1 Book of the generation of Jesus Christ, Son of David, Son of Abraham. 2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat Juda and his brethren; 3 and Juda begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom, and Esrom begat Aram, 4 and Aram begat Aminadab, and Aminadab begat Naasson, and Naasson begat Salmon, 5 and Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse, 6 and Jesse begat David the king. And David begat Solomon, of her [that had been the wife] of Urias; 7 and Solomon begat Roboam, and Roboam begat Abia, and Abia begat Asa, 8 and Asa begat Josaphat, and Josaphat begat Joram, and Joram begat Ozias, 9 and Ozias begat Joatham, and Joatham begat Achaz, and Achaz begat Ezekias, 10 and Ezekias begat Manasses, and Manasses begat Amon, and Amon begat Josias, 11 and Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, at the time of the carrying away of Babylon. 12 And after the carrying away of Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel, and Salathiel begat Zorobabel, 13 and Zorobabel begat Abiud, and Abiud begat Eliakim, and Eliakim begat Azor, 14 and Azor begat Sadoc, and Sadoc begat Achim, and Achim begat Eliud, 15 and Eliud begat Eliazar, and Eliazar begat Matthan, and Matthan begat Jacob, 16 and Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17 All the generations, therefore, from Abraham to David [were] fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away of Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the carrying away of Babylon unto the Christ, fourteen generations. 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was thus: His mother, Mary, that is, having been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child of [the] Holy Spirit. 19 But Joseph, her husband, being [a] righteous [man], and unwilling to expose her publicly, purposed to have put her away secretly; 20 but while he pondered on these things, behold, an angel of [the] Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, fear not to take to [thee] Mary, thy wife, for that which is begotten in her is of [the] Holy Spirit. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this came to pass that that might be fulfilled which was spoken by [the] Lord, through the prophet, saying, 23◆ Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is, being interpreted, 'God with us.' 24 But Joseph, having awoke up from his sleep, did as the angel of [the] Lord had enjoined him, and took to [him] his wife, 25 and knew her not until she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.
Matthew 1 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Abiud
A son of Zerubbabel known almost entirely from Matthew's genealogy.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:13
Achim
An ancestor of Jesus whose name alone survives in the Gospel record.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:14
Amminadab
His family rose to prominence in Judah around the time of the Exodus.
Cited in the guide: Exod. 6:23; Ruth 4:19-20; 1 Chron. 2:10; Matt. 1:4
Amon
A short-lived wicked king, assassinated by his own officials.
Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 21:19-26; 2 Chron. 33:21-25; Matt. 1:10
Asa
A reforming king who tore down idols and trusted the LORD against vast armies.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 15:9-24; 2 Chron. 14-16; Matt. 1:7-8
Azor
A silent generation in the line, preserved only as a name in Matthew.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:13-14
Boaz
The kind landowner of Bethlehem who redeemed and married Ruth the Moabite.
Cited in the guide: Ruth 2-4; 1 Chron. 2:11-12; Matt. 1:5
David
The shepherd who became Israel's greatest king and a man after God's own heart.
Cited in the guide: 1 Sam. 16 - 1 Kings 2; 2 Sam. 7; 1 Chron. 2:15; Matt. 1:6
Eliakim
An otherwise unknown ancestor recorded in Matthew's line to Christ.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:13
Eliud
A quiet name in the closing stretch of Matthew's genealogy.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:14-15
Jacob
The father of Joseph in Matthew's genealogy, on the eve of the Messiah's coming.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:15-16; cf. Luke 3:23
Jesse
The Bethlehemite whose youngest son David was anointed king of Israel.
Cited in the guide: 1 Sam. 16:1-13; Isa. 11:1; Ruth 4:22; Matt. 1:5-6
Jesus
The Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35): the promised Son of David and Son of Abraham, 'the Word became flesh.' Joseph,…
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:1, 16-17; Luke 3:23-38; John 1:14; Rom. 1:3
Joram
A king who married into Ahab's house and led Judah into idolatry.
Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 8:16-24; 2 Chron. 21; Matt. 1:8
Joseph
The carpenter of Nazareth, a just man who became Jesus' legal father.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:16-25; 2:13-23; Luke 1:27; 2:1-7
Mary
The virgin mother of Jesus, a young woman of Nazareth who trusted God's word.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 1; Luke 1-2
Matthan
The grandfather of Joseph in Matthew's genealogy, otherwise unknown.
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:15
Obed
Son of Boaz and Ruth, and grandfather of King David.
Cited in the guide: Ruth 4:13-22; 1 Chron. 2:12; Matt. 1:5; Luke 3:32
Ruth
The loyal Moabite widow whose devotion made her great-grandmother of King David.
Cited in the guide: Ruth 1-4; Matthew 1:5
Salmon
He married Rahab of Jericho and fathered Boaz as Israel settled the land.
