# Chapter XL: How it is said that Jacob went into Egypt with seventy-five souls, when most of those who are mentioned were born at a later period. explained — The City of God

> Chapter companion for The City of God by Augustine of Hippo.

## What happens

Augustine examines the scriptural account of Jacob's entry into Egypt with seventy-five souls, noting that many of those listed, such as Joseph's great-grandchildren, could not have been born at the time of the actual entry. He argues that the phrase 'entered into Egypt' encompasses the entire period of Joseph's life, during which these descendants were born, thus reconciling the apparent chronological discrepancy.

## Themes in this chapter

### Divine Providence and History

Augustine harmonizes scriptural numbers by interpreting the 'entrance into Egypt' as the whole era of Joseph's life, showing God's providential ordering of history.

## Character check-ins

### Jacob

Entered Egypt at age 130 with his family; the number of souls includes descendants born later.

### Joseph

Son of Jacob, 39 years old at Jacob's entry; lived 110 years and saw great-grandchildren.

### Manasseh

Son of Joseph; his son Machir and grandson Gilead are counted among the seventy-five.

### Ephraim

Son of Joseph; his son Shuthelah and grandson Ezer are counted among the seventy-five.

## Key lines

> But when the thing is carefully considered, it does not appear that Jacob’s offspring was so numerous on the day or year when he entered Egypt.

Upon close examination, it becomes clear that Jacob's descendants were not as many on the exact day or year he entered Egypt as the number seventy-five suggests.

_Augustine highlights the discrepancy between the literal number and the actual birth timeline._

> But doubtless, when the Scripture mentions Jacob’s entrance into Egypt with seventy-five souls, it does not mean one day, or one year, but that whole time as long as Joseph lived, who was the cause of his entrance.

The scriptural phrase 'entrance into Egypt' refers not to a single day or year but to the entire period of Joseph's life, since he was the reason for the migration.

_Augustine resolves the chronological issue by expanding the timeframe of the 'entrance'._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-ii-xl
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_city_of_god_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters