1 Chronicles 3:1–24

3:5–9 The list of those born in Jerusalem is more concise, with only one mother being named, “Bath-shua” (an alternative form of “Bathsheba”). The three biblical lists (3:5–9; 14:4–7; and 2 Sam. 5:14–16) vary. Only here is Solomon listed as fourth among Bath-shua’s sons. The third son, “Nathan,” is mentioned nowhere else in the OT, although Luke traces Jesus’ genealogy through him, not Solomon (Luke 3:31). Luke may follow physical descent, while Matthew follows royal descent.

No comment accompanies any of the sons, but inclusion of “Tamar was their sister” would remind hearers of the unsavory incident involving Amnon, Absalom, and Tamar (2 Samuel 13), similar to the inclusion of “Tamar” in Judah’s family (1 Chron. 2:4). The names “Bath-shua” and “Tamar” are also in 2:3–4, suggesting a comparison between the behavior of Judah and David and what followed in both cases: God’s grace continued.

3:10–16 In this list of kings, only the direct family line of the Davidic kings is given (explaining why there is no mention of Athaliah; cf. 2 Chron. 22:10–12). “Azariah” (1 Chron. 3:12; 2 Kings 15:1) is “Uzziah” in 2 Chronicles 26.

Reflecting the Chronicler’s concern with family descent, all of Josiah’s sons are listed, and in order of birth, not reign (1 Chron. 3:15). “Johanan” is known nowhere else and may have died before Josiah did. Josiah was succeeded as king by his youngest son, “Shallum” (throne name, “Jehoahaz”; 2 Chron. 36:1; Jer. 22:11); he was soon replaced with “Jehoiakim” (2 Chron. 36:4). His successor was Jehoiakim’s son, “Jeconiah” (also called “Jehoiachin”; 2 Chron. 36:8–9), to be followed by his uncle, Josiah’s third son, “Zedekiah” (2 Chron. 36:10–11).¹

3:17–24 Regarding the fate of the Davidic monarchy, the end of Chronicles says only that Nebuchadnezzar “brought [Jehoiachin] to Babylon” (2 Chron. 36:10; cf. additional details in 2 Kings 25:27–30). It is here in his genealogy that the Chronicler carries the story forward from “Jeconiah, the captive”; the Davidic line continues.

“Zerubbabel,” a son of “Pedaiah” (1 Chron. 3:19), is a leader of the returning exiles, appointed “governor of Judah” (Hag. 1:1) and involved in temple rebuilding (Ezra 3:2; 5:2). Elsewhere he is described as a “son of Shealtiel” (Ezra 3:2, 8, etc.; also Matt. 1:12; Luke 3:27); possibly Shealtiel died childless and so Pedaiah fulfilled the responsibility of levirate marriage with his widow (Deut. 25:5–6). There is no evidence of any other Davidic descendant being a governor, although a seal has been discovered bearing the name “Shelomith, maidservant of Elnathan,” a successor to Zerubbabel as governor.

Sorting out the relationships and the number of generations is complicated by difficulties in the Hebrew text and differences from the Septuagint. The major uncertainty is 1 Chronicles 3:21: the Hebrew text has “son of Hananiah,” followed by fourfold “sons of,” while the Septuagint has “sons of Hananiah” followed by fourfold “his son” (the difference in Hebrew between “son of,” “sons of,” and “his son” is one letter). Some commentaries and translations, including the ESV, follow the Septuagint text and understand each “his son” as being Hananiah’s (as in ESV punctuation), i.e., verse 21 is one generation, leading to verses 19–24 as listing six generations after Zerubbabel. A similar time period (around a hundred years) is suggested by others who retain the fourfold Hebrew “sons of,” each naming a concurrent family of Hananiah’s descendants.² The single-generation interpretation of verse 21 is consistent with mention elsewhere of Shecaniah’s son “Shemaiah” (Neh. 3:29) and grandson “Hattush” (Ezra 8:2), around sixty to eighty years after Zerubbabel.

Many names are known only here, and the list is incomplete, e.g., 1 Chronicles 3:22 says there are “six” sons of Shemaiah, but only five are named. In the NT Jesus’ ancestry after Zerubbabel is given alternatively through Abiud (Matt. 1:13) and Rhesa (Luke 3:27), neither being named in Chronicles.

What stands out is that the Davidic family continues. Although no Davidic heir succeeded Zerubbabel as governor, hope of dynastic renewal is suggested in the way the Davidic line is focused on and traced. Thus in 1 Chronicles 3:17–24 each generation takes up just one son from the preceding generation (Zerubbabel, Hananiah, Shecaniah, Shemaiah, Neariah, Elioenai). Hope of restoration is also expressed in Zerubbabel’s sons’ names: Meshullam (“repaid, restored”), Hananiah (“the Lord is merciful”), Hashubah (“considered”), Ohel (“[God’s] tent”), Berechiah (“the Lord blesses”), Hasadiah (“The Lord is steadfast love”), and Jushab-hesed (“May steadfast love return”).³