Bible Commentaries

From David to the Exile

v. 1. Now, these were the sons of David which were born unto him in Hebron, after his accession to the throne, but before the conquest of Jerusalem: the first-born, Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, who, therefore, aspired to the throne; the second, Daniel (or Chileab, 2Sa 3:3), of Abigail the Carmelitess;

v. 2. the third, Absalom, the son of Maachah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah, the son of Haggith;

v. 3. the fifth, Shephatiah, of Abital; the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah, his wife, whom we have no reason to identify with Michal, as many commentators do, since it is expressly stated that. Michal had no child, at least from David, till the day of her death, 2Sa 6:23. For the whole passage compare 2Sa 3:2-5.

v. 4. These six were born unto him in Hebron, and, in the natural order of things, would have been heirs to the throne in that order; and there he reigned seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years, 2Sa 5:5.

v. 5. And these were born unto him in Jerusalem: Shimea (or Shammua), and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four; of Bathshua (or Bathsheba), the daughter of Ammiel, called Eliam 2Sa 11:3;

v. 6. Ibhar also, and Elishama (or Elishua), and Eliphelet,

v. 7. and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia,

v. 8. arid Elishama, and Eliada (or Beeliada), and Eliphelet, nine. Cf 2Sa 5:14-16.

v. 9. These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Tamar, their sister, the full sister of Absalom, against whom Amnon sinned so grievously, 2Sa 13:1.

v. 10. And Solomon's son was Rehoboam (the men named from here on being the princes who succeeded their fathers on the throne of Judah, except toward the end of the seventeen successive reigns in the same dynasty), Abia (or Abijam), his son; Asa, his son; Jehoshaphat, his son;

v. 11. Joram, his son; Ahaziah (or Azariah, or Jehoahaz), his son; Joash, his son;

v. 12. Amaziah, his son; Azariah (or Uzziah), his son; Jotham, his son;

v. 13. Ahaz, his son; Hezekiah, his son; Manasseh, his son;

v. 14. Amon, his son; Josiah, his son.

v. 15. And the sons of Josiah, after whose death the disintegration of the kingdom set-in in earnest, were: the first born, Johanan (or Jehoahaz), who reigned only three months; the second, Jehoiakim, invested with the royal power by Pharaoh-nechoh; the third, Zedekiah, whose original name was Mattaniah; the fourth, Shallum.

v. 16. And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeeoniah (or Jehoiachin, or Coniah), his son; Zedekiah, his son. Thus the Lord, by virtue of His promise to David and as a reward for his piety, kept his lineal descendants on the throne of Judah during all these years, a token of the fulfilment of the greater promise, the sending of the Messiah.

From Jeconiah to Anani

v. 17. And the sons of Jeconiah, whom Evil-merodach elevated from his position of dishonor, 2Ki 25:27-30; Assir, the captive, the word modifying Jeconiah, Salathiel (or Sealthiel), his son,

v. 18. Malchiram also, and Pedaiah, and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.

v. 19. And the sons of Pedaiah were Zerubbabel and Shimei; and the sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam, and Hananiah, and Shelomith, their sister;

v. 20. and Hashubah, and Ohel, and Berechiah, and Hasadiah, Jushab-hesed, five.

v. 21. And the sons of Hananiah: Pelatiah and Jesaiah; the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shechaniah;

v. 22. and the sons of Shechaniah: Shemaiah; and the sons of Shemaiah: Hatush, and Igeal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six.

v. 23. And the sons of Neariah: Elioenai, and Hezekiah, and Azrikam, three.

v. 24. And the sons of Elioenai were Hodaiah, and Eliashib and Pelaiah, and Akkub, and Johanan, and Delaiah, and Anani, seven. Although this list offers various difficulties, some of which we are not able to solve in the absence of further authentic records, it is clear that the family of David was continued through the exile, and the great number of Zerubbabel's sons at once suggests that one of these was the ancestor of the line from which Mary and therefore Jesus sprang, according to the genealogical lists in Matthew 1 and Luke 3.