And Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah;
This verse preserves part of Judah's genealogy, tracing Ram begetting Amminadab and Amminadab begetting Nahshon, who is identified as prince and leader of the children of Judah. It belongs to the genealogical lists in Chronicles, which record names and events and give particular attention to Judah and the priesthood. It also places Amminadab in Aaron's family connections through his daughter Elisheba, whom Aaron married.
It is part of the genealogical records that preserved hereditary descent needed after the exile to assign land to its rightful owners and to resume temple service through those with inherited duties. Judah's genealogy was preserved unbroken until Jesus' first coming, and its careful preservation matters because Christ came through it, Jesus being of Judah and David's family as prophecy foretold.
The verse is an example of the long genealogical lists in Scripture, which may not interest or benefit every reader equally but contain material for study and are part of the Bible's varied provision for people of different interests and abilities. The genealogical record shows that God keeps a faithful record of each person and remembers them all by name, even people who lived thousands of years ago whom no one knows anything about and whom folks forgot long ago, including both prosperous men and failures. Because God does not change, His keeping of these ancient names proves He still keeps the names of obscure and downhearted people who feel like failures safe and sure in His own lists, and reading the lists gives comfort.
This verse preserves part of Judah's genealogy, tracing Ram begetting Amminadab and Amminadab begetting Nahshon, who is identified as prince and leader of the children of Judah. It belongs to the genealogical lists in Chronicles, which record names and events and give particular attention to Judah and the priesthood. It also places Amminadab in Aaron's family connections through his daughter Elisheba, whom Aaron married.
It is part of the genealogical records that preserved hereditary descent needed after the exile to assign land to its rightful owners and to resume temple service through those with inherited duties. Judah's genealogy was preserved unbroken until Jesus' first coming, and its careful preservation matters because Christ came through it, Jesus being of Judah and David's family as prophecy foretold.
The verse is an example of the long genealogical lists in Scripture, which may not interest or benefit every reader equally but contain material for study and are part of the Bible's varied provision for people of different interests and abilities. The genealogical record shows that God keeps a faithful record of each person and remembers them all by name, even people who lived thousands of years ago whom no one knows anything about and whom folks forgot long ago, including both prosperous men and failures. Because God does not change, His keeping of these ancient names proves He still keeps the names of obscure and downhearted people who feel like failures safe and sure in His own lists, and reading the lists gives comfort.