hint to the 70th descendant of Jacob - Asenath, who came from his line through Dinah! The wives of his other sons would factor into the “daughters” aspect, but were not counted in the group who came from his loins, so they cannot be factored here. The only way for it to make sense as it is read written in the plural is if Asenath was also his daughter-in-law via Joseph as well as his legitimate granddaughter! She would literally be both his daughter (as Joseph’s wife, but from his loins) as well as his granddaughter (from Dinah) – meeting both criteria in herself and at the same time smoothing out the text of Torah to erase any perceived error otherwise existing in it at this point.
If it seems too far-fetched to readily accept, note well the fact that Asenath is the only wife of Jacob’s sons who is mentioned by name in the list of the “children of Israel.” The text of 46:26 specifically excludes the wives of Jacob’s sons, yet Asenath – the wife of Joseph – is strangely included in the list! Why would the Torah intentionally tell us none were counted in the list, and then proceed to include Asenath? The text is apparently giving the answer to the missing individual blatantly for all to read!
It is also very important to note that back in Genesis 46:7, the list contains the plural for “daughters.” The literal Hebrew reads: BANAV UVNEY BANAV EETO B’NOTAV UVNOTH BANAV, literally reading: “His sons, and the sons of his sons with him; his daughters, and the daughters of his sons.” It is very similar to most translations, but notice that the term “daughters” is plural! Jacob only had ONE daughter – Dinah, and one listed granddaughter – Serakh!
These two are the only explicitly named females in the inspired list of Scripture in this passage that are undeniably from the line of Jacob, but that only adds up to one true daughter (not “daughters”) and one true granddaughter (not “daughters of his sons”) – so what is actually going on? How can the Torah say both in the plural when a single girl fits in one category and another single girl fits into the other category? The answer is that this is a hint to the 70th descendant of Jacob - Asenath, who came from his line through Dinah! The wives of his other sons would factor into the “daughters” aspect, but were not counted in the group who came from his loins, so they cannot be factored here. The only way for it to make sense as it is read written in the plural is if Asenath was also his daughter-in-law via Joseph as well as his legitimate granddaughter! She would literally be both his daughter (as Joseph’s wife, but from his loins) as well as his granddaughter (from Dinah) – meeting both criteria in herself and at the same time smoothing out the text of Torah to erase any perceived error otherwise existing in it at this point.
Furthermore, the text explicitly says that Asenath is the daughter of Poti-phera, the priest of On. Did you know that Poti-phera and Potiphar, the man whose wife lied about Joseph’s actions towards her and had him imprisoned, is actually one and the same man? In Hebrew, Poti-phera and Potiphar mean the same thing, and are separated by merely one letter of difference in their Hebrew spelling! Why is this important? Twice in the Torah, it gives the detail concerning Potiphar that he was a S’RIS – a eunuch! This man could not sire children, and yet he is shown as having a daughter later in the text of Scripture! The apparently “miraculous” appearance of a daughter in his house would cement his divine role as the priest of On among Egyptians all the more with the fact that he was a eunuch, and his wife never having experienced the various visible aspects of an expecting mother. In reality, Asenath was providentially given to him to raise, in order for her to be reunited with the family in due time!
Additionally, note the curious detail contained in Joshua 24:32 of where Joseph’s bones were finally buried after the exodus from Egypt, the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, and the conquest of Canaan: in Shekhem! If his bride was the daughter of Dinah through her relations with Shekhem, then it would only make sense for him to return there to be buried, as it was technically familial ground, despite the horror that had occurred there by the hands of his brothers.
Let us recap the reasons to accept the ancient Jewish position that Asenath was actually a blood relative of Jacob:
Let us recap the reasons to accept the ancient Jewish position that Asenath was actually a blood relative of Jacob:
- The text tells us Leah had 33 descendants, but only counts 32
- The only wife of Jacob’s sons who is listed by name is Asenath
- The text says Jacob had “daughters” and “daughters of his sons” but only one daughter is explicitly listed, as well as one granddaughter
- The text says Asenath was the daughter of Poti-phera / Potiphar, who was actually a eunuch, unable to bear a child
- Joseph – Asenath’s husband – is returned to Canaan after the exodus and buried in the city of Shekhem, the place named for his sister Dinah’s former husband
When all of these details are considered together, the only reasonable conclusion is that the missing descendant in the line of Israel there in Genesis 46 must be Asenath, and the ancient traditions of her true and concealed heritage are, in fact, valid.
Asenath’s inclusion among the descendants of Israel reconciles the count given in the Torah and shows that the wording of the text of Jacob having “daughters” and “daughters of his sons” was also correct when she is factored into the count. Within the details of a list of names of who made the trip into Egypt, there can be found an amazing truth that preserves the inspiration of the Word, and shows that all Scripture – even in its most mundane passages, has merit for His people today.
Asenath’s inclusion among the descendants of Israel reconciles the count given in the Torah and shows that the wording of the text of Jacob having “daughters” and “daughters of his sons” was also correct when she is factored into the count. Within the details of a list of names of who made the trip into Egypt, there can be found an amazing truth that preserves the inspiration of the Word, and shows that all Scripture – even in its most mundane passages, has merit for His people today.
All study contents Copyright Jeremy Chance Springfield, except for graphics and images, which are Copyright their respective creators.