The Genealogy of Jesus: Luke continues his record of the genealogy of Jesus’s mother’s line all the way back to Adam. In this portion of the genealogy, Luke gives the lineage of twenty generations from Matthat to Neri.
There is no apparent parallel of Luke 3:24-27 in the Gospels.
The Gospel parallels for the entire genealogical accounts of Jesus are Luke 3:23-38 andMatthew 1:1-17.
In Luke 3:24-27, Luke continues his genealogy of Jesus’s lineage through the line of his mother Mary from Jesus’s great-grandfather Matthat through nineteen more generations to Neri, who likely lived during the time of Judah’s exile.
the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph (v 24).
…the son of Matthat… (v 24a)
Matthat was the father ofEli.
Matthat is listed as the great-grandfather of Jesus.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Matthat is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
In Matthew 1:15 a similar name, “Matthan,” is listed also as a great-grandfather of Jesus. This may be the same person, especially if Luke were writing Jesus’s paternal lineage. But it is more likely that Matthan and Matthat were different people. This is because Luke seems to be writing Jesus’s maternal lineage and Matthew wrote Jesus’s paternal lineage. Therefore, it is most likely that Matthan from Matthew’s genealogy is the grandfather of Joseph, while Mary’s grandfather listed by Luke was Matthat.
Matthan was a common Jewish name. (There are five similar names between Luke and Matthew’s genealogical accounts.)
The name Matthat is rooted in the Hebrew word “mattan” meaning “gift,” and the name means “God’s gift.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of the name Mattan, because He is God’s gift.
God sent Jesus, His Son, to be the ultimate gift to humanity (John 3:16,Romans 3:23-24,Ephesians 2:8-9). His life, death and resurrection made possible the forgiveness of sins and made a way for those who accept the gift to eternally be in fellowship with God. It is through Jesus that God made the Gift of Eternal Life available to us.
…the son of Levi… (v 24b)
Levi was the father ofMatthat.
This particular Levi does not appear to be mentioned anywhere else in the Bible.
Levi was and is a common Jewish name. There are two men named Levi in Jesus’s genealogy. The other is mentioned in Luke 3:29.
Throughout the history of Israel, the name Levi is mostly known for the priestly tribe descending from Levi, one of Jacob’s twelve sons.
In Hebrew, the name Levi comes from “lavah” meaning “joined to” “to twine” or “to unite.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of the name Levi, because in Him, believers are joined and unified together being equally forgiven and equally loved (John 17:21,Galatians 3:28). Jesus is the head that unites all believers together into His body (1 Corinthians 12:12).
…the son of Melchi… (v 24c)
Melchi was the father ofLevi.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Melchi is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
This is the first of two people named Melchi in Luke’s genealogy list. The other Melchi is found in Luke 3:28.
In Hebrew, the name Melchi comes from the Hebrew word for king (“melek”) and the “i” at the end can sometimes add the pronoun “my.” Therefore, Melchi means “my king.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of the name Melchi because He is the King of Kings (Revelation 19:16) and He has been given reign over every spiritual and physical realm (Philippians 2:9-11).
…the son of Jannai… (v 24d)
Jannai was the father ofMelchi.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Jannai is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The name Jannai in Hebrew is believed to mean “flourishing” or “the LORD’s favor.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of the name Jannai in three ways.
Jesus had the LORD’s favor because He pleased His Father. (Matthew 3:17, 17:5, John 8:29,Philippians 2:8-11,2 Peter 1:17)
Isaiah was prophetic of the LORD’s pleasure in the Messiah’s obedience unto death and how the Messiah would prosper and flourish for His obedience,
“But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.” (Isaiah 53:10)
Jesus brought the LORD’s favor and proclaimed the favorable year of the LORD. (Luke 4:16-21)
In Jesus, we are able to live abundantly and flourish as God created us to live. (John 10:10)
…the son of Joseph… (v 24e)
Joseph was the father of Jannai.
This is one of four Josephs in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus. And this particular Joseph does not appear to be mentioned anywhere else in the Bible.
There are four Josephs named in the Old Testament:
Joseph the Patriarch (Genesis 30:24)
Joseph a musician of the priestly line of Asaph (1 Chronicles 25:2)
Joseph, a man guilty of marrying a foreign woman (Ezra 10:42)
Joseph a Levite son of Shebaniah (Nehemiah 12:14)
There are seven Josephs (or variants of Joseph) mentioned in the New Testament and four of them are mentioned in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
Joseph (husband of Mary and the supposed father of Jesus) (Luke 3:23)
Joseph son of Mattathias and father of Jannai (Luke 3:24)
Josech (alternate form of Joseph) son of Joda and father of Semien (Luke 3:26)
Joseph son of Jonam and father of Judah (Luke 3:30)
Joseph, half-brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55)
Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who buried Jesus (Mark 15:43)
Joseph also called Barnabas (Acts 1:23)
In Hebrew, the name Joseph means “increase,” “let him add.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of the name of Joseph because He came to add to, enhance, and increase life with abundance of grace (John 10:10).
the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai (v 25)
…the son of Mattathias… (v 25a)
Mattathias was the father ofJoseph.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Mattathias is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
There are two Mattathias in Jesus’s genealogy. One is here in verse 25 and another mentioned in verse 26.
