Matthew 1:12

 

After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Matthew 1:12 Berean Standard Bible (BSB)
 
And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
Matthew 1:12 King James Bible (KJV)
 
And after the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Matthew 1:12 New English Translation (NET)
 
After the exile to Babylon
This phrase marks a significant turning point in Jewish history. The Babylonian exile, which occurred in 586 BC, was a period of profound loss and transformation for the Israelites. The Hebrew term for exile, "galut," implies not just physical displacement but also a spiritual and cultural dislocation. The exile was a divine judgment for the Israelites' persistent idolatry and disobedience, as prophesied by Jeremiah and other prophets. However, it also became a time of reflection and renewal, leading to a deeper understanding of God's covenant and the eventual return to Jerusalem under Persian rule.
 
Jeconiah
Also known as Jehoiachin, Jeconiah was a king of Judah who reigned for a brief period before being taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon. His name in Hebrew, "Yekonyah," means "Yahweh will establish," which is ironic given his downfall. Despite his captivity, Jeconiah's lineage continued, as evidenced by his mention in the genealogy of Jesus. This highlights God's faithfulness in preserving the Davidic line, even through apparent failure and judgment.
 
was the father of Shealtiel
The phrase indicates the continuation of the Davidic line through Jeconiah's son, Shealtiel. The name Shealtiel means "I have asked of God" in Hebrew, suggesting a sense of hope and divine intervention. Although the historical records of Shealtiel's life are sparse, his inclusion in the genealogy underscores the importance of each link in the chain leading to the Messiah. It serves as a reminder that God's plans often unfold through ordinary, seemingly insignificant individuals.
 
and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel
Zerubbabel is a pivotal figure in the post-exilic period. His name means "seed of Babylon," reflecting his birth during the exile. As a leader of the first group of Jews returning to Jerusalem, Zerubbabel played a crucial role in rebuilding the temple, as recorded in the books of Ezra and Haggai. His leadership symbolizes the restoration of worship and the renewal of the covenant relationship with God. Zerubbabel's presence in the genealogy of Jesus highlights the theme of redemption and the fulfillment of God's promises, as he is seen as a type of Christ, foreshadowing the ultimate restoration brought by Jesus.
 
Berean Study Bible
 
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This verse falls within the third section of the genealogy, which deals with the period after the Babylonian exile. Here's a breakdown:
 
Jechoniah (also known as Jehoiachin or Coniah) was a king of Judah who was taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon in 597 BC. His reign marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile for the Judeans.
 
Shealtiel is listed as Jechoniah's son. However, there's some historical and textual complexity here. Some genealogies in other parts of the Bible (like 1 Chronicles) and various interpretations suggest that Shealtiel might be the son of Neri (Luke 3:27), indicating a possible adoption or another familial relationship not explicitly detailed in Matthew.
 
Zerubbabel is known for being a leader of the first group of Jewish exiles who returned from Babylon to Jerusalem, playing a key role in the reconstruction of the Temple. He was the governor of Judah under Persian rule.
 
The genealogy in Matthew serves several purposes:
 
To establish Jesus's legal claim to the throne of David through Solomon's line, thus fulfilling Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah being from David's lineage.
 
To provide a bridge from Old Testament history to the New Testament narrative, highlighting how Jesus fits into the broader story of Israel.
 
To show divine providence over history, particularly through times of exile and return.
 
Understanding this verse also involves recognizing the context of genealogies in ancient Jewish culture, where they were not just records of ancestry but also carriers of theological and political significance. The mention of the Babylonian exile in this verse underscores the low point of Jewish history, setting the stage for the redemption narrative that follows with the birth of Jesus.
 
The Babylonian Exile, also known as the Babylonian Captivity, refers to a period in Jewish history when the Kingdom of Judah was conquered by the Babylonian Empire, leading to the deportation of its inhabitants to Babylon. Here are the detailed aspects of this historical event:
 
Historical Context:
 
Timeline: The exile is generally dated from 597 BCE to 538 BCE, although there were several waves of deportations:
 
First wave: In 597 BCE, after King Jehoiachin of Judah surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon, many were deported, including Jehoiachin himself, his family, and the elite of Judah.
 
Second wave: In 587/586 BCE, following a rebellion by King Zedekiah, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem again, leading to its destruction, including the First Temple (Solomon's Temple). This time, a larger group was exiled.
 
Third wave: A smaller deportation in 582 BCE after the assassination of Gedaliah, the Babylonian-appointed governor of Judah.
 
Cause: The exile was a consequence of political instability in the region after the decline of Assyria, with Judah caught between the rising powers of Babylon and Egypt. Judah rebelled against Babylon, leading to punitive actions by Nebuchadnezzar.
 
Life in Exile:
Population Affected: While traditional accounts might suggest a mass deportation, archaeological and textual evidence indicates that it was mainly the elite (royalty, priests, military leaders, craftsmen) who were exiled. Many of the poorer people were left in Judah or fled to Egypt.
 
Conditions in Babylon: Contrary to some narratives suggesting harsh conditions, evidence shows that many Judahites in Babylon lived in communities, maintaining their cultural and religious identity. They were not slaves but were resettled in areas like Tel Abib near the Chebar canal, where they could farm and trade. They had some degree of autonomy, with their own leaders (elders) managing community affairs.
 
Cultural and Religious Impact: The exile was a transformative period:
 
Religious Practices: Without the Temple, Jewish religious life shifted focus to the Torah, prayer, and the Sabbath. This period likely saw the crystallization of many religious practices that would define post-exilic Judaism.
 
