1 Chronicles 3
CambridgeChapters 2–8. The Genealogies of the Tribes of Israel The Chronicler deals very unequally with the tribes in their genealogies; as the following table shews: 1 Chronicles 2:1 to 1 Chronicles 4:23. Judah (102 verses). 1 Chronicles 4:24-43. Simeon (20 verses). 1 Chronicles 5:1-26. Reuben, Gad, and Eastern Manasseh (26 verses). 1 Chronicles 6:1-81. Levi (81 verses). 1 Chronicles 7:1-40. Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Eastern Manasseh (again), Ephraim, and Asher (40 verses). 1 Chronicles 8:1-40. Benjamin, though already noticed in 1 Chronicles 7:6-11 (40 verses). Zebulun and (perhaps) Dan (cp. 1 Chronicles 7:12, note) are omitted. It may easily be seen that the tribes in which the Chronicler is really interested are the three southern tribes, Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, together with the priestly tribe, Levi. The order in which the tribes are mentioned is at first geographical, Judah and Simeon the southern tribes first, then the eastern tribes Reuben, Gad, Manasseh; the rest follow in no fixed order.
1 Chronicles 3:1
Ch. 1 Chronicles 3:1-24. The Genealogy of the House of David 1–4 (= 2 Samuel 3:2-5). The Sons born to David in Hebron
- Daniel] LXX. (B) Δαμνιήλ, (A) Δαλουιά. In 2 Samuel 3:3 Chileab, but LXX. Δαλουιά. The real name of David’s second son remains therefore uncertain.
1 Chronicles 3:2
- Geshur] Cp. 1 Chronicles 2:23, note.
1 Chronicles 3:3
- Eglah his wife] In 2 Samuel 3:5 “Eglah David’s wife,” where however David is probably a wrong reading for the name of a previous husband of Eglah.
1 Chronicles 3:5
5–9 (= ch. 1 Chronicles 14:4-7 and 2 Samuel 5:14-16). The Sons born to David in Jerusalem 5. Shimea] in 1 Chronicles 14:4 and 2 Samuel 5:14 (R.V.) Shammua. Nathan] Through him our Lord’s descent is traced in Luke 3:31. Solomon] Only here are other sons besides Solomon attributed to Bath-sheba. Bathshua] is a slight variation in pronunciation (with a consequent variation in meaning) of Bath-sheba. the daughter of Ammiel] of Eliam (perhaps a by-form of Ammiel) in 2 Samuel 11:3. An Eliam son of Ahithophel, David’s counsellor, is mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:34; Bath-sheba may therefore have been grand-daughter to Ahithophel. Notice that the Chronicler does not call Bath-sheba the wife of Uriah the Hittite; he nowhere refers to David’s great sin.
1 Chronicles 3:6
- Elishama] in 1 Chronicles 14:5 and 2 Samuel 5:15 Elishua, no doubt the right reading, for otherwise (cp. 1 Chronicles 3:8) we have two sons of David named Elishama. Eliphelet] in 1 Chronicles 14:5 (R.V.) Elpelet; in 2 Samuel 5:15 the name is wanting. Eliphelet cannot be right, for it re-occurs as the name of the thirteenth son in 1 Chronicles 3:8. On the other hand Elpelet may be right here and Eliphelet in 1 Chronicles 3:8, for according to Hebrew custom two brothers might bear names of similar sound and significance.
1 Chronicles 3:7
- Nogah] so 1 Chronicles 14:6; in 2 Samuel 5:15 the name is wanting.
1 Chronicles 3:8
- Eliada] so in 2 Samuel 5:16, but in 1 Chronicles 14:7 Beeliada (i.e. Baaliada). The original reading, probably Baaliada (“The Lord—the Baal—knows”), seems to have been changed to Eliada (“God knows”) at the time at which the Hebrews ceased to apply the title Baal to Jehovah. From Hosea 2:16 it appears that Baal once used as an epithet of Jehovah fell into disuse owing to its overpoweringly heathen associations. Cp. 1 Chronicles 8:33, note.
