Bible Commentaries
1 Chronicles 3

Verses 1-9

"Now these are the sons of David, that were born unto him in Hebron: the first-born, Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second, Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess; the third, Absalom, of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah of Abital; the sixth, Ithream of Eglah his wife: six were born unto him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven years and six months. And in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years; and these were born unto him in Jerusalem: Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel; and Ibhar, and Elishama, and Eliphelet, and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. All these were the sons of David, besides the sons of concubines; and Tamar was their sister."

Verses 10-24

"And Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abijah his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, Amon his son, Josiah his son. And the sons of Josiah: the first-born Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum. And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son. And the sons of Jeconiah, the captive: Shealtiel his son, and Malchiram, and Pedaiah, and Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. And the sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel, and Shimei. And the sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah; and Shelomith was their sister; and Ashubah, and Ohel, and Berechiah, and Hasachiah, and Jushab-hesed. And the sons of Hananiah: Pelatiah, and Jeshaiah; the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shecaniah. And the sons of Shecaniah: Shemaiah. And the sons of Shemaiah: Hattash, and Igal, amd Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six. And the sons of Neariah: Elioenai, and Hizkiah, and Azrikam, three. And the sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, and Eliashib, and Pelaiah, and Akkub, and Johanan, and Delaiah, and Anani, seven."

"Bathshua" This is obviously just another name for Bathsheba. The Septuagint (LXX) and the Vulgate render the word Bathsheba. Elmslie noted that, "This name is only a variant of the name Bathsheba."^(F1) Judging from the order of Bathsheba's sons as listed here, Solomon was the youngest; and one may wonder if David selected him because he himself was the youngest of Jesse's sons.

The appearance in this chapter of two sons of David named Elishama and two named Eliphelet was explained by Cook as, "Due to a corruption of the text in the first Elishama and to a confusion of the first Eliphelet with Elpelet (1 Chronicles 14:5)."^(F2) The real marvel is that there are so few such problems in lists which are as old as these. Perhaps an even better explanation is that of DeHoff: "It is generally supposed that the first two of those named Elishama and Eliphelet died in infancy and that the names were repeated for children born later."^(F3)

"And the sons of Shemaiah" These five words are the second phrase in 1 Chronicles 3:22; and they apparently interrupt the enumeration of Shecaniah's six sons. Elmslie stated that they should be omitted.^(F4) Shemaiah would then be properly numbered among Shecaniah's six sons.

"Most of these genealogies are incomplete with many breaks in the lists; but the main line is there."^(F5) The line of the Davidic dynasty as well as other significant genealogies pertaining to the religious history of Israel, is here. "These genealogies are thundering proof that the Bible is history and not myth or legend."^(F6)