The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah
The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the
son of Abraham: Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob
fathered Judah and his brothers. Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by
Tamar, Perez fathered Hezron, and Hezron fathered Ram. Ram fathered
Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, and Nahshon fathered
Salmon. Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth,
and Obed fathered Jesse. Jesse fathered David the king. David fathered
Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon fathered
Rehoboam, Rehoboam fathered Abijah, and Abijah fathered Asa. 8 Asa
fathered Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat fathered Joram, and Joram fathered
Uzziah. Uzziah fathered Jotham, Jotham fathered Ahaz, and Ahaz
fathered Hezekiah. Hezekiah fathered Manasseh, Manasseh fathered
Amon, and Amon fathered Josiah. Josiah fathered Jeconiah and his
brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. After the deportation
to Babylon: Jeconiah fathered Shealtiel, and Shealtiel fathered
Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel fathered Abihud, Abihud fathered Eliakim,
and Eliakim fathered Azor. Azor fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Achim,
and Achim fathered Eliud. Eliud fathered Eleazar, Eleazar fathered
Matthan, and Matthan fathered Jacob. Jacob fathered Joseph the husband
of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. So
all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations;
from David to the deportation to Babylon, four- teen generations; and
from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.
COMMENTARY
Fourteen generations spanned the earth before Christ became incarnate and was born in Bethlehem. To read more about the people in the lineage, see the references below under the section “Note for the below references.” It’s important to understand that throughout Scripture, Christ is referenced as the son of David, the Lion of Judah. In Matthew, He is mentioned as the Son of David seven times (Matthew 2:1–2; 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30; 21:5, 9; 22:42–46). This emphasis is needed to reiterate Christ’s qualifications as a successor to the throne and to claim He is the prophesied Messiah (Isaiah 9:1-7, 53; 2 Kings 18:1–7; 2 Samuel 5, 7; 1 Chronicles 18:4; Jeremiah 23:5; 33:14–15; Zechariah 12:8; Amos 9:11–15; Micah 5:2; etc.).
A few key takeaways from this passage
• Jesus is the son of David (lineage-wise)
• He was recognized as the Son of David by others (see above references)
• Jesus’s place of birth is important since Bethlehem (meaning “house of
bread”) was the city where David was born and crowned king
• Jesus held the messianic title
• Jesus is called the Lion of Judah since Judah (one of the brothers of
Joseph—son of Isaac and Rebekah) was named as one of the twelve
tribes of Israel, and Judah’s tribe’s crest was a lion.
Note for the below references: not all Scripture references may be listed due to space and time restrictions. More references can be found in concordances or on the Bible Gateway website. To further save time in listing these references, we are including the books and chapters only.
• Abraham: Genesis 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 25; Deuteronomy 1, 7; 1 Chronicles 1; Joshua 3; Nehemiah 9; Luke 3