Cited in the guide: Ruth 4:20-21; 1 Chron. 2:11; Matt. 1:4-5
Solomon
David's son who built the temple and became famous for God-given wisdom.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 1-11; 1 Chron. 3:5; Matt. 1:6-7
Cross references (22)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Genesis 22:18; Romans 1:3; Galatians 3:16; Revelation 22:16; Psalm 132:11
- 2 Acts 7:8; Hebrews 11:17–18; Genesis 21:2–5; Genesis 46:8–27; Genesis 25:26
- 3 Genesis 38:24–27; Genesis 38:29–30; Genesis 46:12; Ruth 4:18–22; 1 Chronicles 4:1
- 4 1 Chronicles 2:10–12; Numbers 1:7; Numbers 7:12; Numbers 2:3; Numbers 10:14
- 5 Ruth 1:16–17; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25; Ruth 1:22–2:4; Joshua 6:22–25
- 6 1 Kings 15:5; 1 Samuel 17:12; 2 Samuel 23:1; 2 Samuel 12:24–25; 1 Samuel 16:1
- 7 2 Chronicles 14:1–15; 1 Kings 15:8–23; 1 Chronicles 3:10–14; 1 Kings 14:31; 2 Chronicles 13:7
- 8 1 Chronicles 3:11; 2 Chronicles 26:1–23; 2 Kings 3:1; 1 Kings 22:2–50; 2 Chronicles 21:1
- 9 2 Kings 15:32–16:20; Isaiah 7:1–13; Isaiah 36:1–22; 2 Kings 18:1–20; 2 Chronicles 26:21
- 10 2 Chronicles 32:33–35:27; 1 Kings 13:2; 1 Chronicles 3:13–15; Jeremiah 1:2–3; 2 Kings 20:21–23:30
- 11 Jeremiah 27:20; Jeremiah 52:28–30; Jeremiah 52:11–15; 2 Kings 23:31–24:20; 2 Kings 25:11
- 12 1 Chronicles 3:17; Ezra 3:2; Haggai 1:14; Luke 3:27; 1 Chronicles 3:19–24
- 16 Matthew 27:17; Luke 3:23; John 4:25; Luke 1:31–35; Matthew 27:22
- 17 Matthew 1:11–12; 2 Kings 24:14
- 18 Galatians 4:4–5; Luke 1:27–38; Hebrews 10:5; Job 14:4; Genesis 3:15
- 19 Deuteronomy 22:21–24; Deuteronomy 24:1–4; John 8:4–5; Mark 6:20; Genesis 38:24
- 20 Proverbs 3:5–6; Luke 1:19; Matthew 1:18; Joel 2:28; Luke 2:4
- 21 Acts 13:23; Acts 4:12; John 1:29; 1 John 3:5; Colossians 1:20–23
- 22 Luke 24:44; 1 Kings 8:15; Matthew 2:23; Acts 3:18; 1 Kings 8:24
- 23 Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6–7; Psalm 46:11; John 1:14; Isaiah 12:2
- 24 John 15:14; James 2:21–26; John 2:5–8; Exodus 40:32; Exodus 40:16
- 25 Luke 2:21; Exodus 13:2; Exodus 22:29; Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:7
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
Why does my Bible say something different?
- Isaiah 7:14: “a virgin” or “the young woman”?
The Hebrew text of Isaiah 7:14 says ha-almah, “the young woman.” The Greek Septuagint, translated by Jews before the time of Christ, says hē parthenos, “the virgin,” and St Matthew quotes that Greek wording (Matthew 1:23). The Orthodox Church reads the Septuagint here, as the Apostles did. The faith in the virgin birth does not rest on one Hebrew word, but the word still deserves an honest look.
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Do ye indeed remember the charge, which we lately made you, entreating you to hearken unto all the things that are said with all silence, and mystical quietness? For we are to-day to set foot within the holy vestibule, wherefore I have also put you in mind of the charge.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… time brought her good news, saying, "Behold, thou shalt conceive of the Holy Ghost, and shalt bear a Son, and He shall be called the Son of the Highest, and thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins," --as they who have recorded all that concerns our Saviour Jesus Christ have taught, whom …
Then again Matthew, when speaking of the angel, says, "The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in sleep." Of what Lord he does himself interpret: "That it may be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, Out of Egypt have I called my son." "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bring forth a son, and …
… the days of heaven." Which words, when rightly understood, are all understood to be about the Lord Jesus Christ, under the name of David, on account of the form of a servant, which the same Mediator assumed from the virgin of the seed of David. For immediately something is said about the sins of his children, such as is set …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
3. "And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar." "What doest thou, O man, putting us in remembrance of a history that contains an unlawful intercourse?" But why is this said?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)