(1) These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each coming with his household: (2) Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; (3) Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; (4) Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. (5) The total number of persons that were of Jacob’s issue came to seventy, Joseph being already in Egypt.
ואלה שמות בני ישראל NOW THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL — Although scripture has already enumerated them by name whilst they were living, when they went down into Egypt (Genesis 46:8-27), it again enumerates them when it tells us of their death, thus showing how dear they were to God — that they are compared to the stars which also God brings out and brings in by number and name when they cease to shine, as it is said, (Isaiah 40:26) “He bringeth out their host by number, He calleth them all by name” (Exodus Rabbah 1:3; Tanchuma Yashan 1:1:2).
Lift high your eyes and see:
Who created these?
He who sends out their host by count,
Who calls them each by name:
Because of His great might and vast power,
Not one fails to appear.
because of His great might that He has, and that He is strong in power, no one of His host is missing, that He does not call by name.
And these are the names of the Children of Israel who came to Egypt, Jacob and his sons, each man and his household came - Israel is comparable to the multitude of the heavens, here it is said names, and it is said of stars names, as it is said (Psalms 147:4): "He counteth the number of the stars; He giveth them all their names," even the Holy One Blessed is He, when Israel descended to Egypt, counted how many they were, and because they are compared to the stars, He gave them all names, as it is written: "And these are the names of the Children of Israel, etc."
He reckoned the number of the stars;
to each He gave its name.
Meaning- He knows there number and calls them by name- he knows each one's function.
Isaiah says "He who sends out their host by count..." (Isaiah 40:26) God said to Abraham- gaze towards the heavens and count the stars- are you able to? The wise prince, R. Avraham said in the name of R. Chiyya that there are many small stars that do not actually shine onto the Earth which human-beings are not able to even see let alone count but God of all knowledge can count them. So too for the visible stars, there are stars that seem like they are one but they are actually many because of their lofty greatness as well as the great distance between us and them causing them to seem like one when they are actually many. Therefore even for all of the visible stars, human-beings cannot count them but God, who knows all the secret things, knows how to count them for he created them.
He calls all of of them by name- for God created them, each with a name known to him, and to each one he calls them by their function, for the reason in which it was created, for all of the stars have some ability and governance on the lower creations, giving each one it's power to do as our Sages of blessed memory said, "There is not one blade of grass which does not have an angel (mazal/constellation) above it striking it and saying- Grow!!" (Genesis Rabbah 10:6)
The emperor said to Rabban Gamliel: It is written in praise of the Lord: “He counts the number of the stars; He gives them all their names” (Psalms 147:4). What is His greatness? I can also count the stars. Rabban Gamliel brought quinces, put them in a sieve, and spun them. He said to the emperor: Count them. The emperor said to him: Stand them still so that I can count them. Rabban Gamliel said to him: The firmament also revolves like this, therefore you cannot count the stars in it.
R. Pinchas said- these stars of the scepter are known by the fellowship, for God created all of the stars of the firmament, both big and small. All of them offer thanks and praise to God, as it is written, "who enumerates the stars." (Psalms 147:4) When it comes their time to praise, God calls out to them by name as it is written, "All of them by name God calls..." (Isaiah 40:26) When this occurs, God reachs out with God's scepter of light, to strike them to offer praise to their creator, in the place in which they are commanded to be. As it is written, "Look with your eyes to the heavens, look! Who created these?" (Isaiah 40:26) At the point in which the light comes, they rise and go forth.
To acknowledge that they are likened to stars- This is specifically written in regards to the tribes and not for other righteous people because the tribes are like the example of stars- 12 tribes matching the 12 constellations. Each constellation includes many stars, just as each tribe includes many people- for this reason the Israelites are compared to stars.
(8) These are the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his descendants, who came to Egypt.
Jacob’s first-born Reuben; (9) Reuben’s sons: Enoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. (10) Simeon’s sons: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Saul the son of a Canaanite woman. (11) Levi’s sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. (12) Judah’s sons: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah—but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan; and Perez’s sons were Hezron and Hamul. (13) Issachar’s sons: Tola, Puvah, Iob, and Shimron. (14) Zebulun’s sons: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. (15) Those were the sons whom Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, in addition to his daughter Dinah. Persons in all, male and female: 33. (16) Gad’s sons: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. (17) Asher’s sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah, and their sister Serah. Beriah’s sons: Heber and Malchiel. (18) These were the descendants of Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah. These she bore to Jacob—16 persons. (19) The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. (20) To Joseph were born in the land of Egypt Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath daughter of Poti-phera priest of On bore to him. (21) Benjamin’s sons: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. (22) These were the descendants of Rachel who were born to Jacob—14 persons in all. (23) Dan’s son: Hushim. (24) Naphtali’s sons: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. (25) These were the descendants of Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel. These she bore to Jacob—7 persons in all. (26) All the persons belonging to Jacob who came to Egypt—his own issue, aside from the wives of Jacob’s sons—all these persons numbered 66. (27) And Joseph’s sons who were born to him in Egypt were two in number. Thus the total of Jacob’s household who came to Egypt was seventy persons.