• Isaac: Genesis 17, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 32, 35, 46, 48, 49, 50; Exodus 2, 3, 4, 6, 32, 33; Leviticus 26; Numbers 32; Deuteronomy 1, 6, 9, 29, 30, 34; Joshua 24; 1 Kings 18; 2 Kings 13; 1 Chronicles 1, 16, 29; 2 Chronicles 30; Psalm 105; Jeremiah 33; Amos 7; Matthew 1, 8, 22; Mark 3; Luke 13, 20; Acts 3, 7; Romans 9; Galatians 4; Hebrews 11; James 2
• Jacob: Genesis 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 42, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50; Exodus 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 19, 33; Leviticus 26; Numbers 23, 24, 32; Deuteronomy 1, 6, 9, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34; Joshua 24; 1 Samuel 12; 2 Samuel 23; 1 Kings 18; 2 Kings 13, 17; 1 Chronicles 16; Psalm 14, 20, 22, 24, 44, 46, 47, 53, 59, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 81, 84, 85, 87, 94, 99, 105, 114, 132, 135
• Judah: Genesis 29, 35, 37, 38, 43, 44, 46, 49; Exodus 1, 31, 35, 38; Numbers 1, 2, 7, 10, 13, 26, 34; Deuteronomy 27, 33, 34; Joshua 7, 11, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21; Judges 1, 10, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20; Ruth 1, 4; 1 Samuel 11, 15, 17, 18, 22, 23, 27, 30; 2 Samuel 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 11, 12, 19, 20, 21, 24; 1 Kings 1, 2, 4, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 22; 2 Kings 1, 3, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
• Perez: Genesis 38, 46; Numbers 26, 33; Ruth 4; 2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 2, 4, 9, 13, 27; Nehemiah 11; Matthew 1; Luke 3
• Zerah: Genesis 36, 38, 46; Numbers 26; Joshua 7, 22; 1 Chronicles 1, 2, 4, 6, 27; 2 Chronicles 14; Ezra 7, 8; Nehemiah 11; Matthew 1
• Tamar: Genesis 14, 21, 38; Judges 20; Ruth 4; 1 Samuel 22, 31; 2 Samuel 13, 14; 1 Chronicles 2, 3, 20; Ezekiel 47, 48; Matthew 1
• Hezron: Genesis 46; Exodus 6; Numbers 26; Joshua 15; Ruth 4; 1 Chronicles 2, 4, 5; Matthew 1; Luke 3
• Ram: Ruth 4; 1 Chronicles 2; Matthew 1
• Amminadab: Exodus 6; Numbers 1, 2, 7, 10; Ruth 4; 1 Chronicles 2, 6, 15; Matthew 1; Luke 3
• Nahshon: Exodus 6; Numbers 1, 2, 7, 10; Ruth 4; 1 Chronicles 2; Matthew 1; Luke 3
• Salmon: Ruth 4; Matthew 1; Luke 3; Acts 27
• Boaz: Ruth 2, 3, 4; 1 Kings 7; 1 Chronicles 2, 3; Matthew 1; Luke 3
• Rahab: Joshua 2, 6; Job 9, 26; Psalm 87, 89; Isaiah 30, 51; Matthew 1; Hebrews 11; James 2
• Obed: Ruth 4; 2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicle 2, 11, 13, 15, 16, 26; 2 Chronicles 23, 25; Matthew 1; Luke 3
• Jesse: Ruth 4; 1 Samuel 16, 17, 20, 22, 25; 2 Samuel 20, 23; 1 Kings 12; 1 Chronicles 2, 10, 12, 29; 2 Chronicles 10, 11; Psalm 72; Isaiah 11; Matthew 1; Luke 3; Acts 13; Romans 15
• David: Ruth 4; 1 Samuel 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30; 2 Samuel 1, 2
• Solomon: 2 Samuel 5; 1 Kings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 21, 23, 24, 25; 1 Chronicles 3, 6, 14, 18, 22, 23, 28, 29; 2 Chronicles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 30, 33, 35; Ezra 2; Nehemiah 7; Matthew 1
• Rehoboam: 1 Kings 11, 12, 14, 15; 1 Chronicles 3; 2 Chronicles 9, 10, 11, 12, 13; Matthew
• Abijah: 1 Samuel 8; 1 Kings 14; 1 Chronicles 2, 3, 6, 7, 24; 2 Chronicles 11, 12, 13, 14, 29; Nehemiah 10, 12; Matthew 1; Luke 1
• Asa: 1 Kings 15, 16, 22; 1 Chronicles 3, 9, 15; 2 Chronicles 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, Jeremiah 41; Matthew 1
• Jehoshaphat: 2 Samuel 8, 20; 1 Kings 4, 15, 22; 2 Kings 1, 3, 8, 9, 12; 1 Chronicles 3, 18; 2 Chronicles 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22; Joel 3; Matthew 1
