1 Chronicles · Chapter 1

1-9. An account of the translation of the kingdom from Saul to David, and of David’s reign, chap. 10-21. An account of the settlement of ecclesiastical affairs by David, and of his preparations for building the temple, chap. 22-29. These are words of days as the Hebrew title runs, of the best days of the Old Testament Church. But now He is come, for whose sake the registers were preserved, the Jews have lost all their genealogies, even that of the priests, so that there is not any man in the world, that can prove himself of the house of Aaron.

CHAPTER 1.

The descents from Adam to Noah and his sons, ver. 1-4. The posterity of Japheth and Ham, ver. 5-16. Of Shem to Abraham, ver. 17-27. Abraham’s posterity by Ishmael, ver. 28-31. By Keturah, ver. 32, 33. The posterity of Isaac by Esau, ver. 34-54.

V. 1. Sheth-Adam begat Sheth: and so in the following particulars. For brevity sake he only mentions their names; but the rest is easily understood out of the former books. This appears as the peculiar glory of the Jewish nation, that they alone were able to trace their pedigree from the first man that God created, which no other nation pretended to, but abused themselves and their posterity with fabulous accounts of their originals: the people of Thessaly fancying that they sprang from stones, the Athenians, that they grew out of the earth.

Verse 1. Adam, Sheth, Enosh] That is, Adam was the father of Sheth or Seth. Seth was the father of Enosh, Enosh the father of Kenan, and so on. No notice is taken of Cain and Abel, or of any of the other sons of Adam. One line of patriarchs, from Adam to Noah, is what the historian intended to give; and to have mentioned the posterity of Cain or Abel would have been useless, as Noah was not the immediate descendant of either. Besides, all their posterity had perished in the deluge, none remaining of the Adamic family but Noah and his children; and from these all the nations of the earth sprang.

How learned must those men be who can take for a text “The first verse of the first chapter of the first book of CHRONICLES.” and find a mystery in each name; which, in the aggregate, amounts to a full view of the original perfection, subsequent fall, consequent misery, and final restoration, of MAN! O ye profound illustrators of the names of men and cities! why do ye not give us the key of your wisdom, write comments, and enlighten the world?

Verse 1. Adam, Sheth, Enosh — Adam was the father of Sheth, and Sheth the father of Enosh, and so on to the sons of Noah. For brevity’s sake he only mentions the names, the rest being easily understood out of the former books. No mention is made of the posterity of Cain or Abel, nor of the other sons of Adam, because the sacred writer was only engaged to give a detail of the patriarchs, in a line from Adam to Noah. The history of the Bible was not designed as a history of the world, but as a history of the church, and of the deduction of the sacred promise of the seed of the woman. This was the peculiar glory of the Jewish nation, that they alone were able to trace their pedigree from the first man that God created, which no other nation pretended to, but abused themselves and their posterity with fabulous accounts of their originals; the people of Thessaly fancying that they sprang from stones, the Athenians, that they grew out of the earth.

Verse 1-4. Adam—Noah. Noah was the tenth from Adam. Sanchoniatho, the Phœnician historian, makes Noah to be the eighth. He calls these patriarchs by different names, which probably were the titles they assumed after some action accounted illustrious. We may here recite the substance of Genesis 11., on which biblical critics are generally agreed. Gomer father of the Gomerians

Magog father of the Scythians

Madai father of the Medes

Juvan father of the Ionians

Tubal father of the Iberians or Spaniards

Meshech father of the Cappadocians

Tiras father of the Thracians, the Germans, which proves, as in Herodotus, that Europe was populated very early. See more on Genesis 11.

Verse 1-4. Adam—Noah. Noah was the tenth from Adam. Sanchoniatho, the Phœnician historian, makes Noah to be the eighth. He calls these patriarchs by different names, which probably were the titles they assumed after some action accounted illustrious. We may here recite the substance of Genesis 11., on which biblical critics are generally agreed. Gomer father of the Gomerians

Magog father of the Scythians

Madai father of the Medes

Juvan father of the Ionians

Tubal father of the Iberians or Spaniards

Meshech father of the Cappadocians

Tiras father of the Thracians, the Germans, which proves, as in Herodotus, that Europe was populated very early. See more on Genesis 11.

Verse 1-4. Adam—Noah. Noah was the tenth from Adam. Sanchoniatho, the Phœnician historian, makes Noah to be the eighth. He calls these patriarchs by different names, which probably were the titles they assumed after some action accounted illustrious. We may here recite the substance of Genesis 11., on which biblical critics are generally agreed. Gomer father of the Gomerians

Magog father of the Scythians

Madai father of the Medes

Juvan father of the Ionians

Tubal father of the Iberians or Spaniards

Meshech father of the Cappadocians

Tiras father of the Thracians, the Germans, which proves, as in Herodotus, that Europe was populated very early. See more on Genesis 11.

Verse 1-4. Adam—Noah. Noah was the tenth from Adam. Sanchoniatho, the Phœnician historian, makes Noah to be the eighth. He calls these patriarchs by different names, which probably were the titles they assumed after some action accounted illustrious. We may here recite the substance of Genesis 11., on which biblical critics are generally agreed. Gomer father of the Gomerians

Magog father of the Scythians

Madai father of the Medes

Juvan father of the Ionians

Tubal father of the Iberians or Spaniards

Meshech father of the Cappadocians

Tiras father of the Thracians, the Germans, which proves, as in Herodotus, that Europe was populated very early. See more on Genesis 11.

V. 5. The sons of Japheh-The historian repeating the account of the replenishing the earth by the sons of Noah, begins with those that were strangers to the church, the sons of Japheth, who peopled Europe, of whom he says little, as the Jews had hitherto little or no dealings with them. He proceeds to those that had many of them been enemies to the church, and thence hastens to the line of Abraham, breaking off abruptly from all the other families of the sons of Noah, but that of Arphaxad, from whom Christ was to come. The great promise of the Messiah was transmitted from Adam to Seth, from him to Shem, from him to Eber, and so to the Jewish nation, who were intrusted above all nations with that sacred treasure, ‘till the promise was performed, and the Messiah was come: and then that nation was made not a people.

Verse 5. After Tiras, the Targum adds, “And the names of their countries were Africa, and Germany, and Media, and Macedonia, Bithynia, and Maesia, and Thrace.” And in another copy, “Germany, Getia, and Media, and Ephesus, Bithynia, and Maesia, and Thrace.”

Verse 5. The sons of Japheth — The historian, repeating the account of the replenishing the earth by the sons of Noah, begins with those that were strangers to the church, the sons of Japheth, who peopled Europe, of whom he says little, as the Jews had hitherto little or no dealings with them. He proceeds to those that had many of them been enemies to the church, and thence hastens to the line of Abraham, breaking off abruptly from all the other families of the sons of Noah, but that of Arphaxad, from whom Christ was to come. The great promise of the Messiah was transmitted from Adam to Seth, from him to Shem, from him to Eber, and so to the Jewish nation, who were intrusted above all nations with that sacred treasure, till the promise was performed, and the Messiah was come.

Verse 6. To this verse the Targum adds, “And the names of their countries were Asia, and Persia, and Barbary.”

Verse 7. The sons of Javan] “But the sons of Macedon, Alsu, and Tarsus, Ilation, and Dardania, or, according to others, Elisha, Alam, Titsas, Achzavia, and Dardania, Ridom, and Chamen, and Antioch.” So says this Targum, which I shall henceforth designate by the letter T.

Verse 8. The sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim] “Arabia and Egypt.”-T.

Verse 9. Seba, and Havilah] “Sindi and Hindi, and Semadæi, and Libyes and the Zingitæ; but the sons of the Mauritanians, Demargad and Mesag.”-T.

Verse 10. He began to be mighty upon the earth.] “He began to be bold in sin, a murderer of the innocent, and a rebel before the Lord.”-T.

Ver. 10. Solomon’s son was Rehoboam. Here follows a list of the royal family. But where are they now? Let men rejoice rather that their names are written in heaven.

Verse 11. Ludim, &c.] “The Nivitæi, the Mariotæi, the Libakæi, and the Pentaskenæi.”-T.

