Now these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom ,.... Which had its name from Esau, who was so called, Genesis 25:30 . From hence, to the end of the chapter, an account is given of the kings and dukes of Edom, in the same order as in Genesis 30:31 . read more
H. LIST OF ELEVEN DUKES OF EDOM . These, the remaining verses of 1 Chronicles 1:1-54 ; appear to give a list of eleven dukes of Edom, emphasized apparently as "the dukes of Edom," as though there were none before or after them. But see Genesis 36:15 , Genesis 36:41 , Genesis 36:43 , the study of which can scarcely leave a doubt on the mind that this list is not one of persons but of places; e.g. "the duke" of the city, or region of "Timnah," and so on. The places were ... read more
The slight differences favor the view, that the writer of Chronicles has here, as elsewhere, abridged from Genesis (see the marginal references). read more
1 Chronicles 1:54. 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! 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
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
(43-54) The ancient kings and chiliarchs of Edom, a transcript of Genesis 36:31-43, with only such differences as are incidental to transcribing. read more
(54) These are the dukes (chiliarchs) of Edom.—Eleven names only are given, whereas there were twelve (or thirteen) chiliarchs of Edom (Genesis 36:15-19; see Note on 1 Chronicles 1:35-37). A name may have fallen out of the ancient text from which the chronicler derived the list. 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
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Chronicles 1:28-54
All nations but the seed of Abraham are already shaken off from this genealogy: they have no part nor lot in this matter. The Lord's portion is his people. Of them he keeps an account, knows them by name; but those who are strangers to him he beholds afar off. Not that we are to conclude that therefore no particular persons of any other nation but the seed of Abraham found favour with God. It was a truth, before Peter perceived it, that in every nation he that feared God and wrought... read more