• Joram: 2 Samuel 8, 9, 11; 1 Chronicles 3, 26; 2 Chronicles 22; Matthew 1
• Uzziah: 2 Kings 14, 15; 1 Chronicles 6, 27; 2 Chronicles 26, 27; Ezra 10; Nehemiah 11; Isaiah 1, 6, 7; Hosea 1; Amos 1; Zechariah 14; Matthew 1
• Jotham: Judges 9; 2 Kings 15, 16; 1 Chronicles 2, 3, 5; 2 Chronicles 26, 27, 28; Isaiah 1; Hosea 1; Micah 1; Matthew
• Ahaz: 2 Kings 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 23; 1 Chronicles 3, 8, 9; 2 Chronicles 20, 22, 27, 28, 29; Isaiah 1, 7, 14, 38; Hosea 1; Micah 1; Matthew 1
• Hezekiah: 2 Kings 16, 18, 19, 20, 21; 1 Chronicles 3, 4, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33; Ezra 2; Nehemiah 10; Proverbs 25; Isaiah 1, 36, 37, 38, 39; Jeremiah 15, 26; Hosea 1; Micah 1; Zephaniah 1; Matthew 1
• Manasseh: Genesis 41, 46, 48, 50; Numbers 1, 2, 7, 10, 13, 26, 27, 32, 34, 36; Deuteronomy 3, 33, 34; Joshua 1, 4, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22; Judges 1, 6, 7, 11, 12, 18; 1 Kings 4, 20, 21, 23, 24; 1 Chronicles 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 27; 2 Chronicles 15, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34; Ezra 10; Psalm 60, 80, 108; Isaiah 9; Jeremiah 15; Ezekiel 48; Matthew 1; Revelation 7
• Amon: 2 Kings 21, 22; 2 Chronicles 33, 34
• Josiah: 1 Kings 13, 21, 22, 23; 1 Chronicles 3, 33, 34, 35, 36; Jeremiah 1, 3, 22, 25, 26, 27, 35, 36, 37, 45, 46; Zephaniah 1; Zachariah 6; Matthew 1
• Jeconiah: 1 Chronicles 3; Esther 2; Jeremiah 24, 27, 28, 29; Matthew 1
• Shealtiel: 1 Chronicles 3; Ezra 3, 5; Nehemiah 12; Haggai 1, 2; Matthew 1; Luke 3
• Zerubbabel: 1 Chronicles 3; Ezra 2, 3, 4, 5; Nehemiah 7, 12; Haggai 1; 2, Zachariah 4; Matthew 1; Luke 3
• Abihud: 1 Chronicles 8; Matthew 1
• Eliakim: 2 Kings 18, 19, 23, 36; Nehemiah 12; Isaiah 22, 36, 37; Matthew 1; Luke 3
• Azor: Matthew 1
• Zadok: 2 Samuel 8, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20; 1 Kings 1, 2, 4, 15; 1 Chronicles 6, 9, 12, 15, 16, 18, 24, 27, 29; 2 Chronicles 27, 31; Ezra 7; Nehemiah 3, 10, 11, 13; Ezekiel 40, 43, 44, 48; Matthew 1
• Achim: Matthew 1
• Eliud: Matthew 1
• Eleazar: Exodus 6, 28; Leviticus 10; Numbers 3, 4, 16, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 31, 32, 34; Deuteronomy 10; Joshua 14, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24; Judges 20; 1 Samuel 7, 23; 1 Chronicles 6, 9, 11, 23, 24; Ezra 7, 8, 10; Nehemiah 12; Matthew 1
• Matthan: Matthew 1
• Jacob: Genesis 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 42, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50; Exodus 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 19, 33; Leviticus 26; Numbers 23, 24, 32; Deuteronomy 1, 6, 9, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34; Joshua 24; 1 Samuel 12; 2 Samuel 23; 1 Kings 18; 2 Kings 13, 17; 1 Chronicles 2, 16; Psalm 14, 22, 24, 44, 46, 47, 53, 59, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 81, 84, 85, 87, 94, 99, 105, 114, 132, 135, 146, 147; Isaiah 2, 8, 9, and more
• Joseph: Matthew 1, 13, 27; Luke 1, 2
• Mary: Matthew 1, 2; Mark 6; Luke 1, 2, 11; John 2, 19; Acts 1
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. What is the significance of Christ’s lineage through David?
2. What further significance does Bethlehem, the place Jesus was born in,
hold according to John 6:35?
3. What is the significance of Jerusalem being called “Zion’s Hill” according
to 2 Samuel 5–9; Isaiah 8:18; and Psalm 74:2?
4. What verses in the Old Testament reference Christ as the Messiah? (Hint:
See the scriptures above.)