And the sons of Neariah; Elioenai, and Hezekiah, and Azrikam, three.
This verse stands in the long genealogical lists of 1 Chronicles 1-3, strings of hard-to-pronounce names that are often regarded as dry and uninteresting and as concerned largely with chronology. Its individual names, Elioenai and Hezekiah and Azrikam as sons of Neariah, are given with no further detail. Those genealogical records preserved hereditary descent that was needed after the exile for assigning land and for maintaining temple service.
Despite its apparent dryness, the record shows the preservation of God's children and the integrity of the tribes, especially how carefully the genealogy of the tribe of Judah was preserved through whom Christ came. The careful keeping of such genealogies shows that God is particular, and it reflects His keeping of a faithful record of each soul in the books of heaven. This verse belongs to that genealogy of Judah, which was kept unbroken until Christ's first advent because Jesus was of the tribe of Judah and of the family of David according to prophecy. The genealogy of Levi was likewise kept because the Aaronic priesthood had to continue until the Jews ceased from being a nation and that priesthood was superseded by that of Christ.
This verse stands in the long genealogical lists of 1 Chronicles 1-3, strings of hard-to-pronounce names that are often regarded as dry and uninteresting and as concerned largely with chronology. Its individual names, Elioenai and Hezekiah and Azrikam as sons of Neariah, are given with no further detail. Those genealogical records preserved hereditary descent that was needed after the exile for assigning land and for maintaining temple service.
Despite its apparent dryness, the record shows the preservation of God's children and the integrity of the tribes, especially how carefully the genealogy of the tribe of Judah was preserved through whom Christ came. The careful keeping of such genealogies shows that God is particular, and it reflects His keeping of a faithful record of each soul in the books of heaven. This verse belongs to that genealogy of Judah, which was kept unbroken until Christ's first advent because Jesus was of the tribe of Judah and of the family of David according to prophecy. The genealogy of Levi was likewise kept because the Aaronic priesthood had to continue until the Jews ceased from being a nation and that priesthood was superseded by that of Christ.