1. Exodus 1:1 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

To whom does “the sons of Israel” refer?

Exodus 1:1 (ESV)

1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:

Frequently, this title refers to the people of Israel as a whole, that is, to the twelve tribes collectively (e.g., Exodus 1:7; Exodus 2:23; Exodus 3:9). In such cases, the phrase is usually translated as “Israelites” or “people of Israel.” In Exodus 1:1, however, only Jacob’s immediate male descendants are in view. It was Jacob’s actual sons who moved to Egypt with their father.