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

The Book — That is, a roll or register, catalogue or calendar, a ciphering and summing up. (Genesis 5:1 , æç ñôø úåìãú αυτη η βιβλος γενεξεως .)

Of the generations — That is, of the genealogies, as touching his humanity (St Matthew’s main drift), for touching on his divinity (St John’s chief scope and subject), "who can declare his generation?" Isaiah 53:8 ; "What is his name and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?"Proverbs 30:4; Proverbs 30:4 . He is without descent or pedigree, as Melchisedec, Hebrews 7:3 .

Of Jesus Christ — Jesus shows he was God (for "besides me there is no Saviour," Isaiah 45:21 ). Christ, that he was man, the anointed; for in respect of his manhood chiefly is this anointing with gifts and graces attributed to Christ. The name of Jesuits, therefore, savoureth of blasphemous arrogance. One of their own gives the reason; -becanse he hath communicated unto us the thing signified by the name Christ, but not by the name Jesus. Rem signatam nomine Christi nobis communicavit, non autem Iesu. Lindwood. And yet it is notoriously known (saith Dr Fulke, out of another of their own writers) that the most honourable name of Christians is in Italy and at Rome a name of reproach, and usually abused to signify a fool or a dolt. (Fulke in Rhem. Testara. on Acts xi., sect. 4, out of Christoph. Franch. Col. Jesuit. in fine. )

The Son of David — God’s darling, David, amatus vel amabilis. Unde Dido Poenis, Hinc Solomon dictus est Iedidiah. one that observed all his wills, Acts 13:22 , and faithfully served out his time, Acts 13:36 .

The son of Abraham — The friend of God and father of the faithful, reckoned here (for honour’s sake) as the next immediate father of Christ, whose day indeed he saw and rejoiced, John 8:56 ; ( ηγαλλιασατο ); he laughed, yea, leapt for joy of this man child to be born into the world. Whose children we are, so long as we walk in the steps of his faith; that Christ, being formed in us, may "see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied,"Isaiah 53:10-11; Isaiah 53:10-11 ; he may "see his seed, and prolong his days upon earth." Such honour have all his saints, Psalms 149:9 .

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

Abraham begat Isaac — The fruit, not more of his flesh than of his faith, Vere fuit Isaac beatae senectutis et emeritae fidei filius. Bucholcer. whence he is said to be "born after the spirit,"Galatians 4:29; Galatians 4:29 .

Isaac begat Jacob — After twenty years’ expectance, and many a hearty prayer put up therewhile, Genesis 25:21 . The Hebrew word is, "to frequent and multiply prayer." So Adam lived "an hundred and twenty years ere he begat Seth;" whom God set as another seed instead of Abel,Genesis 5:3; Genesis 5:3 ; cf. Genesis 4:25 , when Cain’s family flourished and grew great in the earth. God usually stays so long that he hardly finds faith, Luke 18:8 , till men have done expecting, and then he doth things that they look not for, Isaiah 64:3 . Wait therefore upon him who waits to be gracious; and know this, that he is a God of judgement, Isaiah 30:18 , that is, a wise God, one that chooseth his times, and knows best when to deal forth his favours. See Isaiah 49:8 ; cf.Psalms 69:13; Psalms 69:13 . Everything is beautiful in its season, saith Solomon, Ecclesiastes 3:11 .

Jacob begat Judah and his brethren — Brethren in iniquity (the most of them), a part of their father’s punishment, for that three-fold lie in a breath, Genesis 27:19-20 . Reuben was the beginning of his strength, "excelling in dignity and power," Genesis 49:3 , that is (saith the Chaldee Paraphrast), in the principality and the priesthood. Both which he forfeited by his foul offence; the former to Judah, the latter to Levi. Howbeit, upon his return to God (though disinherited of the birthright, yet) he had this honour of an elder brother, that he was first provided for. But Judah was he "whom his brethren should praise" (saith Jacob), in allusion to his name and in reference to his privilege, Genesis 49:8 ; for it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah ( ανατεταλκεν ), Hebrews 7:14 , that branch from on high ( ανατολη ), Luke 1:78 , that Shiloh, which some interpret His son (R. David). Others (Tranquillator, Salvator), the Prosperer, Pacificator, Safe Maker, … Tranquillator, Salvator, a themate Salah, unde Shalvah, tranquillitas. Unde etiam Lat. Salvere, Salvus, Salvare. Amama. Others, the son of her secundines, The placenta and other adjuncts of a foetus extruded from the womb after the expulsion of the foetus in parturition; the afterbirth. ŒD which is the tunicle A membrane enclosing a bodily organ, ŒD that wrappeth the child in the womb.

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

And Judah begat Phares and Zarah — Jerome is deceived, that deriveth the pedigree of the Pharisees from this Phares. They took their name either of Pharash, to expound as interpreters of the law, Romans 2:18 ; or of Pharas, to separate with a-"Stand further off, for I am holier than thou." Josephus saith, that the Pharisees seemed to outstrip all others both in height of holiness and depth of learning: συνταγμα τι Ιουδαιων ευσεβεστερων τον βιον, και δοκουντωνακριβεστερον των αλλων τον νομον εφηγεισθαι . B. J. i. 4. As for Pharos, he was a breachmaker (whence also he had his name, Genesis 38:29 ). He violently took the first birthright, and became both a father of the Messiah and a type. For Christ by his strength broke the power of death and hell; he broke down also the partition wall that was between the Jews and Gentiles, who when they shall be fully born, then shall the Jews, typified by Zarah, who thrust forth the hand first, as those that, willing to be justified by their works, and thinking to regenerate themselves, had the scarlet thread of the law’s condemnation bound upon their hands, which therefore they drew back and fell from God, -then shall they, I say, come forth again, Romans 11:11-12 ; Romans 11:25-26 .

Of Thamar — A Canaanitess, but probably a proselyte. The Jews say she was Melchisedec’s daughter, the high priest, and was therefore to be burned, Leviticus 21:9 . But this may well pass for a Jewish fable: howbeit, that Melchisedec was a Canaanite, but a most righteous king and priest of the most high God, and was therefore not molested or meddled with by Kedarlaomer and his accomplices, I judge not unlikely. This Thamar, out of desire, partly of revenge, and partly of issue, fell into the sin of incest. Rahab was a harlot, Bathsheba an adulteress: yet all these grandmothers to our Saviour; who, because he needed not to be ennobled by his stock, so neither was disparaged by his progenitors, but took flesh of these greatest sinners to show that we cannot commit more than he can remit; and that by his purity he washeth off all our spots, like as the sun wasteth and wipeth away all the ill vapours of the earth and air.

And Phares begat Esrom — When he was about fourteen years of age, the year before they went down to Egypt, say some: others view it otherwise. (Pareus in Gen.; Funccius in Chronol. Com., Anno 2273.) Let him that readeth understand as he can. Christ (the Arch-Prophet), when he comes again, shall teach us all things.

Esrom begat Aram — While they sojourned in the land of Egypt; a miserable home, where was nothing but bondage and tyranny. And yet in reference to it, Moses (who was likewise born there) calls his son Gershom, or a stranger there, because born in Midian. The sons of Ephraim, about the birth of Moses, sought to break prison before God’s delivery: but this proved a great mischief to themselves, and no small heart break to their aged father, 1 Chronicles 7:21-22 Psalms 78:9 . Besides that, it gave occasion, likely, to that cruel edict of Pharaoh: "Let us deal wisely" (St Stephen saith sophistically, subtilly, κατασοφισαμενος , Acts 7:19 ), "lest they multiply and join also to our enemies, and fight against us" (as now they have fought against the Gittites, their own enemies, who detained from them the promised land, till their sins were full), and "so get them up out of the land," as lately they had essayed to do. "Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens,"Exodus 1:11; Exodus 1:11 , and to keep them from spawning so fast, after the manner of fishes (as the word imports), which multiply beyond measure. But God turned their wisdom into folly; they took a wrong course. For who knows not that your labouring men have the most and the strongest children? And notwithstanding this new Pharaoh’s craft and cruelty,

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

Aram begat Aminadab, and Aminadab begat Naasson — Who was hung up in the wilderness, among the rest of their rulers, for folly committed with the mistresses of Moab. Neither escaped the common sort scot-free, for they fell in one day "three and twenty thousand," saith St Paul, 1 Corinthians 10:8 ; "Four and twenty thousand," saith Moses: whereof a thousand were the chief princes, the other were inferiors provoked to sin by their example. But why doth the apostle insist in the special punishment of the people? To show, saith learned Junius, how rigid and slender their defence is, how short their covering, who plead and pretend for their sins the example of their superiors.

And Naasson begat Salmon — Called, 1 Chronicles 2:11 , Salmah. There was also a mount of this name (as touching the sound, though with difference of one letter in the original) whither Abimelech and his host resorted, Judges 9:48 ; and whereof the Psalmist speaketh: "When the Almighty scattered kings, they shall be white as snow in Salmon." Now the story is told of Andronicus, the old Emperor of Constantinople, that all things going cross with him, he took a Psalter into his hand to resolve his doubtful mind; and opening the same, as if it were of that heavenly oracle to ask counsel, he lighted upon this verse, and was thereby comforted and directed what to do for his greatest safety. To be "white as snow in Salmon" Psalms 68:14 is to have joy in affliction, light in darkness. "Salmon" signifieth shady and dark: so this mount was with dens and glimness but made lightsome by snow. Hoc autem obiter But this in way of passing.

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

And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab — This the Evangelist might have by tradition. Salmon’s genealogy is set down, 1 Chronicles 2:9-17 Ruth 4:18-22 ; but whom he married, nothing is reported.

And Booz begat Obed of Ruth — While Orphah lacks bread in her own country, Ruth is grown a great lady in Bethlehem, and advanced to be great grandmother to the King of kings. There is nothing lost by God’s service. η μυριομακαριοτης εστιν εν τη ευσεβεια .

And Obed begat Jesse — A good old man, but not very famous. Retired it seems he was, and drawn much up into himself; Λαθε βιωσας . Vivetibi, quantumque potes, praelustria vita. neither thinking great things of himself, nor seeking great things for himself; but living among his own people; much of his son David’s disposition, who loves his book the better since he saw the court, and sings, Beatas ille qui procul negotiis, … (Horat.) Non vixit male, qui natus moriensque fefellit. He is not the least happy that is least observed.

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

And Jesse begat David the king — But that was not his chief title: he gloried more in styling himself the servant of the Lord, Psalms 36:1 , tit. So Theodosius esteemed it a greater honour that he was membrum Christi member of Christ than Caput Imperii, head of the empire. Numa etiam του θεου υπηρεσιαν βασιλευειν existimabat. Numa held the service of God the highest honour. (Plut. in Vit.)

David the king begat Solomon — Whom Bellarmine reckoneth for a reprobate: but (besides that he was God’s corculum, little heart, and by him called Jedediah) he calleth himself in his sacred retractations, Coheleth; which being interpreted the Preacher, is a word of the feminine termination, and by some rendered aggregata, where understanding the substantive anima, they conclude herehence that he was renewed by repentance and reunited to the Church.

Of her that had been the wife of Uriah — His best children he had by this wife: the fruit of humiliation doubtless. ( Peccatum tametsi non bonum, tamen in bonum. Aug.) The barren women’s children are observed to have been the best, as Isaac, Samuel, John Baptist, …, for like reason.

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

And Solomon begat Roboam — A child of forty years old, a soft spirited man; the Scripture notes him a ôäé , easily drawn away by evil counsel. Green wood will, by nature warp. Of him it might be said, as once it was of a certain prince in Germany, Esset alias, si esset apud alios (Bucholcer). But a man would wonder, that by so many wives Solomon should have but one son, and him none the wisest either. Heroum filii noxae, He might (likely) bewail his own unhappiness in Rehoboam, Ecclesiastes 2:18-19 , as he is thought to do in Jeroboam, Proverbs 20:21 . His mother was an Ammonitess: the birth follows the belly: the conclusion follows the weaker proposition.

And Roboam begat Abia — A man not right, yet better than his father: and for this to be commended, that he held and pleaded the true worship and services of God as the beauty and bulwark of his kingdom: relying also upon God, he discomfited Jeroboam: Deo confisi, nunquam confusi.

And Abia begat Asa — A better son sprung of the seed of bad Abia, of the soil of worse Maachah, whom St Jerome makes to be a worshipper of that abominable idol Priapus, otherwise called Baalpeor, Numbers 25:5 . For thus he translates that,1 Kings 15:13; 1 Kings 15:13: Insuper et Maachan matrem suam amovit, ne esset princeps in sacris Priapi, et in luco eius. Nos, pudore pulso, stamus sub Iove, coelis apertis, said the worshippers of Priapus. The people that came thereto (the sacrifice being ended) all stepped into a thicket, which was always planted near the altar of this god; Hosea 4:13 and there, like brute beasts, they promiscuously satisfied their lusts; thereby, as they conceived, best pleasing their god (Hackwell’s Apolog.). This villany Maachah may seem to have been guilty of, and was therefore worthily removed by her son Asa from being queen. Sedes prima, et vita ima, suit not well together. Dignitas in digno est ornamentum in luto, saith Salvian. Honour in a dishonest man is as a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout.

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

And Asa begat Josaphat — A godly king, but late witted, and therefore paid for his learning twice at least in holy history. One thing in the narration of his acts is very remarkable. He placed forces in all the fenced cities; yet it is not said thereupon that the fear of the Lord fell on the neighbouring nations. But when he had established a preaching ministry in all the cities, then his enemies feared and made no war, 2 Chronicles 17:10 . Solidissima regiae politiae basis (saith Paradinus in Symbolis) est verum Dei cultum ubivis stabilire: alias qui potest aut Deus Reges beare, a quibus negligitur; aut populus fideliter colere, qui de obsequio suo non recte instituitur? The ordinances of God are the beauty and bulwark of a place and people.

And Josaphat begat Joram — That lived undesired and died unlamented. While he lived there was no use of him, and when he died, no miss of him: no more than of the paring of the nails or sweeping of the house ( περιψηματα ). He lived wickedly, and died wishedly, as it is said of King Edwin (Daniel’s Hist.).

And Joram begat Ozias — Here Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah are written in the earth, not once set down in the roll: perhaps it was because they were imped in the wicked family of Ahab. This Uzziah, though a king, yet he loved husbandry, 2 Chronicles 26:10 . Thrift is the fuel of magnificence. He was at length a leper, yet still remained a king. Infirmities may deform us, they cannot dethrone us. The English laws (saith Camden, Elizabeth) pronounce, that the crown once worn quite taketh away all defects whatsoever: sure it is that when God once crowns a man with his grace and favour, that man is out of harm’s way for ever.

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