The term "Seventy-five Relatives" refers to a specific group mentioned in the context of the patriarch Abraham's family, particularly in relation to the migration of Jacob's family to Egypt. This number is derived from the account in the New Testament, specifically in the book of Acts, which provides a numerical detail about the descendants of Jacob who went down to Egypt.

Biblical Reference:

The primary reference to the seventy-five relatives is found in Acts 7:14, where Stephen, in his speech before the Sanhedrin, recounts the history of Israel. He states: "Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five in all."

Contextual Background:

The narrative of Jacob's family moving to Egypt is rooted in the Old Testament, particularly in the book of Genesis. During a severe famine, Jacob's sons went to Egypt to buy grain, where they encountered their brother Joseph, who had risen to a position of power in Pharaoh's court. Joseph eventually revealed his identity to his brothers and invited the entire family to settle in Egypt to survive the famine.

Genesis 46:26-27 provides a different numerical detail: "All those belonging to Jacob who came to Egypt—his direct descendants, besides the wives of Jacob’s sons—numbered sixty-six persons. And with the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family who went to Egypt were seventy in all."

Harmonization of Numbers:

The discrepancy between the numbers seventy and seventy-five has been a topic of discussion among scholars and theologians. The number seventy, as mentioned in Genesis, is often understood to refer to the direct descendants of Jacob, excluding the wives of his sons. The number seventy-five, as mentioned in Acts, is thought to include additional family members, possibly accounting for the wives and other relatives not explicitly listed in Genesis.

The Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, also supports the number seventy-five, which may explain why Stephen, speaking to a Hellenistic audience, used this figure in his speech.

Theological Significance:

The mention of seventy-five relatives highlights the providential care of God in preserving the family of Jacob, which would eventually become the nation of Israel. This migration to Egypt set the stage for the subsequent events of the Exodus, where God would deliver His people from bondage and fulfill His covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The inclusion of this detail in Stephen's speech serves to remind the audience of God's faithfulness throughout Israel's history, even in times of hardship and transition. It underscores the continuity of God's plan and His sovereign orchestration of events to bring about His purposes for His chosen people.