The name Mattathias is related to the name Matthew. The meaning of the Hebrew name for Mattathias is “God’s gift.”
Mattathias is a Greek form of a Hebrew name: “Mattithiah.” It means “gift of Yahweh.” The name “Matthew,” is from the same name-family and carries a similar meaning.
Jesus embodies the meaning of Mattathias’s namesake. As the Son of God, Jesus is God’s gift to the world (John 3:16). He is God’s “indescribable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15). And it is through Jesus that Gift of Eternal Life is given (John 10:28,Romans 3:23, 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9).
…the son of Amos… (v 25b)
Amos was the father ofMattathias.
The only likely reference in the Bible to this particular Amos is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The other Amos in the Bible is the prophet recorded in the Book of Amos.
The prophet Amos lived around 770-740 B.C., and therefore is not likely the same Amos who is listed here in Jesus’s genealogy.
This Amos who is listed in Jesus’s genealogy lived after Judah’s return from exile. This Amos likely lived sometime after 537 B.C. which was when Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to their homeland.
In Hebrew, the name Amos means “burden” or “burden-bearer.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of the name Amos in two ways.
Jesus sacrificially bore our burden of sin and shame on the cross. (Isaiah 53:4-6, 11-12, Hebrews 9:28,1 Peter 2:24)
Jesus invites us to exchange our heavy burdens for His light yoke. (Matthew 11:28-30)
Therefore, He has strength and power over every realm of Creation. His holiness, justice, and love are stronger than sin and death and He defeated them once and for all (Hebrews 2:14-15,Revelation 1:18).
…the son of Nahum… (v 25c)
Nahum was the father of Amos.
The only likely reference in the Bible to this particular Nahum is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The only other reference to Nahum in Scripture is the prophet whose ministry was around 655-615 BC, before Judah’s exile. The Nahum of Jesus’s line lived after the return from exile. It is interesting to note that the family members of Jesus’s line appear to have chosen to honor the prophets whose prophecies focused on judgment of Israel’s enemy nations.
In Hebrew, the name Nahum comes from “nacham” meaning “to sigh,” “to pity,” or “console.”
The meaning of this Nahum’s name is realized in Jesus Christ as He Himself knew what it was to be human, to be tempted and to suffer (Hebrews 4:15). He is able to console us because He knows our struggles and He cares for us (2 Corinthians 1:3-4,1 Peter 5:7).
…the son of Hesli… (v 25d)
Hesli was the father ofNahum.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Hesli is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The meaning of the name Hesli is unclear.
It could be a Greek rendering of the Hebrew name “Elioenai” (1 Chronicles 3:23-24, 4:36, 7:8, 26:3, Ezra 10:22, 10:27, Nehemiah 12:41). “Elioenai” means “my eyes are unto Yahweh.”
If this is the meaning of the name Hesli, then Jesus embodied it by fixing His eyes on the LORD. (Psalm 16:8,Luke 22:41-42,John 17:1,1 Peter 2:23)
The name Hesli could also be a Greek rendering of a Hebrew name that may be derived from the Hebrew words “hasah” and/or “hesed.” “Hesed” is the Hebrew word of “mercy” or God’s “lovingkindness.” “Hasah” is the Hebrew word for “refuge” and/or “trust.” When an “i” is added at the end of the name, it means “my.”
If Hesli is “hesed”-based, the name means “my mercy” or “mercy for me.”
If Hesli is “hasah”-based, the name means “my trust,” “my confidence,” or “my refuge.”
It is also possible the name is intentionally derived from both “hesed” and “hasah” and implies both senses in its meaning.
Jesus embodies both alternative meanings of Hesli’s name.
Jesus is the personification of God’s lovingkindness and mercy for us. (John 3:16,Ephesians 2:4-5)
Jesus is also the only One in whom we can place our trust (John 14:6,Acts 4:12)
He is our confidence. (Hebrews 3:6, 4:16, 1 John 5:13)
He is our refuge from our weariness and sin. (Matthew 11:28,2 Thessalonians 3:3,Hebrews 6:18-19)
Although the meaning of the name Hesli is uncertain, Jesus perfectly embodies what it may reflect. He fulfills all the possible meanings of Hesli which this commentary described.
…the son of Naggai… (v 25e)
Naggai was the father ofHesli.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Naggai is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The meaning of the Hebrew name Naggai is uncertain.
The Hebrew name Naggai could be related to the Hebrew word “nāgah,” which means “to shine” or “give light.”
If Naggai means to give light, then Jesus embodies its meaning in three ways:
As the Messiah, He is the Light of the World and Light of Men that shines in the darkness. (John 1:4-5,John 8:12)
When Jesus came, He fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy that those in darkness would “see a great light.” (Isaiah 9:2,Matthew 4:12-16)
Jesus calls upon His disciples to let their lights shine before men to God’s glory. (Matthew 5:14-16)
But it is also possible that Naggai is derived from the Hebrew word “naga” which means, “strike,” “to lay a hand upon,” “to seize,” or “to touch.”