Writing and Compilation: It's during this time or shortly thereafter that many books of the Hebrew Bible are believed to have been written or edited, including parts of the Torah, the prophetic books like Ezekiel and portions of Isaiah (often termed "Second Isaiah"), and the writings in Psalms expressing the lament of exile.
 
Identity and Community: The exile fostered a stronger sense of national and religious identity among the Jews. The term "Jew" (Yehudi) begins to be used more commonly, referring to people from the Kingdom of Judah.
 
End of Exile:
 
Return: The exile ended in 538 BCE when Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylon. His decree allowed Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. This return, led by figures like Zerubbabel and later Ezra and Nehemiah, marks the beginning of the Second Temple period.
 
Diaspora: Not all Jews returned; a significant community remained in Babylon, which would become an influential center of Jewish learning and culture, contributing to the development of the Talmud.
 
The Babylonian Exile is pivotal in Jewish history, symbolizing both a period of great loss and the beginning of a profound religious and cultural transformation.
 
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John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible:
 
And after they were brought to Babylon,.... Not Jechonias, but the father of Jechonias, and the Jews.
 
Jechonias begat Salathiel. Not Jechonias mentioned in the former verse, but his son, called Jehoiachin, 2Ki_24:6 and Coniah, Jer_22:24 both which are rendered Jechonias by the Septuagint in 2Ch_36:8 and he is so called, 1Ch_3:16. Abulpharagius (c) calls him Junachir, and says he is the same who in Matthew is called Juchonia; and he asserts him to be the father of Daniel the Prophet. But here a considerable difficulty arises, how he can be said to beget Salathiel, called Shealtiel, Hag_1:1 when he was pronounced "childless", Jer_22:30. To remove which, it may be observed, that the sentence pronounced may be considered with this tacit condition or proviso, if he repented not. Now the Jews have a tradition (d) that he did repent in prison, upon which the sentence was revoked; but there is no need to suppose this, though it is not an unreasonable supposition; for the sentence does not imply that he should have no children, but rather that he should, as will appear upon reading the whole; "thus saith the Lord, write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days; for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting on the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah". Besides, the Hebrew word ערירי, rendered "childless", comes from ערה, which signifies "to make naked" or "bare" and so denotes not only such as have no children, or are bereft of them, but such as are by any providence stripped of the blessings of life, and are left bare, destitute, and unhappy, as Jechonias and his posterity were: however, the Jews have no reason to find fault with our Evangelist, since Salathiel is expressly called Jechonias's son, 1Ch_3:17 either he was his proper natural son, or, to use their way of speaking, בן מלכות "the son of the kingdom" (e), that is, his heir and successor in the kingdom, as some have thought; since it looks as if he was the son of Neri, Luk_3:27 though the chronicle of Jedidaeus of Alexandria (f), or Philo the Jew, says, that Jechonias was called Neri, because Ner, or the lamp of David, shined in him, which had been almost extinguished.
 
And Salathiel begat Zorobabel. This account perfectly agrees with many passages in the Old Testament, where Zorobabel is called the son of Shealtiel or Salathiel, Ezr_3:2 Hag_1:1 which is sufficient to justify the Evangelist in this assertion. There is indeed a difficulty which as much presses the Jews as the Christians, and that is, that Zorobabel is reckoned as the son of Pedaiah, 1Ch_3:19 for the solution of which a noted Jewish commentator (g) observes, that
 
"in Haggai, Zachariah and Ezra, Zorobabel is called the son of Shealtiel, because he was his son's son; for Pedaiah was the son of Shealtiel, and Zorobabel the son of Pedaiah; and do not you observe (adds he) that in many places children's children are mentioned as children?''
 
No doubt there are many instances of this; but to me it seems that Pedaiah was not the son of Shealtiel, but his brother, 1Ch_3:17. And I greatly suspect that Shealtiel had no children of his own, since none are mentioned; and that he adopted his brother Pedaiah's son Zorobabel, and made him his heir and successor in the government of Judah. However, it is certain, as a genealogical writer (h) among the Jews observes, that he was of the son's sons of Jechonias, king of Judah, from whom our Evangelist makes him to descend.
 
(c) Hist. Dynast. p. 45. Vid. Hieron. Comment. in Dan. i. fol. 264. B. (d) Kimchi in 1 Chron. iii. 17. & in Jer. xxii. 30. (e) Ib. in 1 Chron. iii. 15. (f) Apud Vorst. Observ. in Ganz. Chronolog. p. 310. (g) Kimchi in 1 Chron. iii. 19. & in Hagg. i. 1. (h) Juchasin, fol. 13. i.
 
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Cross Reference:
 
1 Chronicles 3:17-19
The descendants of Jeconiah the captive: Shealtiel his son, Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. The sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei. The children of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah, their sister Shelomith,
 
Jeremiah 22:24-30
“As surely as I live,” declares the LORD, “even if you, Coniah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring on My right hand, I would pull you off. In fact, I will hand you over to those you dread, who want to take your life—to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to the Chaldeans. I will hurl you and the mother who gave you birth into another land, where neither of you were born—and there you both will die. ...
 
2 Kings 24:15-16
Nebuchadnezzar carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, as well as the king’s mother, his wives, his officials, and the leading men of the land. He took them into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. The king of Babylon also brought into exile to Babylon all seven thousand men of valor and a thousand craftsmen and metalsmiths—all strong and fit for battle.