What does Matthew 1:7 mean?

Matthew is establishing Jesus' line from Abraham all the way through to Mary and Joseph. He has come to David and his son Solomon, both kings of Israel and in the direct line of Judah. From this verse through to verse 10, Matthew's listing lines up very closely with an established genealogy of Israel's kings in 1 Chronicles 3:10–14.

For Jewish readers familiar with their history, this listing of Israel's kings in the line of Jesus would be significant. They would also likely remember how these kings alternated between those who feared and obeyed the Lord and those who were wicked. Solomon's son Rehoboam was a wicked king, as was his son Abijah. Asa—also spelled Asaph—was a good king, however.

Matthew provides yet another reminder that Israel's history was full of both sinful and obedient people. There were those of high status and low status, good reputation and poor reputation. They were in need of saving not just from foreign enemies, but from their own sinful humanity. Jesus came to save all types of people—the outcast and the well respected, the Jew and the Gentile, men and women, the obviously sinful and the seemingly righteous (Galatians 3:27–29).