Adam, Seth ,.... These first four verses exactly agree with the account of the antediluvian patriarchs in Genesis 5:1 , the first letter in Adam is larger than usual, as a memorial, as Buxtorf F13 observes, of the first and only man, from whence mankind had their beginning, and whose history the author had undertaken to write. read more
EXPOSITION A. LIST OF GENERATIONS FROM ADAM TO NOAH . These verses contain a line of genealogical descents, ten in number, from Adam to Noah , adding mention of the three sons of the latter. The stride from Adam to Seth, and the genealogy's entire obliviousness of Cain and Abel, are full of suggestion. All of these thirteen names in the Hebrew and in the Septuagint Version, though not those in the Authorized Version, are facsimiles of those which occur in Genesis 5:1-32 ... read more
1:1-9:34 GENEALOGIES OF THE TRIBES OF ISRAELThe long lists of names that characterize Chronicles may not make interesting reading for us today, but they were important to the original readers. First, these genealogies proved to those who returned that they were a true continuation of the former kingdom. Second, they indicated who among the people had to carry out various religious duties and who among them were of the royal family of David. The lists recorded the origin and development of each... read more
A. The Lineage of David chs. 1-3The writer evidently chose, under divine inspiration, to open his book with genealogies to help his readers appreciate their heritage and to tie themselves to Adam, Abraham, and David in particular. Adam was important as the head of the human race. Abraham was important because of the promises God gave him and his descendants in the Abrahamic Covenant. David was important because of his role as Israel’s divinely chosen king and because of the promises God gave... read more
GenealogiesThe writer begins his history with a series of genealogies, without introduction or heading, which embraces the descendants of Adam to Noah, the descendants of Noah through Japheth, Ham and Shem, the descendants of Abraham through Ishmael and the sons of Keturah, the descendants of Isaac through Esau and the rulers of Edom. These genealogies, which occupy the first nine chapters of this book, and occur frequently throughout the remaining chapters, relate to (a) peoples, (b)... read more
Man Succeeding Man 1 Chronicles 1:44 There are men immediately behind us who are waiting for us to get on, and to go, and finish our prophecy, our commerce, our function, whatever it may be. The breath of the next man is hot on my neck. Do not lose the spiritual impulse and spiritual edification of such texts as these by calling them commonplace. Do not say that we are uttering trite sayings when we say that man lives that he may die, and dies, says the Christian faith, that he may live. We... read more
NAMES1 Chronicles 1:1-54; 1 Chronicles 2:1-55; 1 Chronicles 3:1-24; 1 Chronicles 4:1-43; 1 Chronicles 5:1-26; 1 Chronicles 6:1-81; 1 Chronicles 7:1-40; 1 Chronicles 8:1-40; 1 Chronicles 9:1-44THE first nine chapters of Chronicles form, with a few slight exceptions, a continuous list of names. It is the largest extant collection of Hebrew names. Hence these chapters may be used as a text for the exposition of any spiritual significance to be derived from Hebrew names either individually or... read more
Analysis and Annotations I. THE GENEALOGIES 1. From Adam to the Edomites CHAPTER 1 1. Adam to Noah (1 Chronicles 1:1-4 ) 2. The sons of Japheth (1 Chronicles 1:5-7 ) 3. The sons of Ham (1 Chronicles 1:8-16 ) 4. The sons of Shem (1 Chronicles 1:17-23 ) 5. From Shem to Abraham (1 Chronicles 1:24-27 ) 6. Ishmael and his sons (1 Chronicles 1:28-31 ) 7. Abraham’s sons from Keturah (1 Chronicles 1:32-33 ) 8. The sons of Isaac (1 Chronicles 1:34 ) 9. The sons of Esau (1 Chronicles... read more
GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES INTRODUCTION With this begins the study of those historical books of the Old Testament written shortly after the return from the Babylonian captivity, the remainder of the series including 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. “Chronicles” means “diaries” or “journal,” and the books recapitulate sacred history from the time of Adam, in which the earlier books of the Old Testament are drawn upon and occasionally supplemented. The Holy Spirit, who is the real... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Chronicles 1:1-27
This paragraph has Adam for its first word and Abraham for its last. Between the creation of the former and the birth of the latter were 2000 years, almost the one-half of which time Adam himself lived. Adam was the common father of our flesh, Abraham the common father of the faithful. By the breach which the former made of the covenant of innocency, we were all made miserable; by the covenant of grace made with the latter, we all are, or may be, made happy. We all are, by nature, the seed of... read more