The following logic puzzle is taken directly from the Book of Genesis in the OldTestament. I love logic puzzles and have collected them all my life, and this onejust might be the best puzzle I have ever seen: it has all the elements of a greatbrain teaser. When I discovered it in theBible, I submitted it to be published, but it was rejected by the puzzle magazines asbeing too serious, and by the scientific magazines as being too religious. I have notyet submitted it to a Bible commentary magazine, because I don't think they willrecognize what a great puzzle it is and they won't believe such a great puzzle couldbe found in a bunch of "campfire stories," which is what many of them think Genesis is.So I am publishing it here so that you can all try it to see for yourselves.
The entire puzzle is below. I give references to the Bible so that you can check foryourself that it really is there, but I do not recommend trying to do the puzzle directly from the Bible.I have resolved anyambiguities of translation, so you can get a perfect score just from the information here.
Treat it just like any other logic puzzle: assume that it means exactly what it saysand that there are no mistakes. When you are finished, you can find the answer by returning to my home page and searching for it by using the search engine.
1. All seventy living souls of the house of Jacob, including all of his living male and femaledescendants, were in Egypt when he arrived there with those who accompanied him. (Gen. 46:6, 27).
2. Sixty-six of Jacob's descendants came to Egypt with him. This count includes only Jacob's literaloffspring; none of his sons' wives is included (Gen. 46:26).
3. Except for Joseph and his two sons, who already resided in Egypt (Gen. 46:27), Jacob took withhim all of his son(s), his sons' son(s), his daughter(s), his sons' daughter(s) (Gen. 46:7), and all ofhis great-grandchildren ("little ones," Gen. 46:5).
4. These are the names of Jacob's descendants when they had all arrived in Egypt, along with subtotals for each of his four wives (Leah, Zilpah, Rachel, and Bilhah):
a. Leah had 33 living descendants. Her sons were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar,and Zebulun, and her daughter was Dinah. Reuben's sons were Hanoch, Phallu, Hezron andCarmi. Simeon's sons were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of aCannaanitish woman. Levi's sons were Gershon, Kohath and Merari. Judah's sons were Er,Onan, Shelah, Pharez, and Zerah, but Er and Onan had died previously. Pharez' sons wereHezron and Hamul. Issachar's sons were Tola, Phuvah, Job and Shimron. Zebulun's sonswere Sered, Elon and Jahleel (Gen. 46:8-15).
b. Zilpah had 16 living descendants. Her sons were Gad and Asher. Gad's sons were Ziphion,Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. Asher's sons were Jimnah, Ishuah, Isui andBeriah, and Serah was their sister. Beriah's sons were Heber and Malchiel (Gen. 46:16-18).
c. Rachel had 14 living descendants. Her sons were Joseph and Benjamin. In Egypt, the sonsof Joseph and his wife Asenath, daughter of an Egyptian priest, were Manasseh and Ephraim.Benjamin's sons were Belah, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim,and Ard (Gen. 46:19-22).
d. Bilhah had 7 living descendants. Her sons were Dan and Naphtali. Dan's son was Hushim.Naphtali's sons were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem (Gen. 46:23-25).