1 Chronicles 3:10-16
10–16. The Line of Davidic Kings Two things are to be noted in this list: (1) Johanan’s name is given in 1 Chronicles 3:15, though he was never king, (2) Zedekiah’s name appears to be twice given, once among the sons of Josiah (1 Chronicles 3:15) and again in his place according to the succession (1 Chronicles 3:16).
1 Chronicles 3:12
- Azariah] This king is usually called Uzziah; see note on 2 Chronicles 26:1.
1 Chronicles 3:15
- the firstborn Johanan] This son of Josiah never came to the throne, nor is anything known of him except from this passage. Perhaps he died before he grew up. Zedekiah] Though reckoned third here, he was younger than Shallum (=Jehoahaz); cp. 2 Chronicles 36:2 (= 2 Kings 23:31) with 2 Chronicles 36:11 (= 2 Kings 24:18). Shallum] To be identified with Jehoahaz; cp. 2 Chronicles 36:1 with Jeremiah 22:11.
1 Chronicles 3:16
- Jeconiah] This name is sometimes shortened to Coniah (Jeremiah 22:14) and written (with a slight change of meaning) Jehoiachin (2 Chronicles 36:8-9; 2 Kings 24:6 ff.). Zedekiah his son] Zedekiah was heir, not son, to Jeconiah, whom he succeeded in the kingdom. His relationship to Jeconiah was that of uncle.
1 Chronicles 3:17-19
17–19 a. The Davidic Line from Jeconiah to Zerubbabel A difficulty arises from the fact that whereas Zerubbabel is here represented apparently as the son of Pedaiah and consequently nephew of Salathiel (= Shealtiel), he is elsewhere called the son of Shealtiel (Ezra 3:2; Haggai 1:1; Haggai 2:2; cp. Luke 3:27-31). The LXX. solves the difficulty by reading Salathiel (= Shealtiel) in 1 Chronicles 3:19. It may be however that the names given in 1 Chronicles 3:18 (including Pedaiah) are the names of the sons of Shealtiel. Another possible solution is that Zerubbabel was grand-son both to Shealtiel and Pedaiah, according to such a scheme as the following:— PedaiahShealtiel||a daughter=a son|Zerubbabel.A minor difficulty arises from the fact that Salathiel (= Shealtiel) is here connected with David through Solomon, whereas in Luke 3:27-31 his descent is traced through Solomon’s brother Nathan. However, intermarriage at some point in the genealogy between the two Davidic families would explain the difficulty.
1 Chronicles 3:18
- Malchiram also] R.V. and Malchiram. Shenazar, Jecamiah] R.V. Shenazzar, Jekamiah.
1 Chronicles 3:19-24
19b–24. The Davidic Line from Zerubbabel The text of these verses is very uncertain. In 1 Chronicles 3:20 the names of five sons are given, but their father’s name (perhaps Meshullam) is wanting. In 1 Chronicles 3:21-22 the LXX. differs from the Heb. in such a way as to affect the number of steps in the genealogy; the Heb. seems to reckon but one generation between Hananiah and Shemaiah, the LXX. on the contrary reckons six; the result on the whole genealogy being that the LXX. counts eleven generations after Zerubbabel as against six in the Heb. In 1 Chronicles 3:22 again the sons of Shemaiah are reckoned to be six, but only five names are given both in Heb. and LXX.
1 Chronicles 3:20
- and Hashubah] Probably we should read “The sons of Meshullam: Hashubah.” See above. Jushab-hesed] The name means “Mercy is restored.” Many such significant names belong to the period of the Return.
1 Chronicles 3:21
- and Jesaiah … Shechaniah] The LXX. reads (with some blunders hi reproducing the names), “and Jesaiah his son, Rephaiah his son, Arnan his son, Obadiah his son, Shechaniah his son,” thus adding five steps to the genealogy. The difference of reading in the Heb. text thus suggested is very slight. Probably the LXX. is to be followed.
1 Chronicles 3:23
- Elioenai] A significant name meaning, “Mine eyes are towards Jehovah”; cp. Jushab-hesed (1 Chronicles 3:20). Hezekiah] R.V. Hizkiah.
1 Chronicles 3:24
- Hodaiah] R.V. Hodaviah (as in 1 Chronicles 5:24). Another significant name “Thank ye Jehovah.”