This chapter and many that follow it repeat the genealogies we have hitherto met with in the sacred history, and put them all together, with considerable additions. We may be tempted, it may be, to think it would have been well if they had not been written, because, when they come to be compared with other parallel places, there are differences found, which we can scarcely accommodate to our satisfaction; yet we must not therefore stumble at the word, but bless God that the things necessary to salvation are plain enough. And since the wise God has thought fit to write these things to us, we should not pass them over unread. All scripture is profitable, though not all alike profitable; and we may take occasion for good thoughts and meditations even from those parts of scripture that do not furnish so much matter for profitable remarks as some other parts. These genealogies, 1. Were then of great use, when they were here preserved, and put into the hands of the Jews after their return from Babylon; for the captivity, like the deluge, had put all into confusion, and they, in that dispersion and despair, would be in danger of losing the distinctions of their tribes and families. This therefore revives the ancient landmarks even of some of the tribes that were carried captive into Assyria. Perhaps it might invite the Jews to study the sacred writings which had been neglected, to find the names of their ancestors, and the rise of their families in them. 2. They are still of some use for the illustrating of the scripture-story, and especially for the clearing of the pedigrees of the Messiah, that it might appear that our blessed Saviour was, according to the prophecies which went before of him, the son of David, the son of Judah, the son of Abraham, the son of Adam. And, now that he has come for whose sake these registers were preserved, the Jews since have so lost all their genealogies that even that of the priests, the most sacred of all, is forgotten, and they know not of any one man in the world that can prove himself of the house of Aaron. When the building is reared the scaffolds are removed. When the promised Seed has come the line that was to lead to him is broken off. In this chapter we have an abstract of all the genealogies in the book of Genesis, till we come to Jacob. I. The descents from Adam to Noah and his sons, out of Gen. 5, (Ch1 1:1-4). II. The posterity of Noah's sons, by which the earth was repeopled, out of Gen. 10, (v. 5-23). III. The descents from Shem to Abraham, out of Gen. 11, (Ch1 1:24-28). IV. The posterity of Ishmael, and of Abraham's sons by Keturah, out of Gen. 25, (Ch1 1:29-35). V. The posterity of Esau, out of Gen. 36, (v. 36-54). These, it is likely, were passed over lightly in Genesis; and therefore, according to the law of the school, we are made to go over that lesson again which we did not learn well.
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
1 Adam, Sheth, Enosh,
2 Kenan, Mahalaleel, Iered,
3 Henoch, Methushelah, Lamech,
4 Noah, She, Ham, and Iapheth.
5 The sonnes of Iapheth were Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Iauan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
6 And the sonnes of Gomer, Ashchenaz, and Iphath and Togarmah.
7 Also the sonnes of Iauan, Elishah and Tarshishah, Kittim, and Dodanim.
8 The sonnes of Ham were Cush, and Mizraim, Put and Canaan.
9 And the sonnes of Cush, Siba and Hauilah, and Sabta, and Raamah, and Sabtecha. Also the sonnes of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.
10 And Cush begate Nimrod, who began to be mightie in the earth.
11 And Mizraim begate Ludim and Anamim, Lehabim, and Naphtuhim:
12 Pathrusim also, and Casluhim, of whome came the Philistims, and Caphtorim.
13 Also Canaan begate Zidon his first borne, and Heth,
14 And the Iebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite,
15 And the Hiuuite, and the Arkite, and the Simite,
16 And the Aruadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite.
17 The sonnes of Shem were Elam and Asshur, and Arpachshad, and Lud, and Aram, and Vz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech.
18 Also Arpachshad begate Shelah, and Shelah begate Eber.
19 Vnto Eber also were borne two sonnes: the name of the one was Peleg: for in his dayes was ye earth deuided: and his brothers name was Ioktan.
20 Then Ioktan begate Almodad and Sheleph, and Hazermaueth and Ierah,
21 And Hadoram and Vzal and Diklah,
22 And Ebal, and Abimael, and Sheba,
23 And Ophir, and Hauilah and Iobab: all these were the sonnes of Ioktan.
24 Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah,
25 Eber, Peleg, Rehu,
26 Serug, Nahor, Terah,
27 Abram, which is Abraham.
28 The sonnes of Abraham were Izhak, and Ishmael.
29 These are their generations. The eldest sonne of Ishmael was Nebaioth, and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,
30 Mishma, and Dumah, Massa, Hadad, and Tema,
31 Ietur, Naphish and Kedemah: these are the sonnes of Ishmael.
32 And Keturah Abrahams concubine bare sonnes, Zimran, and Iokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah: and the sonnes of Iokshan, Sheba, and Dedan.
33 And the sonnes of Midian were Ephah, and Ephar, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah: All these are the sonnes of Keturah.
34 And Abraham begate Izhak: the sonnes of Izhak, Esau, and Israel.
35 The sonnes of Esau were Eliphaz, Reuel, and Ieush, and Iaalam, and Korah.
36 The sonnes of Eliphaz, Teman, and Omar, Zephi, and Gatam, Kenaz, and Timna, and Amalek.
37 The sonnes of Reuel, Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah.
38 And the sonnes of Seir, Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, and Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan.
39 And the sonnes of Lotan, Hori, and Homam, and Timna Lotans sister.
40 The sonnes of Shobal were Alian, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. And the sonnes of Zibeon, Aiah and Anah.
41 The sonne of Anah was Dishon. And the sonnes of Dishon, Amran, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.
42 The sonnes of Ezer were Bilhan, and Zaauan, and Iaakan. The sonnes of Dishon were Vz, and Aran.
43 And these were the Kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before a King reigned ouer the children of Israel, to wit, Bela the sonne of Beor, and the name of his citie was Dinhabah.
44 Then Bela died, and Iobab the sonne of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.
45 And whe Iobab was dead, Hussham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead.
46 And when Hussham was dead, Hadad the sonne of Bedad which smote Midian in the fielde of Moab, reigned in his steade, and the name of his citie was Auith.
47 So Hadad dyed, and Samlah of Mashrecah reigned in his stead.
48 And Samlah dyed, and Shaul of Rehoboth by the riuer reigned in his stead.
49 And when Shaul was dead, Baal-hanan the sonne of Achbor reigned in his stead.
50 And Baal-hanan dyed, and Hadad reigned in his stead, and the name of his citie was Pai, and his wiues name Mehetabel the daughter of Matred the daughter of Mezahab.
51 Hadad dyed also, and there were dukes in Edom, duke Timna, duke Aliah, duke Ietheth,
52 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon,
53 Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar,
54 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these were the dukes of Edom.