Introduction
The first chapter goes from Adam to the sons of Jacob, who are mentioned in the next chapter. There they are called “the sons of Israel” (1Chr 2:1-2). This chapter deals with two series of names, which are then further elaborated (1Chr 1:1-4,24-27).
We can imagine reading the names of this genealogy when we are at a cemetery. We walk along the graves and see the names of past generations. They are all names of people who were born and died, they loved and suffered, people who have made their way through the world. The names are engraved on these fixed plates, tombstones. If Christ does not come to take us up during our lives, so will our names. “All flesh”, including ours, “is like grass” (1Pet 1:24).
Each of these lives has fulfilled a necessary part in the progress of human life and has passed on the torch of it. Each life will also exist on the other side of death, after being revealed before the judgment seat of Christ (2Cor 5:10).
The names of the persons in this chapter, who are individually known to God, can all be found in the book of Genesis (Genesis 5; 10; 11; 25; 36). There are ten listings. First ten ancestors, from Adam to Noah, are mentioned (1Chr 1:1-4). This is followed by seventy peoples from Noah. Then come the names of another ten ancestors, now from Shem to Abraham (1Chr 1:24-27). Then again seventy nations that come forth from Abraham.
This shows a divine order. The fact that the genealogies start with Adam shows that David’s house – because it is about him in the genealogies – is not only important for Israel, but for the whole of humanity.
1 - 4 From Adam to Noah and His Sons
1 Adam, Seth, Enosh, 2 Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, 3 Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, 4 Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth.
From Adam to Noah the names of ten ancestors are mentioned.
In the genealogy of Noah in verse 4 Shem is mentioned first. But when the generations are listed, the generations of Japheth (verses 5-7) and Ham (verses 8-16) have precedence.
5 - 7 Descendants of Japheth
5 The sons of Japheth [were] Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras. 6 The sons of Gomer [were] Ashkenaz, Diphath, and Togarmah. 7 The sons of Javan [were] Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim and Rodanim.
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8 - 16 Descendants of Ham
8 The sons of Ham [were] Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. 9 The sons of Cush [were] Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah [were] Sheba and Dedan. 10 Cush became the father of Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 11 Mizraim became the father of the people of Lud, Anam, Lehab, Naphtuh, 12 Pathrus, Casluh, from which the Philistines came, and Caphtor. 13 Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, Heth, 14 and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, 15 the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, 16 the Arvadites, the Zemarites and the Hamathites.
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17 - 23 Descendants of Shem
17 The sons of Shem [were] Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether and Meshech. 18 Arpachshad became the father of Shelah and Shelah became the father of Eber. 19 Two sons were born to Eber, the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided, and his brother’s name was Joktan. 20 Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 21 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 22 Ebal, Abimael, Sheba, 23 Ophir, Havilah and Jobab; all these [were] the sons of Joktan.
In verse 19, to the name Peleg is added that he has this name, because “in his days the earth was divided”. Peleg means ‘divided’. His name refers to the confusion of speech that God causes between people as a judgment of the pride to penetrate into heaven (Gen 11:1-9).
24 - 27 From Shem to Abraham
24 Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, 25 Eber, Peleg, Reu, 26 Serug, Nahor, Terah, 27 Abram, that is Abraham.
From Shem to Abraham we have, just like from Adam to Enoch (verses 1-4), ten ancestors. Shem and Abraham both recall the special relationship God has with His people. Shem is the example of the special connections of the LORD with a special part of mankind, the Shemites. Noah speaks of “the LORD, the God of Shem” (Gen 9:26). In Abraham we see the Divine election (Gen 12:2; 17:7). The reason for the change of name from Abram to Abraham (verse 27) is given in Genesis 17 (Gen 17:5).
28 - 33 Descendants of Abraham
28 The sons of Abraham [were] Isaac and Ishmael. 29 These are their genealogies: the firstborn of Ishmael [was] Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 30 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, 31 Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah; these [were] the sons of Ishmael. 32 The sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine, [whom] she bore, [were] Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan [were] Sheba and Dedan. 33 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah.
We find in the various listings in this chapter the principle “the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual” (1Cor 15:46). We see this in verse 29. While in verse 28 of Abraham’s sons Isaac is mentioned first and then Ishmael, in the next verse the genealogy of Ishmael is mentioned first. Also with the sons of Isaac we see that first the genealogy of Esau is mentioned (verses 34-35).
Of the sons of Keturah (verse 33), Midian is known as an enemy of Israel. He has regularly asserted himself (Num 22:4; Jdg 6:1-6). Midian’s five sons are also mentioned (verse 33), which is perhaps an indication of the versatility of his opposition.
34 - 42 Descendants of Esau
34 Abraham became the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac [were] Esau and Israel. 35 The sons of Esau [were] Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam and Korah. 36 The sons of Eliphaz [were] Teman, Omar, Zephi, Gatam, Kenaz, Timna and Amalek. 37 The sons of Reuel [were] Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. 38 The sons of Seir [were] Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer and Dishan. 39 The sons of Lotan [were] Hori and Homam; and Lotan’s sister [was] Timna. 40 The sons of Shobal [were] Alian, Manahath, Ebal, Shephi and Onam. And the sons of Zibeon [were] Aiah and Anah. 41 The son of Anah [was] Dishon. And the sons of Dishon [were] Hamran, Eshban, Ithran and Cheran. 42 The sons of Ezer [were] Bilhan, Zaavan and Jaakan. The sons of Dishan [were] Uz and Aran.
Uz (verse 42) is the name of the place where Job lived (Job 1:1). From this it can be deduced that Job may be an early descendant of Esau (cf. Lam 4:21a). Similarly, it is not unlikely that Eliphaz, the son of Esau, the father of Teman (verses 35-36), is an ancestor of Jobs friend Eliphaz, the Temanite (Job 2:11).
43 - 50 Kings of Edom
43 Now these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king of the sons of Israel reigned. Bela was the son of Beor, and the name of his city was Dinhabah. 44 When Bela died, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah became king in his place. 45 When Jobab died, Husham of the land of the Temanites became king in his place. 46 When Husham died, Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the field of Moab, became king in his place; and the name of his city [was] Avith. 47 When Hadad died, Samlah of Masrekah became king in his place. 48 When Samlah died, Shaul of Rehoboth by the River became king in his place. 49 When Shaul died, Baal-hanan the son of Achbor became king in his place. 50 When Baal-hanan died, Hadad became king in his place; and the name of his city was Pai, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.
Kings reigned over Edom before a king reigned over Israel (verse 43). This shows that until God’s choice of a king in David is revealed, nations go their own way and organize their own reign, independent of God.
From the fact that nowhere in this list of kings is it mentioned that someone becomes king instead of his father, it has been concluded that they were chosen for the kingship. The seated ruler reigned until his death.
51 - 54 Chiefs of Edom
51 Then Hadad died. Now the chiefs of Edom were: chief Timna, chief Aliah, chief Jetheth, 52 chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 53 chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 54 chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These [were] the chiefs of Edom.
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