Commentary for Numbers 26:59

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).

[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;¹⁵⁰Psalms 113:9. Jochebed here is described by Ramban as a joyful mother 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.¹⁵¹Genesis 46:15 (Vol. I, p. 559).

אשר ילדה אותה ללוי במצרים, “whom she bore (Levi’s wife) Levi in Egypt.” Nachmanides writes that according to the plain meaning that all of Yaakov’s children with all their respective children arrived with him in Egypt, so that after that no more children were born to Levi after Yocheved, we must assume that Yocheved was deliberately born at such a late date. [Nachmanides already explained that Moses had to be born late in terms of the date G’d had set for the redemption, as if he had been born earlier G’d’s timetable for the Exodus would have been upset. Compare Nachmanides on Genesis Ed.]

Her birth was in Egypt. Meaning, the verse is abbreviated and does not explain who bore her, thus one must say that his wife bore her. Then there is the difficulty as to why does it say “in Egypt”? So Rashi was obliged to explain that her birth was in Egypt, but not her conception. This would only have been possible if she was born between the walls [upon entering Egypt].

אשר ילדה אותה ללוי, “which she had born for Levi.” For this was the name of Levi’s wife.