מדרש על במדבר 26:59

"And there went a man of the house of Levi" - Where did he go? R. Judah b. Zebina said: "He went with his daughter's advice." We are taught: Amram was the greatest man in his generation, etc. (above). "And took a daughter of Levi" - It did not say "and took back," but rather, "and took." R. Judah b. Zebina said: "This means that he acted toward her as if it was their first marriage; he placed her upon the litter, and Miriam and Aaron danced before them, and the ministering angels said (Ps. 113:9): 'The joyful mother of children.'" "A daughter of Levi" - How can this be? She was one hundred thirty years old and he calls her "a daughter"?! As R. Hama b. Hanina said: "She was Jochebed; she was conceived on the way [to Egypt] and born between the walls, as it says (Num. 26:59): 'Who was born to Levi in Egypt' - born in Egypt but not conceived. Thus he calls her "a daughter." R. Judah b. Zebina said: "Because the signs of virginity were reborn in her."

(Ib. 2, 1) And there went a man of the house of Levi and took a daughter of Levi. Where did he go? asked R. Chisda b. Zabina: "He went for the advice of his daughter." We are taught: Amran was considered the greatest man of his generation and as soon as Pharaoh decreed that every son who is born ye shall cast into the river, he said to himself: "In vain do we get married." He therefore divorced his wife. The rest of the people following his example did likewise. Thereupon his daughter said to him: "Father thy decree is even worse than Pharaoh's; for he issued a decree against sons, but thou hast issued a decree against both sons and daughters; Pharaoh's decree affects merely this world but thy decree will affect this world and the future world. As to the decree of Pharaoh, the wicked, whether it will endure or not [we do not know], but as to thine who art righteous the decree will surely endure, as it is said (Job. 22, 28) And if thou decree a thing it will be fulfilled unto thee." He immediately remarried his wife, whereupon the rest of the people also remarried their wives. If so then it should be written, he re-took instead of took? Said R. Juda b. Zabina: "This means that he made a real wedding ceremony, he made her sit under a canopy with Aaron and Miriam dancing before her while the ministering angels recited, (Ps. 113, 9) The joyful mother of children." The daughter of Levi refers to Jochebed who became pregnant on her way to Egypt and who gave birth between the walls of Egypt, as it is said (Num. 26, 59) Whom [her mother] bore to Levi in Egypt; i.e., her birth was in Egypt, but not her pregnancy." Hence why does the passage call her daughter? Said R. Juda b. Bizna: "At that time she became as young as a veritable girl."

We are taught R. Eliezer b. Jacob says: "Even the youngest of them was not less than forty years of age when she married." Is that so?" Did not R. Chisda say: "If a woman marries at less than twenty years of age she bears children until sixty. After twenty, she bears until forty; but when she marries after forty, she can no longer bear children?" We must say that because they were upright, a miracle happened to them, as it also happened to Jochebed, concerning whom it is written (Ex. 2, 1) And therewent a man of the house of Levi, and he took a daughter of Levi. (Fol. 120) Is it possible that a woman of one hundred and thirty years of age should be named daughter? for R. Chama b. Chanina said: "This passage refers to Jochebed, whose mother was pregnant while on the road to Egypt, and she was born between the walls (when they arrived in Egypt), as it is written (Num. 26, 59) Jochebed the daughter of Levi, whom (her mother) bore to Levi in Egypt." And why is she named daughter? R. Juda b. Zebinah said: "Because the signs of youth returned to her. The body became smooth again, the wrinkles of age were straightened." Why then does it read "he took?" It ought to be "he remarried." R. Juda b. Zebinah said: "Learn from this that he made a wedding ceremony, as if he were marrying for the first time; he placed her under a canopy, Aaron and Miriam sang before her and the ministering angels said (Ps. 113) The mother of the children shall rejoice." Further the Scripture mentions the daughters of Zelaphehad according to their age, and here according to their wisdom. And this supports R. Ami, who said: "In the college preference is given to wisdom [over age], but at a banquet, however, preference is given to age." R. Ashi said: "This only refers to one who excels in wisdom and [concerning a banquet] only he who is of advanced age." In the school of R. Ishmael it was taught: "All the daughters of Z'lapchad were equal in wisdom, as it is said (Num. 36) And they were; i.e., all were alike."

Abba Chalipa Cruyah questioned R. Chiya b. Abba: "Of Jacob's children who came to Egypt in the total sum, you will find only sixty-nine." And he answered: "There was a twin with Dinah, as it is written (Ib. 46, 15) V'eth (with) Dinah their sister." According to your theory there (Ib. b) was a twin with Benjamin also, for it is also written (Ib. 43) Eth Benjamin. Whereupon R. Chiya said: "A valuable pearl was in my hand, and you wanted to deprive me of it? So said R. Chama b. Chaninah: 'This refers to Jochebed, whose mother was pregnant, and bore her within the walls, as it is said (Num. 26, 59) Whom her mother bore to Levi in Egypt; i.e., she was born in Egypt, but her pregnancy was not in Egypt.'"

Rabbi Elazar, son of 'Azariah, said: Is it not so that the Israelites did not dwell in Egypt except for 210 years? But in order to teach thee, know that this is so, come and see; for when Joseph went down to Egypt he was seventeen years old, and when he stood before Pharaoh he was thirty years old, as it is said, "And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt" (Gen. 41:46). And the seven years of plenty, and the two years of famine, behold, they are nine-and-thirty years (in all). And Levi, the son of Jacob, was six years older than Joseph, and when he went down to Egypt he was forty-five years, and the years of his life in Egypt were ninety-two years; behold, all of them (amount to) 137 years, (as it is said,) "And the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years" (Ex. 6:16). On his going down to Egypt, his wife bare unto him Jochebed, his daughter, as it is said, "And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed" (Num. 26:59), and she was 130 years when she bare Moses, (as it is said,) "And Moses was fourscore years old when he stood before Pharaoh" (Ex. 7:7). || Behold, (the total is) 210 years in all. And thus it says, "And they shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years" (Gen. 15:18).