Bible Commentaries
1 Chronicles 3

Verse 1

Now these were the sons of David, which were born unto him in Hebron; the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess:

Now these ... which were born ... in Hebron. It is of consequence, for the proper understanding of events in the domestic history of David, to bear in mind the place and time of his sons' birth. The oldest son, born after his father's accession to the sovereign authority, is, according to Eastern notions, the proper heir to the throne. And hence, the natural aspirations of ambition in Amnon, who was long unaware of the alienation of the crown, and could not be easily reconciled to the claims of a younger brother being placed above his own (see the notes at 2 Samuel 3:1-5).

Verse 2

The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith: No JFB commentary on this verse.

Verse 3

The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital: the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife.

Eglah his wife - supposed to be another name of Michal, who, though she had no son after her mockery of David for dancing before the ark, might have had one previous to that time. She has the title of wife appended to her name, because she was his proper wife; and the mention of her name last probably arose from the circumstance that, having been withdrawn from David and married to another husband, but afterward restored, she had in reality become the last of his wives.

Verse 4

These 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.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Verse 5

And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel:

Of Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel - or Bath-sheba (2 Samuel 11:3), and there her father is called Eliam. Of course, Solomon was not her 'only son;' but he is called so, Proverbs 4:3, from the distinguished affection of which he was the object, and though the oldest, is named the last of Bath-sheba's children.

Verse 6

Ibhar also, and Elishama, and Eliphelet,

Elishama, and Eliphelet - two sons of the same name are twice mentioned (1 Chronicles 3:8). They were the children of different mothers, and had probably some title or epithet appended by which the one was distinguished from the other. Or it might be that the former two were dead, and their names were given to sons afterward born, to preserve their memories.

Verse 7

And Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia,

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Verse 8

And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine.

Nine. The number of David's sons born after his removal to Jerusalem was eleven (2 Samuel 5:14), but only nine are mentioned here-two of them being omitted, either in consequence of their early deaths, or of their leaving no issue.

Verse 9

These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Verse 10

And Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abia his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son,

Solomon's son was Rehoboam ... David's line is here drawn down to the captivity, through a succession of good and bad, but still influential and celebrated, monarchs. It has rarely happened that a crown has been transmitted from father to son, in lineal descent, for seventeen reigns. But this was the promised reward of David's piety. There is, indeed, observable some vacillation toward the close of this period, the crown passing from one brother to another, and even from uncle to nephew-a sure sign of disorderly times and a disjointed government.

Verses 11-14

Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son,

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 15

And the sons of Josiah were, the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum.

Zedekiah - is called the son of Josiah, cf. Jeremiah 1:3; Jeremiah 37:1, but, 2 Chronicles 36:19 he is described as the brother of Jehoiachin, who was the son of Jehoiachim, and consequently the grandson of Josiah. Words expressive of affinity or relationship are used with great latitude in the Hebrew.

Shallum. No king of this name is mentioned in the history of Josiah's sons (2 Kings 14:1-29; 2 Kings 23:1-37), but there is a notice of Shallum, the son of Josiah, Jeremiah 22:11, who reigned in the stead of his father, and who is generally supposed to be Jehoahaz, a younger son, here called the fourth of Josiah.

Verse 16

And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son. No JFB commentary on this verse.

Verse 17

And the sons of Jeconiah; Assir, Salathiel his son,

The sons of Jeconiah; Assir. This word does occur as the name of a person, Exodus 6:24; 1 Chronicles 6:22-23. But Bertheau suggests that Assir is joined to Jeconiah, and then, being taken as a common noun, the translation will be, 'Jeconiah the captive or prisoner' (cf. Isaiah 10:4; Isaiah 24:22; Isaiah 42:7). This record of his condition was added to show that Salathiel was born during the captivity in Babylon (cf, Matthew 1:12). Jeconiah was written childless (Jeremiah 22:30) - a prediction which (as the words that follow explain) meant that this unfortunate monarch should have no son succeeding him on the throne.

Verse 18

Malchiram also, and Pedaiah, and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.

Malchiram also. As far as Jeconiah, everything is plain; but there is reason to suspect that the text in the subsequent verses has been dislocated and disarranged. The object of the sacred historian is to trace the royal line through Zerubbabel, yet, according to the present reading, the genealogical stem cannot be drawn from Jeconiah downward. The following arrangement of the text is given as removing all difficulty (Davidson's 'Hermeneutics'): 1 Chronicles 3:17. And the sons of Jeconiah the captive; Salathiel (asked of God) (Shealtiel, Ezra 3:2; Nehemiah 12:1; Haggai 1:12; Haggai 1:14; Haggai 2:2) his son: 1 Chronicles 3:18. And the sons of Salathiel; Zerubbabel (sown,

i.e., begotten, in Babylon-who was the direct son of Pedaiah; but omitting several intermediate links, is called the son of Salathiel Matthew 1:12), and Shimei (renowned): and the sons of Zerubbabel; Meshullam (friend - i:e., of God), Hananiah (graciously given of God), and Shelomith (pacific) their sister. 1 Chronicles 3:19. And Hashubah (esteemed), and Ohel, and Berechiah (blessed of Yahweh), and Hasadiah (beloved of God), Jushab hezed (whose love is returned).

Verse 19

And the sons of Pedaiah were, Zerubbabel, and Shimei: and the sons of Zerubbabel; Meshullam, and Hananiah, and Shelomith their sister: No JFB commentary on this verse.

Verse 20

And Hashubah, and Ohel, and Berechiah, and Hasadiah, Jushabhesed, five.

And Malchiram, and Rephaiah, and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.

Verse 21

And the sons of Hananiah; Pelatiah, and Jesaiah: the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shechaniah.

The sons of Hananiah; Pelatiah and Jesaiah; the sons of Rephaiah; his son Arnan, his son Obadiah (worshipper of Yahweh), his son Shecaniah (dwelling with Yahweh).

Verse 22

And the sons of Shechaniah; Shemaiah; and the sons of Shemaiah; Hattush, and Igeal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six.

The sons of Shemaiah - or Shimei (1 Chronicles 3:19: cf. Zechariah 12:13).