1 Chronicles 1

From Adam to Abraham

1 ^[a]1Adam, Seth, Enosh;

2 ²Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared;

3 Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech;

4 Noah, ³Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

5 ⁴The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

6 The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath,^[b] and Togarmah.

7 The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.

8 ⁵The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan.

9 The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.

10 Cush fathered Nimrod. He was the first on earth to be a mighty man.^[c]

11 ⁶Egypt fathered Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim,

12 Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom the Philistines came), and Caphtorim.

13 Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth,

14 and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites,

15 the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites,

16 the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.

17 ⁷The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. And the sons of Aram:^[d] Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech.

18 Arpachshad fathered Shelah, and Shelah fathered Eber.

19 To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg^[e] (for in his days the earth was divided), and his brother's name was Joktan.

20 Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,

21 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,

22 Obal,^[f] Abimael, Sheba,

23 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan.

24 ⁸Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah;

25 Eber, Peleg, Reu;

26 Serug, Nahor, Terah;

27 Abram, that is, Abraham.

From Abraham to Jacob

28 The sons of Abraham: ⁹Isaac and ¹⁰Ishmael.

29 ¹¹These are their genealogies: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

30 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema,

31 Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael.

32 ¹²The sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bore Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan.

33 The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the descendants of Keturah.

34 Abraham fathered ¹³Isaac. The sons of Isaac: ¹⁴Esau and ¹⁵Israel.

35 ¹⁶The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

36 The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, Kenaz, and of Timna,^[g] Amalek.

37 The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.

38 ¹⁷The sons of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan.

39 The sons of Lotan: Hori and Hemam;^[h] and Lotan's sister was Timna.

40 The sons of Shobal: Alvan,^[i] Manahath, Ebal, Shepho,^[j] and Onam. The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah.

41 The son^[k] of Anah: Dishon. The sons of Dishon: Hemdan,^[l] Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.

42 The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.^[m] The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.

43 ¹⁸These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the people of Israel: Bela the son of Beor, the name of his city being Dinhabah.

44 Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of ¹⁹Bozrah reigned in his place.

45 Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the ²⁰Temanites reigned in his place.

46 Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, reigned in his place, the name of his city being Avith.

47 Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place.

48 Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth on the Euphrates reigned in his place.

49 Shaul died, and Baal-hanan, the son of Achbor, reigned in his place.

50 Baal-hanan died, and Hadad reigned in his place, the name of his city being Pai; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

51 And Hadad died. The chiefs of Edom were: chiefs Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,

52 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,

53 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar,

54 Magdiel, and Iram; these are the chiefs of Edom.

1 Chronicles 1 Commentary

Chapter 1

The books of Chronicles are, in a great measure, repetitions of what is in the books of Samuel and of the Kings, yet there are some excellent useful things in them which we find not elsewhere. The FIRST BOOK traces the rise of the Jewish people from Adam, and afterward gives an account of the reign of David. In the SECOND BOOK the narrative is continued, and relates the progress and end of the kingdom of Judah; also it notices the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity. Jerome says, that whoever supposes himself to have knowledge of the Scriptures without being acquainted with the books of Chronicles, deceives himself. Historical facts passed over elsewhere, names, and the connexion of passages are to be found here, and many questions concerning the gospel are explained.

Genealogies, Adam to Abraham. (1-27) The descendants of Abraham. (28-54)

Verses 1-27 This chapter, and many that follow, repeat the genealogies, or lists of fathers and children in the Bible history, and put them together, with many added. When compared with other places, there are some differences found; yet we must not therefore stumble at the word, but bless God that the things necessary to salvation are plain enough. The original of the Jewish nation is here traced from the first man that God created, and is thereby distinguished from the obscure, fabulous, and absurd origins assigned to other nations. But the nations now are all so mingled with one another, that no one nation, nor the greatest part of any, is descended entirely from any of one nation, nor the greatest part of any, is descended entirely from any of these fountains. Only this we are sure of, that God has created of one blood all nations of men; they are all descended from one Adam, one Noah. Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? ( Malachi 2:10 ) .

Verses 28-54 The genealogy is from hence confined to the posterity of Abraham. Let us take occasion from reading these lists of names, to think of the multitudes that have gone through this world, have done their parts in it, and then quitted it. As one generation, even of sinful men, passes away, another comes. Ec. 1:4 ; Nu. 32:14 , and will do so while the earth remains. Short is our passage through time into eternity. May we be distinguished as the Lord's people.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 4:25, 26; Genesis 5:3, 6
• 2. For ver. 2-4, see Genesis 5:9-32
• 3. Genesis 6:10; Genesis 9:18
• 4. For ver. 5-7, see Genesis 10:2-4
• 5. For ver. 8-10, see Genesis 10:6-8
• 6. For ver. 11-16, see Genesis 10:10-18
• 7. For ver. 17-23, see Genesis 10:22-29
• 8. For ver. 24, 27, see Genesis 11:10-26; Luke 3:34-36
• 9. Genesis 21:2, 3
• 10. Genesis 16:11, 15
• 11. For ver. 29-31, see Genesis 25:13-16
• 12. For ver. 32, 33, see Genesis 25:1-4
• 13. [See ver. 28 above]
• 14. Genesis 25:25, 26
• 15. Genesis 32:28
• 16. For ver. 35-37, see Genesis 36:4, 5, 9-13
• 17. For ver. 38-42, see Genesis 36:20-28
• 18. For ver. 4-54, see Genesis 36:31-43
• 19. Isaiah 34:6; Isaiah 63:1
• 20. Genesis 36:11; Job 2:11; Jeremiah 49:7, 20; Ezekiel 25:13

