Bible Commentaries

CONTENTS

The former chapter having, in a short and cursory way, dispatched the history of all ages before Israel; this chapter gives us the relation of what the Book of Chronicles hath chiefly in view, the history of the children of Israel leading to Christ. The genealogy in this chapter is carried down as far as the time of David.

Here are the twelve sons of Jacob enumerated, that illustrious family whose history forms so interesting a subject in the church of God.

Observe bow Judah takes the lead, because that our Lord sprang out of Judah. And let the Reader remember, that the whole course of this register is to show the pedigree of Christ after the flesh. So infinitely important is this one thing. Hebrews 7:14.

Observe how fast the strides are made to get on to David, in order, still to the same end, to lead to David's Lord, the Rod that was to arise out of the stem of Jesse. Isaiah 11:1.

If the Reader be desirous to attend to the history of some of the persons here registered, he will find an account of them elsewhere in the Bible. But many of them are only mentioned in this record, and that only with a view to preserve the genealogy of their family. Bezaleel is honourably spoken of, Exodus 31:2. Hezron was one of the threescore and ten souls of Jacob's household that went down into Egypt. Genesis 46:10. Jair we have an account of; Numbers 32:41. But, it should seem, that the great object here intended from their enumeration is, as the Book of Chronicles implies, to preserve the register of their families.

REFLECTIONS

READER! in the quick succession of persons and families, as recorded in this Chapter, how feelingly are we taught the littleness, and even nothingness, of human nature. So that at every verse we are prompted, in the language of the Prophet, to exclaim, Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But oh! how precious amidst all this is it, to behold Jesus, who is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

But again, how is the mind humbled in the consideration, that though the several generations this Chapter records lived but as it were a day, yet in that day how numerous their transgressions? Though this stock of Judah was at length to produce the holy seed, and in the intermediate state was to possess, in several branches of them, both royal and priestly honours; yet we find they all partook of the same common stock of a fallen nature, of whom it is with truth said, there is none holy, no not one. And wherefore were they preserved, why are their names recorded with such precision and exactness? Was it not, blessed Jesus, because they all pointed to thee, ministered to thee, and in thee fulfilled the purposes of their generation? Did not the Lord Jehovah, concerning everyone of them, say, Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it. There is life in the root; salvation in the stock; even Jesus folded up in the seed, in whom all the family should be blessed? Oh, grace! oh, mercy! oh, wisdom! How unsearchable are thy judgments, O Lord; and thy ways past finding out.