Question 1

Who are the sons of Gad listed in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The passage names seven sons of Gad, who was one of Jacob’s sons. Their names are Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. Gad himself was born to Jacob through Zilpah, Leah’s maid. These men later became heads of families within the tribe of Gad when Israel grew into a nation. The list shows that even this one branch of Jacob’s family was already growing into several households before they settled in Egypt.

Question 2

Who are the sons and daughter of Asher mentioned here?

Accepted Answer

Asher, another son of Jacob by Zilpah, had four sons and one daughter named in this passage: Jimnah, Ishuah, Isui, Beriah, and Serah their sister. Serah is unusual because daughters are not always listed, so her name stands out. The text then adds the sons of Beriah, Heber and Malchiel. All of these together show how Asher’s part of the family was already spreading into more than one generation when they went with Jacob into Egypt.

Question 3

What does “sixteen souls” mean in this passage?

Accepted Answer

“Sixteen souls” is a simple way of saying there were sixteen people in this part of Jacob’s family. It does not mean that Zilpah personally gave birth to sixteen children. Instead, it counts Gad and Asher, their sons, and Asher’s grandsons through Beriah. All together they make sixteen descendants who came from Zilpah and went down to Egypt with Jacob. The number helps show how Jacob’s family was increasing in size before it became a nation.

Question 4

Who was Zilpah, and why is she mentioned with Gad and Asher?

Accepted Answer

Zilpah was the servant whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah when Leah married Jacob. Through Zilpah, Jacob had two sons, Gad and Asher. This passage names Gad and Asher’s children and then reminds the reader that these all came from Zilpah’s line. Mentioning Zilpah shows that God used not only Jacob’s wives but also their maids to build the family that would become Israel. It keeps clear which children came from which mother inside Jacob’s large household.

Question 5

Why does this passage list Jacob’s grandchildren by name?

Accepted Answer

This passage lists Jacob’s grandchildren to show who went with him into Egypt and how his family was already forming distinct groups. Each name represents a future family line within the tribes of Israel. By counting and naming them, the text connects later tribes back to these early generations. It also shows that God’s promise to grow Abraham’s family was moving forward, even though the number is still small compared to the great nation they would later become in Egypt.

Question 6

What was happening when these sons of Gad and Asher went to Egypt?

Accepted Answer

When these sons and grandsons of Gad and Asher went to Egypt, there was a severe famine in the region. Jacob’s son Joseph had been raised to a high position in Egypt and had invited his father and the whole family to live there where there was food. Jacob did not go alone. He took all his children and grandchildren with him. This passage records those who belonged to the branch of the family that came from Zilpah, so readers can see who formed Israel’s house in Egypt.

Question 7

How does this family list relate to God’s promise to make a great nation?

Accepted Answer

God had promised Abraham that his descendants would become a great nation. At this point, that promise might not look very large, because Jacob’s family can still be counted by name. Yet even here, we see growth: Gad and Asher, who started as two sons, now have many children and even grandchildren. By counting “sixteen souls” from Zilpah’s line alone, the passage hints that this small family will keep multiplying, especially during their years in Egypt, until the promise is clearly seen.

Genesis 46:16

¶ And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli.

Those Who Went to Egypt

The Children of Zilpah

Cross References

Genesis 46:16

¶ And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli.

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Those Who Went to Egypt

The Children of Zilpah

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