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1Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah. 2She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Jokshan became the father of Sheba, and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac, 6but Abraham gave gifts to the sons of Abraham’s concubines. While he still lived, he sent them away from Isaac his son, eastward, to the east country. 7These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred seventy-five years. 8Abraham gave up his spirit, and died at a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people. 9Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is near Mamre, 10the field which Abraham purchased from the children of Heth. Abraham was buried there with Sarah, his wife. 11After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac, his son. Isaac lived by Beer Lahai Roi.

12Now this is the history of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham. 13These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to the order of their birth: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments: twelve princes, according to their nations. 17These are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred thirty-seven years. He gave up his spirit and died, and was gathered to his people. 18They lived from Havilah to Shur that is before Egypt, as you go toward Assyria. He lived opposite all his relatives.

19This is the history of the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham became the father of Isaac. 20Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian, to be his wife. 21Isaac entreated Yahweh for his wife, because she was barren. Yahweh was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22The children struggled together within her. She said, “If it is like this, why do I live?” She went to inquire of Yahweh. 23Yahweh said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb.

Two peoples will be separated from your body.

The one people will be stronger than the other people.

The elder will serve the younger.”

24When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment. They named him Esau. 26After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on Esau’s heel. He was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

27The boys grew. Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field. Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. 28Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate his venison. Rebekah loved Jacob. 29Jacob boiled stew. Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. 30Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with some of that red stew, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom.

31Jacob said, “First, sell me your birthright.”

32Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?”

33Jacob said, “Swear to me first.”

He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob. 34Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.

The Meaning of Book of the Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah

The Meaning of Book of the Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah

Note | Matt 1:1 | Hershel Wayne House

Matthew begins his gospel with the "book of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah." The heading is likely referring to the entire Gospel, even though the genealogy is connected to it, and the word genealogy should be taken similar to the family histories (genealogy) given by Moses in the book of Genesis (Gen 6:9; 10:1; 11:10, 27; 25:12, 19; 36:1, 9; 37:2). This is argued, rightly I believe, by W. Davies and Allison, as given by David Turner (BECNT Mt, 2008): 

W. Davies and Allison (1988: 150) argue from the LXX usage of the expression βίβλος γενέσεως (biblos geneseōs, Gen 2:4; 5:1) that this is the title for Matthew’s entire book. They point out that the LXX most frequently uses a different formula, “these are the generations” (αὗται αἱ γενέσεις, hautai hai geneseis), to introduce genealogies (e.g., Gen 6:9; 10:1; 11:10, 27; 25:12, 19; 36:1, 9; 37:2; Num 3:1), and that the term βίβλος most naturally refers to a “book,” not merely a portion of it. (W. Davies and Allison 1988: 153; cf. Allison 2005b: 157–62).

Genealogies were important to the Jews because they connected them to their people and provided evidence of what tribe to which a person belonged. Matthew's genealogy traces Jesus to Abraham through Jacob, a physical connection that indicated he was a Jew, and through David, demonstrating he legally was an heir to the throne of David through Solomon (though see the study of the curse of Jeconiah below, Matt 1:11).