1 Chronicles Chapter 1
1:1. The genealogical lists begin by demonstrating the place of the line of David, from whom the Messiah would
come, among the families of mankind (1:1-3:24).
1:5. The genealogical record moves from the list of righteous individuals who lived before the Flood, to the sons of
Noah, from the widest circle of dispersion, Japheth, to Ham (v. 8) and then to the messianic line in Shem (v. 17).
This line is then traced to Abraham (v. 27).
1:10. At times special notices of importance regarding certain key people are tucked into the genealogies (cf. vv.
19, 43, 46). For Nimrod, see Genesis 10:8-12.
1:19. This diversion refers to the scattering of the people at the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:8, 9).
1:28. Adam (v. 1), Noah (v. 4), Abraham (vv. 27, 28), and Judah (2:3) are principal people in the record leading to
David (2:15; 3:1-24).
1:29. The less significant line is dealt with (vv. 29-33) before turning to the main messianic line in Isaac (v. 34). In
turn, Ishmael's line is traced first (vv. 35-54) before turning to the more important line of the sons of Israel (2:1, 2).
1:32. Althouh Keturah was Abraham's wife after the death of Sarah (Gen. 25:1), she is classes with Hagar as
Abraham's concubine (Gen. 25:6).
1:34. Jacob is called by his new name Israel in accordance with his status as the bearer of the blessings of the
Abrahamic covenant (cf. Gen. 35:9-12).
1 Chronicles Chapter 2
2:3. Judah's line will eventually lead to David; hence, among the listings of Jacob's sons, Judah's descendants are
specially treated. For Er, Judah's first born, see Genesis 38:7.
2:16, 17. David's sister Zeruiah is remembered as the mother of David's most capable supporters (cf. 2 Sam.
2:18-32). Abigail (the daughter of Nahash, the sister of Zeruiah) gave birth to Absalom's commander, Amasa (2
Sam. 17:25).
2:18. This is not Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who was Joshua's assistant (cf. Josh. 14:6; 1 Chr. 4:15).
2:25. The descendants of Jerahmeel were associated with David during his flight from Saul (cf. 1 Sam. 27:10;
30:29).
2:50. A colon belongs after the word Caleb. Hur was Caleb's son by Ephratah (cf. v. 19).
2:51, 52. Caleb's sons were associated with important places in the life of David.
2:55. For Rechab, see Jeremiah 35 and the note on 2 Kings 10:15.
1 Chronicles Chapter 3
3:4. For a list of David's sons, see also 2 Samuel 3:2-5.
3:5-9. These sons born to David at Jerusalem are mentioned again in 14:3-7.
3:10-24. Solomon, with whom the Davidic covenant is confirmed, becomes the son through whom the messianic line
is continued. The names are listed in two groups: verses 10-16, Solomon's preexilic descendants and verses
17-24. Solomon's postexilic descendants. The lists ends with Anani, who was born at the end of the fifth century
B.C. at the close of the Old Testament Canon.
3:17. Apparently Assir's daughter must have been married to Neri from the Davidic line of Nathan, so Salathiel (or
Shealtiel, cf. Ezra 3:8) was son of Assir and Jeconiah (or Jehoiachin, cf. 2 Kin. 24:6) only through Assir's daughter.
3:19. Apparently Salathiel died without a son. Accordingly, Pedaiah, his brother, married his widow and gave birth
to Zerubbabel. The purpose of such a levirate marriage (cf. Deut. 25:5-10 and the notes on Ruth 3:9 and 4:9, 10)
was to maintain the dead husband's line; hence, Zerubbabel is legally the son of Salathiel. The genealogical lists of
Jesus found in Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38 find a common ground of meeting in Salathiel and Zerubbabel
(Matt. 1:12; Luke 3:27). Zerubbabel was the leader of the exiles who later returned from Babylon to Jerusalem (cf.
Ezra 2:2; Neh. 12:1). He became the governor of Judah (Hag. 2:21) and was associated with the ministry of the
prophets Haggai and Zechariah (Ezra 5:1, 2), who held him in high esteem (Hag. 2:23; Zech. 4:6-10).
1 Chronicles Chapter 4
4:1. Having traced the basic messianic line, the author returns to the sons of Jacob (Israel) in their wider extent,
bringing the list of names to a conclusion with a special consideration of the family of Saul (4:1-9:44), probably as a
prelude to a rehearsal of Saul's death (ch. 10). All of this forms a backdrop to the main theme of 1 Chronicles, the
history of David (chs. 11-29).
4:9, 10. The retention of this historical information probably indicated that God had granted Jabez's request. His
good accomplishments thus contradict his name, "Son of Sorrow."
4:13-15. For Othniel and Caleb, see the note on Joshua 15:17-19.
4:18. The marriage of a daughter of Pharaoh to an otherwise unknown Hebrew is extremely extraordinary. See the
note on 1 Kings 3:1.
4:39-43. Here certain historical notices of the activities of the tribe of Simeon in the days of Hezekiah are detailed.
