It is not necessary to say These are the names in translating this verse, so long as the translation clearly introduces the list of names that follow. Thus Good News Translation has simply “The sons … were….”
Jacob and Israel were the same person. (See Gen 32.27-28.) The Hebrew says sons of Israel, but Good News Translation translates “sons of Jacob” to avoid confusion, and many translators will find this a helpful model. The expression came to Egypt suggests that the author was in Egypt when he wrote, but Good News Translation translates “went to Egypt,” suggesting that the writer was no longer there. The New English Bible’s [New English Bible] rendering, “who entered Egypt,” is closer to the Hebrew, which does not indicate where the writer was when he wrote this. However, since translators in many languages must locate the speaker or writer in order to have natural style, it is better to place the writer with the later Israelite community outside Egypt and translate “who went to Egypt.” In languages where all directional information depends upon where the speaker is located, translators should generally place the writer of Exodus in the area of Canaan or Palestine.
Each with his household means that each of Jacob’s sons took along his own “family.” Each son was the head of his own family, with the possible exception of Benjamin, who may not yet have been married. Each “family” included the wives, sons, daughters, and in some cases grandchildren. In addition each “family” included male and female servants with their own families, as well as other relatives who lived under the authority of the family head. In certain languages it will be necessary to translate this verse into two sentences; for example: “The following people are the sons of Jacob who went to Egypt with him. Each one took his family with him. These sons were….”
Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .