Matthew 1:17

Matthew 1:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.
• New Living Translation (NLT)All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.

Context of Matthew 1:17

15Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 16and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah. 18This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

Matthew 1:17 word by word

Πᾶσαι οὖν αἱ γενεαὶ ἀπὸ Ἀβραὰμ ἕως Δαυὶδ γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες καὶ ἀπὸ Δαυὶδ ἕως τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος ἕως τοῦ Χριστοῦ γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Soοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• the generationsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the generationsγενεάgenea · generationG1074
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• toἕωςheōs · untilG2193
• DavidΔαυείδ, Δαυίδ, ΔαβίδDabid · DavidG1138
• fourteenδεκατέσσαρεςdekatessares · fourteenG1180
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• the carrying away intoμετοικεσίαmetoikesia · deportationG3350
• BabylonΒαβυλώνBabulōn · BabylonG897
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Commentaries on Matthew 1:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Fourteen generations - See the note on Matthew 1:11. The Jews had a sort of technical method of summing up generations in this way. In Synopsis Sohar, p. 132, n. 18, we have the following words; "From Abraham to Solomon were fifteen generations; and then the moon was at the full. From Solomon to Zedekiah were other fifteen generations; the moon was then in the wane, and Zedekiah's eyes were put out." That is, the regal state came to its zenith of light…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17So all the generations … - This division of the names in the genealogical tables was doubtless adopted for the purpose of aiding the memory. It was common among the Jews; and other similar instances are preserved. The Jews were destitute of books besides the Old Testament, and they had but few copies of that among them, and those chiefly in their synagogues. They would therefore naturally devise plans to keep up the remembrance of the principal facts in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17Matthew says each time period has fourteen generations. But the first and third periods list only thirteen. A traditional Jewish and Old Testament method would count King David in both the first and second groups. It would include Jesus in the third group. This suggests Matthew is probably emphasizing the gematria (a system where letters represent numbers). The letters in the Hebrew word dawid (meaning "David") add up to fourteen. Matthew is emphasizing…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away--or migration. into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon--the migration of Babylon. unto Christ are fourteen generations--that is, the whole may be conveniently divided into three fourteens, each embracing one marked era, and each ending with a notable event, in the Israelitish annals. Such artificial aids…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 1:17

• Jesus, the Christ

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• Babylon
• Christ
• David
• Generation
• Interpret
• Minded
• Save
• Amaziah
• Antediluvian Patriarchs

Commentaries on Matthew 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings