Matthew Henry Commentary


Matthew Henry Commentary
"Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The sons of Japheth: Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. And the sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, and Diphath, and Togarmah. And the sons of Javan: Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim. The sons of Ham: Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. And the sons of Cush: Seba, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Raama, and Sabteca. And the sons of Raamah: Sheba, and Dedan. And Cush begat Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one in the earth. And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, and Pathrusim, and Casluhim (from whence came the Philistines), and Caphtorim. And Canaan begat Sidon his first-born, and Heth, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite, and the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, and the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. The sons of Shem: Elam, and Asshur, and Arpachshad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech. And Arpachshad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber. And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother`s name was Joktan. And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, and Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, and Ebal, and Abimael, and Sheba, and Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, Abram (the same is Abraham)." — 1 Chronicles 1:1-27 (ASV)
This chapter, and many that follow, repeat the genealogies, or lists of fathers and children in biblical history, and compile them with many additions. When compared with other passages, some differences are found; yet we must not, for that reason, stumble at the Word, but instead bless God that the things necessary for salvation are sufficiently clear.
The origin of the Jewish nation is traced here from the first man God created, and is thus distinguished from the obscure, fabulous, and absurd origins assigned to other nations.
But the nations now are all so intermingled with one another that no single nation, nor even the largest part of any, is descended entirely from any one of these original sources. We are sure of this alone: God has created all nations of men from one blood; they are all descended from one Adam, one Noah.
Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? (Malachi 2:10).