Acts 7:14

And Joseph sent, and called to him Jacob his father, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

'threescore and fifteen souls'-'seventy-five persons in all' (NASV).

Point to Note:

Critics have charged Stephen (Luke) with. historical inaccuracy at this point. For the Hebrew text puts the total at 70 persons (Genesis 46:27). (a) But the version of the O.T. (The Septuagint) that Stephen was quoting from, has 75 in the text. (b) Even the Hebrew text infers that the total number of people who came into Egypt can be counted in. number of ways (depending upon whether you count the people already in Egypt, or how much of Joseph's own immediate family you count) the number 66 is given before the number 70 (see Genesis 46:26). (c) Bruce notes, 'The LXX (Greek translation of the O.T.) omits Jacob and Joseph, but includes nine sons of Joseph. While the Hebrew text includes Jacob, Joseph and his two sons.' (p. 148) (d) McGarvey notes, 'It (the LXX) reads: "All the souls of the house of Jacob who went with Jacob into Egypt, were seventy-five souls;" and it makes the additional five, by giving, at verse 20, the names of two sons of Manasseh, two of Ephraim, and one grandson of the latter.' (p. 120) (e) You can't charge Stephen with. mistake, seeing that he quoted from an accepted translation of the day.