Footnotes

• [a]. Many names in these genealogies are spelled differently in other biblical books
• [b]. Septuagint; Hebrew Diphath
• [c]. Or He began to be a mighty man on the earth
• [d]. Septuagint; Hebrew lacks And the sons of Aram
• [e]. Peleg means division
• [f]. Septuagint, Syriac (compare Genesis 10:28); Hebrew Ebal
• [g]. Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:12); Hebrew lacks and of
• [h]. Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:22); Hebrew Homam
• [i]. Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:23); Hebrew Alian
• [j]. Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:23); Hebrew Shephi
• [k]. Hebrew sons
• [l]. Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:26); Hebrew Hamran
• [m]. Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:27); Hebrew Jaakan

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES

This and the following book were reckoned by the Jews as one book, as appears by the Masoretic note at the end of the second book, and as is affirmed by Origen {a} and Jerom {b}; and they were by the ancients {c} called Chronicles, as they are by us; but they are different from the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel and Judah, so often mentioned in the preceding books, seeing several things there referred to, as in them, are not to be found here; though no doubt many things here recorded were taken from thence under a divine direction. In the Greek version, and so in the Vulgate Latin version after that, they are called "Paralipomena", that is, things passed over or omitted, because they contain several anecdotes which are not to be found in the books of Samuel and Kings. The Hebrew title of them is, "Dibre Hayamim", words of days, day books or diaries, and what the Greeks call "Ephemerides"; though, as "yamim" sometimes signifies years, they may be named "annals"; and so the Arabic inscription is,

``the Books of Annals;''

and because they chiefly respect the kings of Judah, the Syriac inscription is,

``the Book of the Things that were done in the Times of the Kings of Judah.''

The Targum is,

``the Book of Genealogies, the Words of Days, which were from the Days of the World;''

because the first ten chapters consist of genealogies beginning from Adam. The inspired penman of these books must live after the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, since he carries down the genealogy of the kings and princes of Judah beyond that time, 1Ch 3:17-19, 9:1. It is generally thought by the Jews and Christians that Ezra was the writer of them, with which agrees the age in which he lived; and as it may seem, from the last of these books ending with the same words with which that under his name begins: so the Talmudists {d} say, that Ezra wrote his own book, and the genealogy of the chronicles unto his own, or unto Velo, "and he had brethren", 2Ch 21:2 and Jarchi affirms that he wrote them by the hand or means of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, inspired prophets; though some Jewish writers {e} suppose they were written partly by him, and partly by Nehemiah; that all to 2Ch 21:2 were written by Ezra, and the rest by Nehemiah. Kimchi thinks that Ezra was not the first author and writer of these books, but that the books of Chronicles and Annals of the kings of Judah, and of the kings of Israel, were separately written before him; but that he only revised them, and with the men of the great synagogue added the genealogies, and put them into the canon of the Scriptures {f}. Spinosa {g} fancies they were written after Judas Maccabaeus had restored the temple, since the historian tells what families dwelt in Jerusalem in the times of Ezra, 1Ch 9:1 and speaks of the porters, 1Ch 9:17 two of which are mentioned, Ne 11:19 as if Ezra could not describe the families that lived when he did, or name the porters of the temple, since it was finished and dedicated in his time, Ezr 6:15, but however there is no doubt to be made of the authenticity of these books, since not only they have always been acknowledged by the Jews as a part of the canonical Scripture, and by ancient Christians, as appears by the catalogues of Melito {h} and Origen {i}; but there are plain references to them in the New Testament. The genealogy of Christ, by the evangelists, is formed out of them; the doxology in Re 5:12 as some have observed, comes very near to what is used by David, 1Ch 29:11 and the passages in Ac 7:48, 17:24 contain the sense of what is expressed in 2Ch 2:5,6, 6:18. The use and design of these books are chiefly to give a larger account of the kingdom of Judah, especially after the division of it from the ten tribes, and of the kings thereof, than what is given in the preceding books, as in the last of these books; and particularly they ascertain the genealogy of Christ, that it might be clear and plain of what tribe and family the Messiah came, that he descended from the tribe of Judah, and from the kings of the house of David, as in this first book. They both contain an history from Adam, to the deliverance of the Jews from their captivity in Babylon. The first of these books reaches, according to Hottinger {k}, to A. M. 2985, and the latter is an history of four hundred and seventy two years. According to Bishop Usher {l} the former contains a course of 2990 years, and the latter of four hundred and seventy eight.

{a} Apud Eusch. Eccl. Hist. l. 6. c. 25. {b} Ad Dominionem, tom. 3. fol. 7. C. {c} Hieron. Praefat. in lib. Reg. tom. 3. fol. 6. B. {d} T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 15. 1. {e} Shalssalet Hakabala, Abarbinel in Josuam, fol. 3. 3. {f} Vid. Buxtorf. de Punct. Antiqu. par. 1. p. 182. {g} Tract. Theolog. Politic. c. 10. p. 184. {h} Apud Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 4. c. 26. {i} Apud ib. l. 6. c. 25. {k} Thesaur. Philolog. l. 2. c. 1. p. 514, 515. {l} Annal. Vet. Test. p. 56. {m} Tiberias, c. 14.

\\INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 1\\

This chapter gives us the genealogy of the patriarchs from Adam to Noah, 1Ch 1:1-4 of the sons of Noah, and their posterity, to Abraham, 1Ch 1:5-27 of the sons of Abraham and their posterity, 1Ch 1:28-34 and of the sons of Esau, 1Ch 1:35-42 and of the kings and dukes that reigned in Edom, 1Ch 1:43-54.

with the account of the antediluvian patriarchs in Ge 5:1-32, the first letter in Adam is larger than usual, as a memorial, as Buxtorf {m} observes, of the first and only man, from whence mankind had their beginning, and whose history the author had undertaken to write. 18212-941228-1235-1Ch1.2