Those of Ham are Egyptians (cf. Ps. 105:23, 27). The rest of the Amalekites are those who escaped after David
defeated them (cf. 1 Sam. 30:18; 2 Sam. 8:12). For the hatred of the Amalekites toward Israel, see the note on
Judges 3:12, 13.
1 Chronicles Chapter 5
5:1, 2. To take the concubine was to usurp the father's role as head of the family. Reuben had committed such a
sin (Gen. 35:22), for which he was denounced in Jacob's prophetic blessings of his sons (Gen. 49:3, 4). Although
the privilege of the first-born was transferred to Joseph, his firstborn son through Rachel (cf. Gen. 48),
nevertheless the messianic reckoning passed to the line of Judah in accordance with Jacob's prophecy (Gen.
49:8-10).
5:10. This is a historical notice dealing with the Ishmaelite descendants of Hagar (cf. Gen. 25:12-18).
5:18-22. These verses contain a further notice of the Hagarites of Trans-Jordan and their battles against the two
and one-half tribes that settled east of the Jordan. This section is important for its recognition of God's divine
government in operation, directing political affairs among men in accordance with His intended purposes.
5:25. The folly of Trans-Jordan Manasseh is immediately apparent: they had stupidly turned from the God who had
given them the victory (vv. 18-22). Therefore, God must, in turn, send judgement against them. That judgement
would likewise take the form of warfare (v. 26).
5:26. Pul and Tilgath-pilneser (Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria) were the same individual. (See the note on 2 Kin.
15:19, 20.) Accordingly, the sentence should be translated, "The spirit of Pul king of Assyria, even the spirit of
Tilgath-pilneser."
1 Chronicles Chapter 6
6:3. The line of the chief priests is given in verses 3-15 and 49-53. After the judgement of Nadab and Abihu (Lev.
10), the high priestly line passed through Eleazar, Aaron's eldest son, until the time of Eli, when it came under the
control of the house of Ithamar. The high priesthood passed back to the line of Eleazar with Zadok (cf. 1 Kin. 1:7, 8,
44, 45; 2:26, 27), where it remained (cf. Ezek. 44:15; 48:11).
6:10. This historical notice looks on to the days of Solomon's temple. Some have connected this Azariah with 1
Kings 4:2, others with 2 Chronicles 26:17.
6:13. For the importance of Hilkiah, see 2 Kings 22:8-10.
6:15. The mention of Jehozadak looks on to the captivity of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. and the resultant exile of the
Jews. Jehozadak's son Jeshua returned from the exile under Zerubbabel (cf. Ezra 3:2; Neh. 12:26).
6:25-28. See the note on 1 Samuel 1:1.
6:31-48. The importance of organized music in the temple worship of Israel is underscored in the roster of Levites
who served there. Particularly prominent were Heman (v. 33; cf. 16:41), the Kohathite, Asaph (v. 39; cf. 16:37; Ps.
50, 73-83), the Gershomite, and Ethan (v. 44, probably the Jeduthun of 16:41, 42; cf. 2 Chr. 35:15; Neh. 11:17),
the Merarite. Apparently each headed a temple choir, that of Heman being placed in the center. Each headed a
family of singers and musicians (cf. 15:16-24; 16:4-43; 25:1). In David's time some four thousand Levites were so
designated for the temple services (cf. 23:5).
6:54. For the cities assigned to the Levites, see the note on Joshua 21:2, 3.
1 Chronicles Chapter 7
7:4, 5. Issachar's warriors were known for their strength and military prowess (cf. Gen. 49:14; Judg. 5:15) and
prudence (Deut. 33:19; 1 Chr. 12:32).
7:6-12. Five sons of Benjamin are listed in Numbers 26:38-41 (cf. 8:1, 2), Two of Benjamin's grandsons (Num.
26:40) are listed among the 10 sons (descendants) of Benjamin in Genesis 46:21. The list here contains still other
differences. Biblical genealogies are extremely selective and recorded for various reasons. They are not intended
to be complete. Thus, chronologies of the Bible based strictly upon genealogical lists are hazardous at best.
7:12. Hushim is elsewhere listed as the son of Dan (Gen. 46:23). Since in the genealogical lists the name of Dan
regularly follows that of Benjamin, it may have been intended to be included here. If so, only Zebulun's fortunes
were so often linked with those of Issachar (cf. Gen. 49:13, 14; Num. 2:5-8; 26:23-27; Deut. 33:18, 19). Since the
precise selectivity of the genealogical lists is conditioned by a given author's purpose, Zebulun's omission is not
unusual.
1 Chronicles Chapter 8
8:1. This list expands that of 7:6-12, listing Benjamites in various localities (vv. 1-32), and closes with the mention of
the family of Saul (vv. 33-40). Benjamin is accorded a final place in the genealogies to prepare the readers of 1
Chronicles for the narrative concerning Saul in chapter 10. (Note the similar positioning of the supplemental list of
Benjamites in Gibeon from which came Saul, Israel's first king, in 9:35-44.)
8:34. For Merib-baal, see the note at 2 Samuel 2:8-11.