Comparative Biblical
Genealogies
It is commonly asserted that there are gaps
in the Biblical genealogies which make them unreliable in dating ancient
historical events. This leads many Christians to believe in an old earth which
is hundreds of thousands – if not billions – of years old. I decided to try to
document these genealogical gaps by trying to find discrepancies between
different genealogies in the Bible, but found, to my surprise that the ancient
genealogies agree from Adam to David with only one exception - the insertion of Cainan in the Luke account between Arphaxad and Shelah - and that the precise dating of each
person in the genealogy of Genesis 5 precludes assigning more than a couple
thousand years to the era between the creation of man and the flood of Noah.
SOME THINGS TO NOTE:
- There
is no universal standard for transliterating the Hebrew names into
English, so there are many variations of spelling from translation to
translation and even from genealogy to genealogy within the same
translation, but it should be pretty apparent when the same name is
spelled differently. In other cases, one person went by more than one
name, so different names in the geneaology may refer, in some cases, to
the same person (For example, Jechoniah is the same as Jehoiachin).
- There
are major differences between the three Genealogies which trace the royal
lines from David towards Jesus Christ. These geneaologies are tracing
different branches from the same family tree. Luke traces Mary’s
geneaology up from David’s son Nathan, whereas Matthew traces Joseph's
geneaology up from David’s son, Solomon, while Chronicles follows a
different son of Zerubbabel up. (Also, one line of the family tree could
have more generations over the same time period as another part of that
tree if people had children later in life in one branch, and earlier in
life in another branch.) So not all the gaps in the chart below
necessarily mean a gap in time or genealogy, they could just be different
families.
- Different
genealogical writers had different purposes. Ezra, for instance, was very
detailed in his treatment of the Old Testament Kings, whereas Matthew may
have just been hitting high points along the way from Abraham to Jesus. In
other cases, writers were focusing on the priestly line instead of the
kingly line.
Following is my comparison of genealogies in
the Bible. I would welcome any further input. ~Nate Wilson
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MATT. 1 |
LUKE 3 |
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Christ |
Jesus |
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Joseph |
“supposed Joseph” (actually Mary) |
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Heli |
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Jacob |
Matthat |
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Levi |
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Melchi |
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Matthan |
Janna |
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Joseph |
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Mattathias |
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Eliazar |
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Amos |
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Nahum |
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Esli |
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Eliud |
Nagge |
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Maath |
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Achim |
Mattathias |
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Semei |
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I CHRN 1-4 |
Joseph |
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Elioenai |
Sadoc |
Juda |
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Neariah |
Azor |
Joanna |
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Shecaniah |
Eliakim |
Rhesa |
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Hananiah |
Abiud |
Zorobabel |
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Zerubbabel |
Zorobabel |
Salathiel |
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Pedaiah |
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Neri |
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Shealtiel |
Salathiel |
Melchi |
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Jehoiachin |
Jechonias |
Addi |
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Jehoiakim |
Cosam |
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Josiah |
Josias |
Elmodam |
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Amon |
Amon |
Er |
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Manasseh |
Manasses |
Jose |
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Hezekiah |
Ezekias |
Eliezer |
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Ahaz |
Achaz |
Jorim |
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Jotham |
Joatham |
Matthat |
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Azariah |
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Levi |
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Amaziah |
Simeon |
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Joash |
Juda |
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Ahaziah |
Ozias |
Joseph |
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Jehoram |
Joram |
Jonan |
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Jehosaphat |
Jehosaphat |
Eliakim |
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Asa |
Asa |
Melea |
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Abijah |
Abia |
Menan |
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Rehoboam |
Roboam |
Mattatha |
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Solomon |
Solomon |
Nathan |
RUTH 4 |
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David |
David |
David |
David |
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Jesse |
Jesse |
Jesse |
Jesse |
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Obed |
Obed |
Obed |
Obed |
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Boaz |
Boaz m. Ruth |
Boaz |
Boaz m. Ruth |
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Salmon |
Salmon m. Rahab |
Salmon |
Salmon |
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Nahshon |
Nasson |
Naasson |
Nahshon |
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Aminadab |
Aminadab |
Aminidab |
Amminadab |
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Ram |
Aram |
Aram |
Ram |
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Hezrom |
Esrom |
Esrom |
Hezron |
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Perez |
Phares |
Phared |
Perez |
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Judah |
Judas |
Juda |
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Israel (Jacob) |
Jacob |
Jacob |
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Isaac |
Isaac |
Isaac |
GENESIS 11 |
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Abram |
Abraham |
Abraham |
Abraham |
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Terah |
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Thara |
Terah |
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Nahor |
Nachor |
Nahor |
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Serug |
Saruch |
Serug |
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Reu |
Ragau |
Reu |
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Peleg |
Phalec |
Peleg |
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Eber |
Hever |
Eber |
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Sehelah |
Sala |
Shelah |
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Cainan |
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Arphaxad |
GENESIS 5 |
Arphaxad |
Arphaxad |
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Shem |
Shem |
Sem |
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Noah |
Noah |
Noe |
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Lamech |
Lamech |
Lamech |
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Methuselah |
Methuselah |
Mathusala |
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Enoch |
Enoch |
Enoch |
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Jared |
Jared |
Jared |
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Mahalel |
Mahaleel |
Maleleel |
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Kenan |
Cainan |
Cainan |
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Enosh |
Enos |
Enos |
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Seth |
Seth |
Seth |
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Adam |
Adam |
Adam |
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The genealogies of the Priests likewise show much consistency:
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Ezra 7 |
I Chron 6 |
Exodus 6 |
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Ezra |
Jehozadak |
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Seraiah |
Seraiah |
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Azariah |
Azariah |
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Hilkiah |
Hilkiah |
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Shallum |
Shallum |
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Zadok |
Zadok |
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Ahitub |
Ahitub |
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Amariah |
Amariah |
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Azariah |
Azariah |
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Johanan |
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Azariah |
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Ahimaaz |
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Note |
Zadok |
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Repeated |
Ahitub |
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Names |
Amariah |
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Meraioth |
Meraioth |
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Zerahiah |
Zerahiah |
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Uzzi |
Uzzi |
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Buki |
Bukki |
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Abishua |
Abishua |
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Phineas |
Phineas |
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Eleazar |
Eliazar (Eli) |
Eleazar |
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Aaron (& Moses) |
Aaron (& Moses) |
Aaron (& Moses) |
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Amram |
Amram |
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Hebron |
Hebron |
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Kohath |
Kohath |
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Levi |
Levi |
I hope this serves to encourage you that the Bible is
accurate and true!
~Nate Wilson
