Numbers 26:59

(59) Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi . . . —Or, who was born to Levi, &c. There is a similar omission of the subject of the verb in 1Ki_1:6. Some writers have supposed that Jochebed was the granddaughter, or possibly even some more remote descendant of Levi, and that Amram, the father of Moses, was not the same as Amram, the son of Kohath. (See Keil, “On the Pentateuch,” i. 469-471; but for a defence of the view which has been more commonly adopted, see Birks’ “Exodus of Israel,” pp. 153-199.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

59, 60. The Kohathites receive more detailed treatment; it was the most important of the families, because Moses and Aaron belonged to it.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

whom her mother bare - literally, “whom she bare;” the subject is wanting, and the verb is in the feminine gender. The words “her mother” are merely conjectural. The text is probably imperfect.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Levi. Septuagint, "who bore these (Lobni, &c.) to Levi, in Egypt; and she bore to Amram, Aaron," &c., as if Jochabed had been wife both of Levi and of Amram, which is very improbable. It is more likely that the wives of these two bore the same name. The Hebrew may agree very well with the Vulgate. See Exodus ii. 1. (Calmet) --- It was afterwards forbidden for a person to marry his aunt, Leviticus xviii. (Worthington)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Her mother, to wit, Levi’s wife, which must necessarily be understood.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

59. Jochebed — Fully discussed in Exo_6:20, note.

Whom… bare to Levi — There is an omission of the subject in the Hebrew. The implication is, that Levi’s lawful wife was not the mother of Jochebed. “It cannot be Levi’s wife, as Jarshi, Aben Ezra, and others suppose; for Jochebed, the mother of Moses, was not a daughter of Levi in the strict sense of the word, but only a descendant who lived about three hundred years after Levi; just as Amram, her husband, was not actually the son of the Amram mentioned Exo_6:18, but a later descendant.” — Keil.

Miriam — Probably the sister who watched the ark of bulrushes amid the flags of the Nile. Exo_2:4.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt. Rather, "whom she (Htao) bare." The missing subject is usually supplied, as in the A.V, and there certainly seems no more difficulty in doing so here than in 1Ki_1:6. Some critics take "Atha" as a proper name Atha bare;" others render "who was born;" this, however, like the Septuagint, h eteke toutouv tw Leui , requires a change of reading. Perhaps the text is imperfect. The statement here made, whatever difficulties it creates, is in entire agreement with Exo_6:20 1Ch_23:6, 1Ch_23:12, 1Ch_23:13, and other passages. If two Amrams, the later of whom lived some 200 years after the earlier, have been confused (as we seem driven to believe), the confusion is consistently maintained through all the extant records. (see the note on Num_3:28)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

אשר ילדה אתה ללוי במצרים WHOM HER MOTHER BORE TO LEVI IN EGYPT — she was born in Egypt but was not conceived in Egypt; when they came “between the walls” (within the confines of Egypt), she gave birth to her, and she (Jochebed) made up the number of seventy; because in the enumeration of them (Genesis 46:8—27) you will find only sixty-nine (Numbers Rabbah 13:20; cf. Rashi Genesis 46:15).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

[JOCHEBED, THE DAUGHTER OF LEVI], WHO WAS BORN TO LEVI IN EGYPT. The meaning of this according to the simple sense of Scripture is [to point out] that because all the [other] sons of Jacob went down to Egypt with their sons and daughters, and none of them bore children there afterwards, except for Levi who begot this joyful mother of children; because she gave birth to three such distinguished children, Aaron, Moses and Miriam. — The reference is based upon Sotah 12a, where it is said that at the time of marriage of Amram and Jochebed the angels of G-d chanted a joyful mother of children. for G-d delayed her birth [since He wanted to redeem Israel through her children], and the time of the redemption had not yet come, as I have already explained.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.