Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 7:14

"And Joseph sent, and called to him Jacob his father, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls." — Acts 7:14 (ASV)

All his kindred. His father and family, Genesis 45:17–28 and Genesis 46:1-26.

Threescore and fifteen souls. Seventy-five persons. There has been much perplexity felt in the explanation of this passage.

In Genesis 46:26, Exodus 1:5, and Deuteronomy 10:22, it is expressly said that the number who went down to Egypt consisted of only seventy persons. The question is, in what way can these accounts be reconciled?

It is evident that Stephen followed the account given by the Septuagint. In Genesis 46:27, that version reads: But the sons of Joseph who were with him in Egypt, were nine souls; all the souls of the house of Jacob who came with Jacob into Egypt, were seventy-five souls.

This number is arrived at by adding these nine souls to the sixty-six mentioned in Genesis 46:26. The difference between the Septuagint and Moses is that the former mentions five descendants of Joseph who are not recorded by the latter.

The names of the sons of Ephraim and Manasseh are recorded in 1 Chronicles 7:14–21. Their names were Ashriel, Machir, Zelophehad, Peresh, sons of Manasseh; and Shuthelah, son of Ephraim.

Why the Septuagint inserted these, it may not be easy to see. But such was evidently the fact, and the fact accords accurately with the historic record, though Moses did not insert their names.

The solution of difficulties regarding chronology is always difficult; and what might have been entirely apparent to a Jew in the time of Stephen may be wholly inexplicable to us.