Jacob's descendants and the Book of Numbers

Anyone remember the story from a while ago about the lady who, when she died at the age of 100-something, had over 1000 descendants?

She's an anomaly, but populations can grow very fast under the right circumstances.

rakhel said:

Being born a daughter of Levi does not necessarily mean she was the original Levi's daughter. Her father may have also been named Levi.

Further, Being a daughter of Levi, is also a very nice short cut. My husband could say he is a son of Benjamin even though his father's name is David.
Saying you are the son or daughter of an ancestor identifies you with a particular clan.

Click to expand...

Then is Numbers 26:59 wrong?

Numbers 26:59 said:

And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and she bore unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.

Click to expand...

The lineage on Moses' father side, showed that Amram was Levi's grandson, so is it so impossible for Amram to marry his aunt? Exodus 6:20 does confirmed that Amram did marry his aunt.

Exodus 6:20 said:

And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. And the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty and seven years.

Click to expand...

I am not saying it is wrong. I am saying that maybe you are interpreting the word "daughter" too literally.
"The daughter of Levi, born to Levi" does not necessarily mean she is 2 generations from Jacob.

rakhel said:

I am not saying it is wrong. I am saying that maybe you are interpreting the word "daughter" too literally.
"The daughter of Levi, born to Levi" does not necessarily mean she is 2 generations from Jacob.

Click to expand...

And there's no reason to think that Jacob is literally the father of Levi, either. Levi might be just any random descendant of Jacob.

dmgdnooc said:

The calculations that I offered are within acceptable ranges and more than account for the population figures mentioned in the book of Numbers.
　
If a population of 6 millions is possible then to have 600,000 certainly allows for deaths, immaturity and the like.
　
Do the sum, you will find that it is logically possible that Numbers is correct.
　

Click to expand...

As I said, I was not arguing about whether or not the sum was logical. I was stating that your numbers are off. Being so, it does take away your credibility as you are using faulty information.

Smoke said:

And there's no reason to think that Jacob is literally the father of Levi, either. Levi might be just any random descendant of Jacob.

Click to expand...

This is exactly what I am trying to say.

"Of Levi" means Of the Levi clan.
"To Levi" means her father was named Levi
However, "in Egypt" Suggests this particular Levi is not the Levi that came to Egypt with Jacob but rather one that was already in Egypt.

This would be like saying daughter of Levi, born to Levi in England

rakhel said:

This is exactly what I am trying to say.

"Of Levi" means Of the Levi clan.
"To Levi" means her father was named Levi
However, "in Egypt" Suggests this particular Levi is not the Levi that came to Egypt with Jacob but rather one that was already in Egypt.

This would be like saying daughter of Levi, born to Levi in England

Click to expand...

I mean Levi, the founding father of the Levites. Why should any familial relationship in the Bible be interpreted literally?

Smoke said:

I mean Levi, the founding father of the Levites. Why should any familial relationship in the Bible be interpreted literally?

Click to expand...

Smoke, I am agreeing with you....I think.
I do think that Jacob is the father of a Levi. As in his wife gave birth tho a boy that they named Levi. But I don't think it is the same Levi whose daughter is Jocobed.

rakhel said:

Smoke, I am agreeing with you....I think.
I do think that Jacob is the father of a Levi. As in his wife gave birth tho a boy that they named Levi. But I don't think it is the same Levi whose daughter is Jocobed.

Click to expand...

That's the only way I can see of making sense of it without simply saying that the account we have cannot be true.

rakhel said:

I am not saying it is wrong. I am saying that maybe you are interpreting the word "daughter" too literally.
"The daughter of Levi, born to Levi" does not necessarily mean she is 2 generations from Jacob.

Click to expand...

I agree and understand you that the relationship between one person and another may not always be taken literally, like in the bible. There are many case where people immediately related to David have become known as "son of David". I don't doubt such usage.

Yes, I understand, but with regards to Levi and Jochebed there are several cases, where the lineage is clear, either directly (verse Numbers 26:59) or indirectly (as in the case with verse Exodus 6:20, where Jochebed is not link to Levi).

In the first, Exodus clearly state that Amram married his father's sister (6:20). Amram's father, Kohath, being one of 3 sons of Levi (6:16; Genesis 46:11). And naturally Kohath's sister is Jochebed; this at least indirectly linked Jochebed to Levi.

It is Numbers 26:59 that make clear linkage between Levi and Jochebed, Jochebed to her husband Amram, and Jochebed to her 3 children - Aaron, Miriam and Moses. And it does say she was born to Levi while he was in Egypt.

Sure, I understand that not everything in the Hebrew scriptures can be taken literally, but the Exodus and Numbers passages do give the family tree of Levi-Moses.