Studies in I Chronicles 2: 9-42, 54; 3: 15-16

There is perhaps no more intriguing study of genealogy than what is found in this book of the Old Testament. It appears to be more than one ancestral history interwoven within the framework of another, with the attempt to appear as one continuous narrative.

I Chronicles 2: 9-13a, 15
Now the sons of Hezron, who were born to him, were Jerahmeel, Ram, and Chelubai. And Ram became the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab became the father of Nashon, leader of the sons of Judah; Nashon became the father of Salma, Salma became the father of Boaz, Boaz became the father of Obed, and Obed became the father of Jesse; and Jesse became the father of Eliab, his first-born. . . Ozem the sixth; and David the seventh.

2: 18
Now Caleb the son of Hezron had sons by Azubah his wife, and by Jerioth; and these were her sons: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon.

2: 25-27
Now the sons of Jerahmeel the first-born of Hezron were Ram the first-born, then Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah. And Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam. And the sons of Ram, the first-born of Jerahmeel, were Maaz, Jamin, and Eker.

2: 28, 32-33
And the sons of Onam were Shammai and Jada; . . . And the sons of Jada the brother of Shammai were Jether and Jonathan, and Jether died without sons. And the sons of Jonathan were Peleth and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel (??).
NOTE: One could argue that the phrase “son of, or sons of” could mean an ancestor; although convenient, would make it difficult to establish the specific familial relationship if that were the case.

2: 31, 34-41
And the son of Appaim was Ishi. And the son of Ishi was Sheshan. And the son of Sheshan was Ahlai(Cp. verse 36; I Chronicles 11: 41??). Now Sheshan had no sons, only daughters(??). And Sheshan had an Egyptian servant whose name was Jarha. And Sheshan gave his daughter(which one??) to Jarha his servant in marriage, and she bore him Attai. And Attai became the father of Nathan(I Chronicles 29: 29??), and Nathan became the father of Zabad, and Zabad became the father of Ephlal, and Ephlal became the father of Obed, and Obed became the father of Jehu(II Chronicles 15: 1??), and Jehu became the father of Azariah, and Azariah became the father of Helez, and Helez became the father of Eleasah, and Eleasah became the father of Sismai, and Sismai became the father of Jekemiah, and Jekemiah became the father of Elishama.

2: 42
Now the sons of Caleb, the brother of Jerahmeel, were Mesha his first-born, who was the father of Ziph; and his son was Mareshah, the father of Hebron.

2: 54
The sons of Salma were Bethlehem and the Netophathites, Atroth-beth-joab and half of the Manahathites, the Zorites.

I Chronicles 3: 15-16
NOTE: It is confusing because it says that Zedekiah was the third son of Josiah; then in the next verse it says that Zedekiah was the son of Jeconiah [“Jehoiachin”], which contradicts II Kings 24: 17 where it says that Zedekiah [“Mattaniah’] was Jehoiachin’s [“Jeconiah”] uncle.

Christian apologists will undoubtedly vigorously defend the truthfulness of the sacred Scriptures, but there is a difference between purposely misleading someone by knowingly perpetrating falsehood as opposed to honestly trusting the source material to be free from translation or transcription mistakes. It is true that a popular biblical name is used quite often but that is only half the story. Some designations can be tribe or clan names which can span many generations or it could also be a special calling such as in the Messianic expectations associated with “Jesus son of David.” In the words of Isaiah the prophet, “Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.” (Cp. Isaiah 28: 10)


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 18, 2008