Verse 12. Caphthorim.] “The Cappadocians.”-T.

Verse 13. Canaan begat Zidon] “Canaan begat Bothniam, his first-born, who built Sidon.”-T.

V. 14. The Jebusite-The names which follow until ver. 17, are not the names of particular persons, but of people or nations. And all these descended from Canaan, though some of them were afterwards extinct or confounded with others of their brethren by cohabitation or mutual marriages, whereby they lost their names: which is the reason why they are no more mentioned, at least under these names.

Verse 14. The Jebusite — The names which follow until verse 17 are not the names of particular persons, but of people, or nations. And all these descended from Canaan, though some of them were afterward extinct, or confounded with others of their brethren by cohabitation or mutual marriages, whereby they lost their names; which is the reason why they are no more mentioned, at least under these names.

V. 17. The sons-Either the name of sons is so taken here as to include grandsons, or, these words, the children of Aram, are understood before Uz, out of Genesis 10:23, where they are expressed.

Verses 17-19. The sons of Shem — Either the name of sons is so taken here as to include grandsons, or the children of Aram are understood before Uz, out of Genesis 10:23, where they are expressed. Arphaxad begat — Either immediately, or mediately by his son Canaan, who is expressed Luke 3:35. Divided — In their languages and habitations.

Ver. 17. The sons of Jeconiah are eight. Against this prince the Lord by Jeremiah pronounced a curse, that he should both lose his throne and all his children. Hence his sons are supposed to have perished by sickness, and the sword; and that the Salathiel mentioned in Matthew 1:12, was his adopted son, or that by repentance in captivity he obtained a reprieve of the sentence; a reprieve, only, because we find by another evangelist that the lineal descent of Christ passed from this family into Nathan’s line. See Jeremiah 22:30. Luke 3:27, 31.

V. 18. Begat-Either immediately, or mediately by his son Cainan, who is expressed, Luke 3:35.

Verses 17-19. The sons of Shem — Either the name of sons is so taken here as to include grandsons, or the children of Aram are understood before Uz, out of Genesis 10:23, where they are expressed. Arphaxad begat — Either immediately, or mediately by his son Canaan, who is expressed Luke 3:35. Divided — In their languages and habitations.

V. 19. Divided-In their languages and habitations.

Verse 19. The name of the one was Peleg] “Because in his days the inhabitants of the earth were divided according to their languages. And the name of his brother was Joktan, because in his days the years of men began to be shortened, on account of their iniquities.”-T.

Verses 17-19. The sons of Shem — Either the name of sons is so taken here as to include grandsons, or the children of Aram are understood before Uz, out of Genesis 10:23, where they are expressed. Arphaxad begat — Either immediately, or mediately by his son Canaan, who is expressed Luke 3:35. Divided — In their languages and habitations.

Verse 20. Joktan begat Almodad] “He divided and measured the earth by lines. Sheleph; he assigned rivers to be boundaries. Hazarmaveth; he prepared a place of snares to kill by the highways. Jerah; he built inns, and when any person came to eat and drink, he gave him deadly poison, and so took his property.”-T.

According to these traditions, the two first were geographers; the third, a public robber; and the fourth, an unprincipled innkeeper, who gave poison to his rich guests, that he might get their property. Such things have been done even in modern times.

Verse 23. And Ophir] “Whence gold is brought.” And Havilah; “whence pearls are brought.”-T.

V. 24. Arphaxad-Having given a brief and general account of the original of the world and the people in it, he now returns to a more large and particular account of the genealogy of Shem, from whom the Jews were descended.

Verse 24. Shem] “The great priest.”-T.

Verse 24. Shem, Arphaxad, &c. — Having given a brief and general account of the original of the world, and the people in it, he now returns to a more large and particular account of the genealogy of Shem, from whom the Jews were descended.

V. 28. The sons of Abraham-All nations but the seed of Abraham are already shaken off from this genealogy. Not that we conclude, no particular persons of any other nation but this found favour with God. Multitudes will be brought to heaven out of every nation, and we may hope there were many, very many people in the world, whose names were in the book of life, tho’ they did not spring from the loins of Abraham.

