In today's section we read about:
Lots of genealogies of the Israelites, from Adam through to the exile
The first people to return from exile in Babylon
Some things that struck me:
It is very easy to skim over the genealogies and not really read it. However, I was wondering about all these people, who are just a name in a long list. Kinda puts into perspective the transience of our lives, and yet our names are written in God's roll of life.
Amalek was a descendant of Esau (1:36)
Compare 2:4 with Lev 18:15
I hadn't realised that Joab, who was the commander of David's army, was David's cousin, which didn't prevent him telling Solomon to sort him out.
I think the Bezalel in 2:18 is the master craftsman whom Moses put in charge of making many of the objects for the Tabernacle (Ex 31:2).
4:9-10 - I've seen bookmarks in Christian bookshops with the Prayer of Jabez on it, but it had never really registered with me. But, the chronicler takes time out from his genealogies to single out a man, who doesn't appear to have been a clan leader, yet who was righteous. It's not even the most memorable of prayers, but rather has a certain simplicity. The key thing is that God granted him his request.
5:1-2 is interesting. I'd remarked before that Reuben had been supplanted by Judah as the most prominent of the tribes, but I hadn't appreciated that the birthright belonged to Joseph.
6:31 - Interesting that musicians were listed before the priests. David certainly set a huge store on their ministry.
I wonder about some of these comments, eg 7:40 "they were all select men - mighty warriors and outstanding leaders", and 9:13 "they were heads of clans and all very able men".
In ch 9 it is notable that the first returnees were priests and musicians - whether this is just because these people would not have been a threat to the Babylonian authorities, or if there is some deeper significance, I do not know.
I'm also not sure why we have the genealogy repeated in 9:35-44 after we had in 8:29-39
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