June 18
Reading: 1 Chronicles 3
1 These are the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn, Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite; the second, Daniel, by Abigail the Carmelite, 2 the third, Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith; 3 the fifth, Shephatiah, by Abital; the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah; 4 six were born to him in Hebron, where he reigned for seven years and six months. And he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 5 These were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon, four by Bath-shua, the daughter of Ammiel; 6 then Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, 7 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 8 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. 9 All these were David’s sons, besides the sons of the concubines, and Tamar was their sister.
10 The son of Solomon was Rehoboam, Abijah his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, 11 Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, 12 Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, 13 Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, 14 Amon his son, Josiah his son. 15 The sons of Josiah: Johanan the firstborn, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum. 16 The descendants of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son; 17 and the sons of Jeconiah, the captive: Shealtiel his son, 18 Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama and Nedabiah; 19 and the sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei; and the sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah, and Shelomith was their sister; 20 and Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-hesed, five. 21 The sons of Hananiah: Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, his son Rephaiah, his son Arnan, his son Obadiah, his son Shecaniah. 22 The son of Shecaniah: Shemaiah. And the sons of Shemaiah: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat, six. 23 The sons of Neariah: Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam, three. 24 The sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani, seven.
In chapter 3 the Chronicler describes the immediate family of David. (vss. 1-9) This is followed by the line of the kings of Judah. (vss. 10-17) What follows the capture of Jeconiah (vs. 17) is an accounting of the line of the kings after the exile to Babylon.
In verses 1-9 we can count for David at least seven wives, nineteen sons, and a daughter. These do not include other daughters and sons born to concubines. On the one hand, this was a nice big family for a king. On the other hand, David’s family was a mess. Bathshua (vs. 5) is probably an alternate name for Bathsheba, but why Solomon is listed fourth of her sons is puzzling.
In Deuteronomy 17:17 a king of Israel was warned to “not multiply wives for himself.” The many wives and sons became a terrible problem for David. They brought idolatry into his household. Amnon, his oldest, raped his half-sister, Tamar. As a result, Absalom, Tamar’s brother, murdered Amnon. Absalom then fled and became the opposition to David’s rule, instigating a civil war.
God knows what He is talking about when He says marriage is the union of one man and one woman.
Beginning in verse 10, all of the kings of Judah are listed, except the usurper-queen Athaliah. (2 Kings 11) Uzziah is here named Azariah, his throne name. (vs. 12) Jehoahaz is here named Shallum, his throne name. (vs. 15)
It is at Zerubbabel where the genealogy of Matthew departs from the one here in 2 Chronicles. These were no longer kings as they did not rule, yet still the line of David was followed carefully. Other lines were not here recorded. God’s people were still looking for their Davidic Messiah.