Thread by @JamesBejon

THREAD: Endless Genealogies

Biblical genealogies aren’t simply records of history.

They have a purpose and a theology,

and they’re intended to *teach* us about our God’s work in history.

Below, we’ll consider some of 1 Chr. 1–9’s.

In the event of confusion:

First of all, let’s see if we can convince ourselves 1 Chr. 1–2 isn’t merely a jumble of names.

Consider the shape of 1.1–34’s genealogy,

which takes us from Adam down to Isaac.

And now consider the shape of Judah’s:

The similarities are hard to miss.

First we’re introduced to a patriarchal figure—in the former case, Adam, and, in the latter, Judah.

Then we’re led down a vertical genealogy…

…until we reach a second patriarchal figure (Noah/Hezron),

at which point our line divides into three headwaters: the descendants of Shem/Ram (2.10ff.), Ham/Caleb (2.18ff.), and Japeth/Jerahmeel (2.25ff.).

Next, one of these headwaters is chosen out in order to take history forward (Shem’s/Ram’s).

And, finally, we’re hence led down a second vertical genealogy,

which consists of exactly ten members…

…and comes to flower in the person of a great leader (Abraham/David),

…whose potential ‘heirs’ are portrayed in terms of exactly 19 individuals, divided up (as before) into three headwaters.

The similarities between Adam’s and Judah’s lines are no accident.

The shape of world history is recapitulated in the line of Judah,

as Judah takes forward the mandate of fallen man—namely to bless, multiply in, and subdue the earth—,

all of which hints at why it is appropriate for a descendant of Judah to bear the sin of Adam.

Let’s move on, then, to consider chs. 2–9’s genealogy.

The text of 2.1–9.1 sums up Israel’s life and history by means of a chiastic set of 14 genealogies—a fact which was not lost on the disciple Matthew.

Each section is delimited by a reference to ‘the sons of X’,

where X is either a tribal head or a reference to ‘all Israel’,

...and the resultant super-genealogy hence pans out as follows:

As can be seen, then, our genealogies exhibit certain regularities,

such as their symmetry and ‘twelveness’,

yet at the same time they exhibit certain quirks,

such as the way Judah and Levi have two genealogies each while other tribes have none (e.g., Zebulun),

...and the way Benjamin’s second genealogy (8.1ff.) lacks a proper header. (Instead, 7.40 merges seamlessly into 8.1.)

As we’ll see, these oddities turn out to imbue our genealogies with important properties.

THE SHAPE OF THE CHRONICLER’S GENEALOGIES

Suffice it to say, the shape of 2.1–9.1’s genealogies is hugely significant.

For a start, it highlights the centrality of the Levites in Israel.

Flanked by six tribes on each side, the Levites are the hub of the nation—a glue/preservative dispersed throughout the land (in the Levitical cities: 6.39ff.),

whose job is to sum up Israel’s twelve tribes in praise before God.

We can hence see the text of 2.1–9.1 as a kind of genealogical depiction of the twelve names engraved on the high-priest’s shoulders (Exod. 28.9–14).

At the centre of our text (ch. 6), we have the Levitical genealogies (topped and tailed by the high-priests: 6.1–15, 49–81).

And, on either side/shoulder of these genealogies, we have six tribes.

We can also see the text of 2.1–9.1 as a depiction of the high priest’s *breastplate*,

which (re)presents the names of the twelve tribes before God’s heavenly throne,

where the two chains (עֲבֹת) which support the high-priest’s breastplate (Exod. 28.14) are depicted by the chains of ‘fathers’ (אָבֹת!) set out in 6.1ff. and 6.16ff. respectively.

Tabernacle-related imagery is apparent elsewhere in the Chronicler’s genealogies.

The Levites are ‘borne up’ by the twelve tribes, like a (genealogical) laver/sea.

Just as three bulls face each point of the compass, so (with the exception of Benjamin, which we’ll come to later) the Chronicler’s genealogies are arranged on the basis of their location in the land:

The Levites are hence depicted as a kind of tribal ‘laver’, since their job is to keep Israel clean (6.49).

Meanwhile, the Kohathites form a kind of menorah.

The text of 6.1–15 describes the Kohathites’ central stem/branch (i.e., the Aaronic line of high-priests: 6.1–15),

while the text of 6.54–60 describes their distribution throughout six other genealogies’ cities,

i.e., throughout cities in the ‘tribes/branches’ (מַטֶּה!) of Judah, Benjamin, and Manasseh:

And, of course, a menorah is ‘Levitically significant’ for other reasons besides.

Finally, the Chronicler’s non-Levitical genealogies can be seen as a set of ‘curtains’ which cover ch. 6’s Levitical vessels.

Consider, by way of illustration, the instructions for the construction of the tabernacle’s cover (Exod. 26.7–13).

Eleven curtains are to be made.

The curtains are to be divided into a group of five and a group of six;

the outermost curtain in each group is to be fitted with 50 loops;

the two outermost curtains are to be coupled together;

and the end product is to be draped over the tabernacle,

with the sixth curtain ‘doubled over’ at the entrance.

These instructions find a remarkable parallel in the Chronicler’s genealogies.

In 6.1ff., we have a description of the temple service (cp. 6.31, 48, etc.),

which has five tribes represented on one side of it (Judah, Simeon, Reuben, Gad, Manasseh)...

...and six on the other (Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Mannaseh, Ephraim, and Asher),

thanks once again to the structural quirks of our genealogies.

And, significantly, the sixth tribe/curtain is ‘doubled over’ insofar as Asher’s genealogy runs straight into Benjamin’s:

Furthermore, the outermost tribes (Judah and Benjamin) are textually ‘coupled together’ insofar as:

a] their genealogies converge on Jerusalem, where their descendants take up permanent residence (cp. 3.1–9 w. 8.28), and

b] the two ‘branches’ of Benjamin and Judah which settle there consist—like the loops on the tabernacle’s curtains—of exactly fifty members each.

Meanwhile:

FINAL REFLECTIONS:

The parallels outlined above are not merely literary niceties.

That Israel’s generations form a human temple is a notion laden with theological freight,

which provides an OT foundation for an array of NT doctrines.

It also provides us with important information about the intended structure and function of Israel’s society.

Central to the history of the world (ch. 1) is the history of Israel (ch. 2–8).

And central to the history of Israel is the worship of God,

which is founded on two vital principles.

First, family tradition: a line of high-priests, each of whom bequeathes his duties to his sons, who go on to do likewise (cp. 6.1–15 w. Psa. 145.4).

And, second, the maintenance/preservations of God’s appointed songs, roles, and responsibilities, each in their proper place (6.16–81).

Suffice it to say, these two principles have applications in every day and age,

and particularly, I believe, in the present day.

The worship of the Most High God has continued in far worse times than ours.

THE END.

P.S. Perhaps I’ll get to the oddities of Benjamin next time round. Please Re-Tweet if you’ve been encouraged by this.