From 2 to 70

Genealogies occupy a large portion of the opening chapters of the Bible, tracing a line from Adam and Eve through ten generations to Noah. Noah fathers a new human race through his three sons, the 70 nations listed in Genesis 10. From 2 (Adam and Eve, Noah and Mrs. Noah) to 70.

After Noah, the genealogies narrow for another ten generations. They are no longer genealogies of the human race, but of the seed of Shem (11:10-26), then more specifically the family of Terah, and even more narrowly the family of Abraham. After Genesis 12, the only genealogies are from Abraham’s family – his own children by Keturah (25:1-4) and through Ishmael (25:12-18), the sons of Jacob (cf. 35:23-27), and the descendants of Esau (ch. 36). Jacob has twelve sons, so the genealogy of Abraham through that line moves from from 2 to 12; so does the line through Esau, who produces 12 kings (36:31-39).

The last list is of descendants of Jacob who accompanied him to Egypt (46:8-27). It includes sons, daughters, and grandchildren, totaling 66. When Joseph and his Egyptian sons are added in, the number is 70 (46:27). Abraham’s descendants, like Adam’s and Noah’s, multiply from a married couple to 70.

That numerological pattern is integral to the theology of Genesis. Chapter 2-11 tell the story of universal humanity to Babel; chapters 12-50 narrow the focus to the beginning of Israel’s story. But the numerology tells us that the story of Israel follows the same trajectory as the history of humanity. Israel is one nation among the 70, but it grows to be itself a 70, so that “all Israel” represents or encompasses all humanity. The genealogies show the fufillment of the Abrahamic promise to make him a great nation and to bless the families of the earth. The 70 are blessed by the people that becomes a 70.