Matthew1
New King James Version
1The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
2Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.
3Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram.
4Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon.
5Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse,
6and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.
7Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa.
8Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah.
9Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah.
10Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah.
11Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.
12And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel.
13Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor.
14Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud.
15Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob.
16And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.
17So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.
18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
20But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
21And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
22So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:
23“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
24Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife,
25and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Matthew 1.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The genealogy of Jesus. (1–17). An angel appears to Joseph. (18–25).
vv1-17
Concerning this genealogy of our Saviour, observe the chief intention. It is not a needless genealogy. It is not a vain-glorious one, as those of great men often are. It proves that our Lord Jesus is of the nation and family out of which the Messiah was to arise. The promise of the blessing was made to Abraham and his seed; of the dominion, to David and his seed. It was promised to Abraham that Christ should descend from him, Ge 12:3; 22:18; and to David that he should descend from him, 2Sa 7:12; Ps 89:3, etc.; 132:11; and, therefore, unless Jesus is a son of David, and a son of Abraham, he is not the Messiah. Now this is here proved from well-known records. When the Son of God was pleased to take our nature, he came near to us, in our fallen, wretched condition; but he was perfectly free from sin: and while we read the names in his genealogy, we should not forget how low the Lord of glory stooped to save the human race.
vv18-25
Let us look to the circumstances under which the Son of God entered into this lower world, till we learn to despise the vain honours of this world, when compared with piety and holiness. The mystery of Christ's becoming man is to be adored, not curiously inquired into. It was so ordered that Christ should partake of our nature, yet that he should be pure from the defilement of original sin, which has been communicated to all the race of Adam. Observe, it is the thoughtful, not the unthinking, whom God will guide. God's time to come with instruction to his people, is when they are at a loss. Divine comforts most delight the soul when under the pressure of perplexed thoughts. Joseph is told that Mary should bring forth the Saviour of the world. He was to call his name Jesus, a Saviour. Jesus is the same name with Joshua. And the reason of that name is clear, for those whom Christ saves, he saves from their sins; from the guilt of sin by the merit of his death, and from the power of sin by the Spirit of his grace. In saving them from sin, he saves them from wrath and the curse, and all misery, here and hereafter. Christ came to save his people, not in their sins, but from their sins; and so to redeem them from among men, to himself, who is separate from sinners. Joseph did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, speedily, without delay, and cheerfully, without dispute. By applying the general rules of the written word, we should in all the steps of our lives, particularly the great turns of them, take direction from God, and we shall find this safe and comfortable.
Key Words
βίβλος (bíblos): book
γένεσις (génesis): nativity; figuratively, nature
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsoûs): Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites
Χριστός (Christós): anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus
υἱός (huiós): a "son" (sometimes of animals), used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship
Δαβίδ (Dabíd): Dabid (i.e. David), the Israelite king
Ἀβραάμ (Abraám): Abraham, the Hebrew patriarch
γεννάω (gennáō): to procreate (properly, of the father, but by extension of the mother); figuratively, to regenerate
Ἰσαάκ (Isaák): Isaac (i.e. Jitschak), the son of Abraham
δέ (dé): but, and, etc.
Cross References
Matthew 1Directly quoted as the prophetic fulfillment of the virgin birth of Immanuel.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
The foundational covenant promise to Abraham that in his seed all nations would be blessed.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
God's sworn oath to David to set his descendant upon his eternal royal throne.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Jacob's dying prophecy identifying the tribe of Judah as the royal line of Shiloh.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The Mosaic law regarding betrothed virgins, governing Joseph's legal dilemma and righteous response.
Supported by John Calvin
Parallels the angelic explanation of Mary's supernatural conception by the Holy Spirit.
Supported by John Calvin
The Hebrew idiom 'book of the generation' echoes the primeval registers of Genesis.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Luke's maternal lineage of Jesus contrasts with Matthew's legal, royal line through Joseph.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The miraculous, promised birth of Isaac which begins the formal genealogical lineage.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The Old Testament pedigree of Josiah's descendants during the Babylonian captivity.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Highlights the preservation of Rahab the Gentile, who is surprisingly included in Jesus' lineage.
Supported by JFB
God's choice of David the king, a pivotal transition point in the genealogy.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Establishes the post-exilic lineage of Zerubbabel, connecting the royal line to the return.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The Messianic prophecy of ending transgression and bringing everlasting righteousness, matching Jesus' name.
Supported by Matthew Poole