A 1 Chron. 1:1-9:1. UP TO THE CAPTIVITY. GENEALOGY. B 1 Chron. 9:2-44. AFTER THE RETURN. " A 1 Chron. 10:1-2 Chron. 36:21. UP TO THE CAPTIVITY. HISTORY. B 2 Chron. 36:22,23. AFTER THE RETURN. "
Chronicles. Heb. name, Dibrei hayyamim = words of the days. Greek name, Paraleipomena = things omitted. Latin name, Chonicon, from where comes English title, Chronicles. These books belong to quite another part of the O.T., and do not follow in sequence on the book of Kings. They are, according to the Heb. Cannon, the conclusion of the O.T.; and the genealogies here lead up to that of Matt. 1:1, and the commencement of the N.T. They end with the ending of the kingdom; and the question of Cyrus, "Who is here?" (2 Chron. 36:23) is followed by the answer, "Where is He" (Matt. 2:2), and the proclamation of the kingdom by the rightful King and His forerunner. It begins with the first adam and leads on to the "last Adam".
It deals with the kingdom of Judah, because Christ was proclaimed as the successor to David.
It gives the histories from the Divine standpoint, pointing the moral, and giving the reason of both the judgments and the mercies.
A A1 1:1-8:40.In detail. A2 9:1. In sum.
A1 B1 1:1-4. Direct. Adam to Noah (4004-2948).
C1 5-23. Collateral. Japhet (5-7), Ham (8-16).
B2 24-28. Direct. Shem to Abraham (2446-1996).
C2 29-33. Collateral. Ismael.
B3 34. Direct. Abraham to Israel (1996-1836).
C3 35-54. Collateral. Esau to Edom.
B4 2:1-12. Direct. Israel to Jesse (1836-1050?).
C4 2:13-55. Collateral. Jesse and Caleb.
B5 3:1-24. Direct. David to Zedekiah (990-509).
C5 4:1-8:40. Collateral. Other tribes.
1 Adam (cp. Gen. 1:26; 2:7), Seth (cp. Gen. 4:25; 5:3), Enosh,
2 Cainan (Gen. 5:9), Mahalaleel, Jered,
3 Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech,
4 Noah, Shem (Cp. Gen. 5:32. In the cases where there are several sons of one father, the collateral are dealt with first, and the main line taken up later. Hence Shem's main line is not dealt with till v. 24, after the sons of Japheth and Ham had been given), Ham, and Japheth.
C1 a1 5-7. The sons of Japheth.
a2 8-16. The sons of Ham.
a3 17-23. The sons of Shem.
5 The sons of Japheth (cp. 10:2, &c.); Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
6 And the sons of Gomer; Ashchenaz, and Riphath (other editions "Diphath"), and Togarmah.
7 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim (or Rodanim).
8 The sons of Ham; Cush (recent discoveries at Pterium, in Cappadocia, show that the Babylonians called Cappadocia Kus. The great king of the Hittites had his palace there, and was called "king of Kus". The river Gihon [classic, Pijramus] flows into the Mediterranian. Cp. Gen. 10:6,7. Isa. 11:11), and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
9 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.
10 And Cush begat Nimrod (cp. Gen. 10:8): he began to be mighty upon the earth.
11 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,
12 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (of whom came the Philistines,) and Caphthorim.
13 And Canaan begat Zidon his firstborn, and Heth,
14 The Jebusite also, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite,
15 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,
16 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite.
17 The sons of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech. (Were sons of Aram [Shem's youngest son]. No error, for grandsons are often reckoned, by decent, as sons. See Laban [Gen. 29:5], Mephibosheth [2 Sam. 19:24]. Of the "sons of Judah" [4:1-4] only the first-named was his son. It is assumed that we are acquainted with Genesis, and shall supply the links dealt with here with such brevity)
18 And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber.
19 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg (= disruption. See Gen. 10:25); because in his days the earth was divided: and his brother's name was Joktan.
20 And Joktan (Gen. 10:26) begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,
21 Hadoram also, and Uzal, and Diklah,
22 And Ebal, and Abimael, and Sheba,
23 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.
2446 B.C.
24 Shem (Direct descent taken up here from v.4), Arphaxad, Shelah,
25 Eber, Peleg, Reu,
26 Serug, Nahor, Terah,
1996 B.C.
27 Abram; the same is Abraham.
28 The sons of Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael.
C2 b1 29-31. The sons of Ishmael.
b2 32,33. The sons of Keturah.
29 These are their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,
30 Mishma, and Dumah, Massa, Hadad, and Tema,
31 Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael.
32 Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan; Sheba, and Dedan.
33 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these are the sons of Keturah.
1896-1836 B.C.
34 And Abraham begat Isaac. The sons of Isaac; Esau and Israel.
35 The sons of Esau (Gen. 36:9,10); Eliphaz, Reuel, and Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah.
36 The sons of Eliphaz; Teman, and Omar, Zephi (or Zepho), and Gatam, Kenaz, and Timna (there was a Timna a daughter of Seir. The Timna here is a son of Eliphaz), and Amalek.
37 The sons of Reuel; Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.
38 And the sons of Seir (Horites dwelling in Seir before the descendants of Esau [Gen. 36:20); Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, and Dishon, and Ezar, and Dishan.
39 And the sons of Lotan; Hori, and Homam: and Timna was Lotan's sister.
40 The sons of Shobal; Alian (or Alvan), and Manahath, and Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. and the sons of Zibeon; Aiah, and Anah.
41 The sons (Gen. 36:25 tells of a daughter, so here it may include a daughter) of Anah; Dishon. And the sons of Dishon; Amram (or Hemdan. Cp. Gen. 36:26. These names are more alike in Hebrew than English), and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.
42 The sons of Ezer; Bilhan, and Zavan, and Jakan (or Akan). The sons of Dishan; Uz, and Aran.
43 Now these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before any king (see Gen. 36:31,which must have been before the writer's eyes) reigned over the sons of Israel; Bela the son of Beor: and the name of his city was Dinhabah.
44 And when Bela was dead, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.
45 And when Jobab was dead, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead.
46 And when Husham was dead, Hadad the son of Bedad, which smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith. (Heb. text reads "Ayuth")
47 And when Hadad was dead, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead.
48 And when Samlah was dead, Shaul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead.
49 And when Shaul was dead, Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead.
50 And when Baalhanan (some texts add "son of Achbor". Cp. Gen. 36:39) was dead, Hadad (or Hadar. See note on Amram, v. 41, and cp. Gen. 36:39) reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pai (or Pau. See note on Zephi, v. 35, and cp. Gen. 36:39); and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.
51 Hadad died also.
And there arose chiefs to Edom (these seem to have superseeded the kings); duke Timnah, duke Aliah (or Alvan), duke Jetheth,
52 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon,
53 Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar,
54 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram. These are the dukes of Edom.