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What the Bible Says About Genealogy

Overview

The Bible addresses genealogy across 114 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Genesis, 1 Chronicles and Ezra. Closely related themes include Shem, Genealogies, Human Nature of Christ, the and Judah, the Tribe Of. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Arphaxad, Nahor, Terah and Abraham.

Key Bible verses about genealogy

Old Testament

Genesis

Genesis 4:16

And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

Genesis 4:17

And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. Enoch: Heb. Chanoch

Genesis 4:18

And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech. Lamech: Heb. Lemech

Genesis 4:19

And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

Genesis 4:20

And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.

Genesis 4:21

And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.

Genesis 4:22

And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah. instructer: Heb. whetter

Genesis 11:10

These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:

Genesis 11:11

And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:12

And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah:

Genesis 11:13

And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:14

And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber:

Genesis 11:15

And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:16

And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg: Peleg: Gr. Phalec

Genesis 11:17

And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:18

And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu:

Genesis 11:19

And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:20

And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug: Serug: Gr. Saruch

Genesis 11:21

And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:22

And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:

Genesis 11:23

And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:24

And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah: Terah: Gr. Thara

Genesis 11:25

And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:26

And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Genesis 11:27

Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.

Genesis 11:28

And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.

Genesis 11:29

And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.

Genesis 11:30

But Sarai was barren; she had no child.

Genesis 11:31

And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

Genesis 11:32

And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 1:1

Adam, Sheth, Enosh,

1 Chronicles 1:2

Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered,

1 Chronicles 1:3

Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech,

1 Chronicles 1:4

Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

1 Chronicles 1:5

The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

1 Chronicles 1:6

And the sons of Gomer; Ashchenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. Riphath: or, Diphath as it is in some copies

1 Chronicles 1:7

And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. Dodanim: or, Rodanim, according to some copies

1 Chronicles 1:8

The sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.

1 Chronicles 1:9

And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.

1 Chronicles 1:10

And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be mighty upon the earth.

1 Chronicles 1:11

And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,

1 Chronicles 1:12

And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (of whom came the Philistines,) and Caphthorim.

1 Chronicles 1:13

And Canaan begat Zidon his firstborn, and Heth,

1 Chronicles 1:14

The Jebusite also, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite,

1 Chronicles 1:15

And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,

1 Chronicles 1:16

And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite.

1 Chronicles 1:17

The sons of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech. Meshech: or, Mash

1 Chronicles 1:18

And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber.

1 Chronicles 1:19

And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; because in his days the earth was divided: and his brother's name was Joktan. Peleg: that is, division

1 Chronicles 1:20

And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,

1 Chronicles 1:21

Hadoram also, and Uzal, and Diklah,

1 Chronicles 1:22

And Ebal, and Abimael, and Sheba,

1 Chronicles 1:23

And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.

1 Chronicles 1:24

Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah,

1 Chronicles 1:25

Eber, Peleg, Reu,

1 Chronicles 1:26

Serug, Nahor, Terah,

1 Chronicles 1:27

Abram; the same is Abraham.

Ezra

Ezra 7:1

Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

Ezra 7:2

The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,

Ezra 7:3

The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,

Ezra 7:4

The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,

Ezra 7:5

The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:

Ezra 8:1

These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.

Ezra 8:2

Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush.

Ezra 8:3

Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty.

Ezra 8:4

Of the sons of Pahathmoab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males.

Ezra 8:5

Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males.

Ezra 8:6

Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males.

Ezra 8:7

And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males.

Ezra 8:8

And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore males.

Ezra 8:9

Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males.

Ezra 8:10

And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him an hundred and threescore males.

Ezra 8:11

And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males.

Ezra 8:12

And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him an hundred and ten males. the son: or, the youngest son

Ezra 8:13

And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.

Ezra 8:14

Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males. Zabbud: or, Zaccur, as some read

Ezra 8:15

And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi. abode: or, pitched

New Testament

Matthew

Matthew 1:1

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Matthew 1:2

Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;

Matthew 1:3

And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;

Matthew 1:4

And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;

Matthew 1:5

And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

Matthew 1:6

And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;

Matthew 1:7

And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;

Matthew 1:8

And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;

Matthew 1:9

And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;

Matthew 1:10

And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;

Matthew 1:11

And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: Josias: some read, Josias begat Jakim, and Jakim begat Jechonias

Matthew 1:12

And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;

Matthew 1:13

And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;

Matthew 1:14

And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;

Matthew 1:15

And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;

Matthew 1:16

And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Luke

Luke 3:23

And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,

Luke 3:24

Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,

Luke 3:25

Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,

Luke 3:26

Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,

Luke 3:27

Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri,

Luke 3:28

Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er,

Luke 3:29

Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi,

Luke 3:30

Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,

Luke 3:31

Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,

Luke 3:32

Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,

Luke 3:33

Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda,

Luke 3:34

Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor,

Luke 3:35

Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,

Luke 3:36

Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,

Luke 3:37

Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,

Luke 3:38

Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

People in the Bible and genealogy

Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.

In the Bible dictionary

Studying genealogy for yourself

  • Begin with Genesis 4:16, then read the passages below in canonical order.
  • Compare how Genesis, 1 Chronicles and Ezra each treat the theme.
  • Consider the lives of Arphaxad, Nahor and Terah and how their stories intersect with it.
  • Widen the study to related themes: Shem, Genealogies, Human Nature of Christ, the and Judah, the Tribe Of.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Bible say about genealogy?

The Bible addresses genealogy across 114 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Genesis, 1 Chronicles and Ezra. Closely related themes include Shem, Genealogies, Human Nature of Christ, the and Judah, the Tribe Of. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Arphaxad, Nahor, Terah and Abraham.

How many Bible verses are about genealogy?

The Bible references genealogy in 114 verses (King James Version).

Where does the Bible first mention genealogy?

In canonical order, the first of these passages is Genesis 4:16: “And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.”

Which people in the Bible are associated with genealogy?

Arphaxad, Nahor, Terah, Abraham and Serug.

Preach & teach

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