King James Version

What Does Genesis 46:25 Mean?

Genesis 46:25 in the King James Version says “These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls we...” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 46 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven.”

Genesis 46:25 · KJV

Context

23

And the sons of Dan; Hushim. Hushim: or, Shuham

24

And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem.

25

These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven.

26

All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls were threescore and six; loins: Heb. thigh

27

And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.

Read Genesis 46 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jac... This passage is part of the Joseph narrative, a masterfully crafted account demonstrating God's sovereign providence working through human choices and circumstances to accomplish His redemptive purposes. The Joseph cycle shows how God transforms evil intentions into instruments of salvation.

Central themes include divine providence orchestrating events toward redemptive ends, the testing and refinement of character through suffering and success, forgiveness overcoming betrayal and injustice, and the preservation of God's covenant people through famine. Joseph's rise from slavery to second-in-command of Egypt illustrates how God exalts the humble and uses seeming disasters for ultimate good.

Theologically, these chapters reveal: (1) God's meticulous sovereignty over all events, even evil human actions; (2) suffering as preparation for future service rather than punishment; (3) forgiveness as reflecting divine character and enabling reconciliation; (4) God's covenant faithfulness across generations ensuring the survival and blessing of His people; (5) how present suffering gains meaning when viewed from the perspective of God's larger purposes. Joseph's words "you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good" (50:20) epitomize biblical theodicy and providence.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The patriarchal narratives (Genesis 12-50) reflect the cultural, social, and legal customs of the ancient Near East during the Middle Bronze Age (2000-1500 BCE). Archaeological discoveries including the Mari tablets, Nuzi tablets, and Egyptian records confirm many details: nomadic pastoralism, covenant-making ceremonies, marriage customs, property laws, and international travel patterns described in Genesis.

The cultural practices reflected include: treaty/covenant forms (Genesis 15), bride-price customs (Genesis 24, 29), inheritance laws favoring firstborn sons (Genesis 25, 27), adoption practices (Genesis 15, 30), levirate-type arrangements (Genesis 38), and Egyptian administrative systems (Genesis 41, 47). These parallels confirm Genesis's historical reliability while showing how God worked within ancient cultural frameworks to accomplish His purposes.

For later Israelites, these narratives established their identity as Abraham's descendants, explained their claim to Canaan, justified their possession of Joseph's bones (Exodus 13:19), and provided models of faith despite imperfection. The patriarchs' failures and God's faithfulness encouraged Israel that covenant relationship depended on God's grace rather than human merit. The movement from Mesopotamia to Canaan to Egypt set the stage for the Exodus and conquest narratives.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does understanding this verse shape our doctrine of humanity, sin, or salvation?
  2. What obstacles prevent us from living out the truths presented in this verse?
  3. How does this verse fit into the broader biblical story culminating in Christ?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 15 words
אֵ֚לֶּה1 of 15
H428

these or those

בְּנֵ֣י2 of 15

“These are the sons”

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

בִלְהָ֔ה3 of 15

“of Bilhah”

H1090

bilhah, the name of a place in palestine

אֲשֶׁר4 of 15
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

נָתַ֥ן5 of 15

“gave”

H5414

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

לָבָ֖ן6 of 15

“which Laban”

H3837

laban, a place in the desert

לְרָחֵ֣ל7 of 15

“unto Rachel”

H7354

rachel, a wife of jacob

בִּתּ֑וֹ8 of 15

“his daughter”

H1323

a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)

וַתֵּ֧לֶד9 of 15

“and she bare”

H3205

to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage

אֶת10 of 15
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

אֵ֛לֶּה11 of 15
H428

these or those

לְיַֽעֲקֹ֖ב12 of 15

“these unto Jacob”

H3290

jaakob, the israelitish patriarch

כָּל13 of 15
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

נֶ֥פֶשׁ14 of 15

“all the souls”

H5315

properly, a breathing creature, i.e., animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or ment

שִׁבְעָֽה׃15 of 15

“were seven”

H7651

seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Genesis. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Genesis 46:25 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Genesis 46:25 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Genesis 29:29Genesis 35:25Genesis 30:3-8Genesis 35:22Exodus 1:2

Test Your Knowledge

Genesis 46 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterGenesis Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

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