Matthew 1:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

NIV: Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

NASB: Uzziah fathered Jotham, Jotham fathered Ahaz, and Ahaz fathered Hezekiah.

CSB: Uzziah fathered Jotham, Jotham fathered Ahaz, Ahaz fathered Hezekiah,

NLT: Uzziah was the father of Jotham. Jotham was the father of Ahaz. Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah.

KJV: And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;

NKJV: Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah.

Matthew's listing of the genealogical line of Jesus has followed the flow of fathers and sons from Abraham through David and now into the kings of Israel who came from Solomon. Perhaps to keep the list manageable, Matthew is not including every link in the chain, skipping some generations. This was a common practice with genealogies of the day. It is still true, of course, to say that Joram fathered Uzziah, as Matthew wrote in the previous verse, even if Uzziah came several generations after Joram. The point is to show a line of descent, not to include every possible detail.

The list continues here with more kings, also listed in 1 Chronicles 3:10–14. Uzziah—also known as Azariah—fathered Jotham, who fathered Ahaz, who fathered Hezekiah.

Matthew 1:1–17 begins the apostle Matthew's long Gospel with a short genealogy of Jesus Christ, beginning with Abraham. Matthew does not include every generation, but instead creates three groups of fourteen names: Abraham to King David; David to Josiah; and Jechoniah to Jesus. Matthew shows that Jesus is the direct descendant of both Abraham and David, qualifying His legal right to sit on Israel's throne. Matthew would not need to have listed the women, blatant sinners, or evil kings that he does, but the point of his Gospel is that Jesus has come to save His people from their sins. As a former tax-collector, hated by fellow Jews, this idea would have resonated strongly with Matthew.

The apostle Matthew begins his telling of Jesus' life with a genealogy. This is meant to show that Jesus is directly descended from both Abraham and King David, making Him a legal heir to the throne of Israel. He then tells the story of Jesus' birth from the perspective of Joseph, Mary's husband. Joseph had planned to divorce the woman he was betrothed to marry, once he found out she was carrying a child that wasn't his. God interrupts this plan. An angel tells Joseph in a dream that the child is from the Holy Spirit and commands Joseph to name Him Jesus, since He will save His people from their sins. Joseph obeys.

One of the original twelve disciples, Matthew begins his telling of Jesus' life with a genealogy and Jesus' birth. The listing of Jesus' ancestors shows how Jesus is directly descended from both Abraham and King David, but it also includes then-unlikely inclusions, such as women, blatant sinners, and evil kings. Instead of divorcing Mary, Joseph obeys God and takes her home. Isaiah's prophecy of the virgin birth of Immanuel, a term meaning ''God with us,'' is fulfilled. This sets the stage for pivotal events in Jesus' infancy, such as the arrival of wise men and the family's escape into Egypt.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 11/21/2024 9:55:51 AM