Verse 28. The sons of Abraham — All nations but the seed of Abraham are already shaken off from this genealogy. Not that we conclude, no particular persons of any other nation but this found favour with God; multitudes will be brought to heaven out of every nation, and we may hope there were many, very many people in the world, whose names were in the book of life, though they did not spring from the loins of Abraham.

Verse 32. Keturah, Abraham’s concubine] Abraham’s pilegesh, or wife of the second rank; she was neither whore, harlot, nor concubine, in our sense of these words.

Ver. 32. Concubine: where polygamy is allowed these are lawful wives, but their issue cannot inherit. From those dangerous connections mischiefs without end have issued.

V. 36. Timna-There is another Timna, the concubine of Eliphaz, Genesis 36:12, but this was one of his sons, though called by the same name; there being some names common both to men and women in the Hebrew and in other languages.

Verse 36. And Timna — There is another Timna, the concubine of Eliphaz, Genesis 36:12; but this was one of his sons, though called by the same name; there being some names common both to men and women in the Hebrew and in other languages.

Ver. 36. Timna and Amalek. Kennicott here follows the Arabic version, which seems to be the true reading. “Timna, who was the concubine of Eliphaz, bare him Amalek.”

V. 38. Seir-One of another nation, prince of the Horims; whose genealogy is here described, because of that affinity which was contracted between his and Esau’s posterity; and those who were not united and incorporated with them, were destroyed by them. See Deuteronomy 2:12.

Verse 38. The sons of Seir — This Seir was not Esau, nor of his posterity, but the ancient lord of this country, from whom it had its name, (see Genesis 36:20,) whose genealogy is here set down, that it might be understood from whom Eliphaz’s concubine and the mother of Amalek sprung; and because of that affinity which was contracted between his and Esau’s posterity. Those who were not united and incorporated with them, were destroyed by them, Deuteronomy 2:12.

Verse 43. Before any king reigned over-Israel] See Genesis 36:31, &c., where the same verses occur, as I have supposed borrowed from this place; and see the notes there.

Bela the son of Beor] “Balaam the impious son of Beor, the same as Laban the Syrian, who formed a confederacy with the sons of Esau, to destroy Jacob and his children; and he studied to destroy them utterly. Afterwards he reigned in Sodom; and the name of his royal city was Dinhabah, because it was undeservedly given to him.”-T.

Ver. 43. Bela, supposed to be the Balaam slain by Phinehas.

Verse 44. Bela was dead] “Being killed by Phineas, in the wilderness.”-T. Jobab the son of Zerah] Supposed by some to be the same as Job, whose book forms a part of the canon of Scripture. But in their names there is no similarity; Job being written bwya aiyob; Jobab, bbwy yobab. See the notes on Job, and the parallel place in Genesis.

Verse 46. Smote Midian] Nothing is known of this war.

Verse 48. By the river] “Shaul of Plathiutha, a great city, built on the banks of the Euphrates.”-T.

Verse 50. Daughter of Mezahab.] This word bhz ym mey zahab, is literally the golden waters; or What is gold? The Targumist paraphrases thus: “Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, was so earnest and diligent in business that she became immensely rich; but when she was converted, she said, What is this silver, and What is this gold? That is, They are of no real worth.”

Verse 51. Hadad died] “And his kingdom ended; for his land was subdued by the children of Esau, and the dukes of Edom ruled in the land of Gebala.”-T.

For various particulars in this chapter, see Gen. 10 and 36, and the parallel places.

I CHRONICLES

V. 54. These are the dukes of Edom-Let us, in reading these genealogies, think of the multitudes that have gone thro’ the world, have successively acted their parts in it, and retired into darkness. All these and all theirs had their day; many of them made a mighty noise in the world; until their day came to fall, and their place knew them no more. The paths of death are trodden paths. How soon are we to tread them?

Verse 54. These are the dukes of Edom — Let us, in reading these genealogies, think of the multitudes that have gone through the world, have successively acted their parts in it, and retired into darkness. All these and all theirs had their day: many of them made a mighty noise in the world, until their day came to fall, and their place knew them no more. The paths of death are trodden paths. How soon are we to tread them!