If Naggai is related to the Hebrew term “naga,” then Jesus embodies the meaning of this name as He was seized and arrested and struck for our sins (Isaiah 50:6,Matthew 26:50, 67-68).
The son of Maath, son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda (v 26)
…the son of Maath… (v 26a)
Maath was the father of Naggai.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Maath is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The meaning of the Hebrew name Maath is uncertain.
Maath may be derived from the Hebrew word “me’at” which means “little,” “few,” “small,” “a small amount,” or even “insignificant.”
If the name Maath is derived from “me’at,” then Jesus embodied its meaning. Jesus embraced humility and became “small” for our sake. He fulfilled the meaning of the name Maath by humbling Himself and becoming small and insignificant on our behalf (Matthew 20:28,Luke 22:27,Philippians 2:6-7).
…the son of Mattathias… (v 26b)
Mattathias was the father of Maath.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Mattathias is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
There are two Mattathias in Jesus’s genealogy. This is the second Mattathias. The first Mattathias was already mentioned six generations later in verse 25.
Mattathias is a Greek form of a Hebrew name: “Mattithiah.” It means “gift of Yahweh.” The name “Matthew” is from the same name-family and carries a similar meaning.
Jesus embodies the meaning of Mattathias’s namesake. As the Son of God, Jesus is God’s gift to the world (John 3:16). He is God’s “indescribable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15). And it is through Jesus that Gift of Eternal Life is given (John 10:28,Romans 3:23, 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9).
Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection made possible the forgiveness of sins and made a way for those who accept the Gift of Eternal Life.
…the son of Semein… (v 26c)
Semein was the father of Mattathias.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Semein is here in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The name Semein is a Greek rendering of the Hebrew name “Shimei.”
The Greek rendering of “Shimei” to Semein could indicate that Semein lived sometime after Alexander the Great’s conquests and the subsequent Greek influence in Israel.
Luke may also have taken this Greek rendering of Semein from the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures called “the Septuagint.” The Septuagint would have been the version of the Old Testament that Luke’s primary audience (Greek believers) would have had access to.
The Bible explicitly identifies fifteen other figures by the name of Shimei:
Shimei, the son of Gershon, grandson of Levi and great-grandson of Jacob. He lived in Egypt, before the Israelites were enslaved. (Exodus 6:17,Numbers 3:18,1 Chronicles 6:17, 23:7-10)
Shimei, the son of Gera. Gera was a man who cursed King David and was later executed by Solomon. (2 Samuel 16:5-13, 19:16-23, 1 Kings 2:8-9, 36-46)
Shimei, son of Ela and father of Jonathan, who was loyal to David during Adonijah’s rebellion. (2 Samuel 21:21,1 Kings 1:8, 4:18)
Shimei, son of Libni. (1 Chronicles 6:29)
Shimei, the son of Pedaiah, related to Zerubbabel. (1 Chronicles 3:19)
Shimei, of the tribe Simeon who had sixteen sons and six daughters. (1 Chronicles 4:26-27)
Shimei, son of Gog, of the tribe of Reuben. (1 Chronicles 5:4)
Shimei, of the tribe of Benjamin (also known as “Shimhi”). (1 Chronicles 8:13, 21, 28)
Shimei, a temple singer. (1 Chronicles 25:17)
Shimei, the Ramathite, in charge of David’s vineyards. (1 Chronicles 27:27)
Shimei, a Levite involved in Hezekiah’s temple reforms. (2 Chronicles 29:14, 31:12-13)
Shimei, a Levite who married foreign wives. (Ezra 10:23)
Shimei, descendant of Hashum. (Ezra 10:33)
Shimei, a descendant of Binnui. (Ezra 10:38)
Shimei, the grandfather of Mordecai. (Esther 2:5)
Semein’s name in Hebrew (Shimei) means “renown.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of the name Semein (“renown”) in three ways:
Jesus’s fame spread throughout His nation and the surrounding regions during His ministry. (Matthew 4:24,Mark 6:33)
Through His disciples, Jesus’s renown has spread throughout the earth. (Matthew 28:18-20,Mark 16:15,Acts 1:8, 28:30-31)
Jesus’s name is exalted and His name is above every name. (Philippians 2:9-11)
…the son of Josech… (v 26d)
Josech was the father of Semein.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Josech is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
Josech appears to be a variant form of the name Joseph. Hebrew for “let him add,” this is the third of four Josephs in Jesus’s genealogy.
The other three Josephs in Jesus’s genealogy are:
Joseph (husband of Mary and the supposed father of Jesus) (Luke 3:23)
Joseph son of Mattathias and father of Jannai (Luke 3:24)
Joseph, son of Jonam and father of Judah (Luke 3:30)
As mentioned above, Jesus embodies the meaning of this name because He came to add to, enhance, and increase life with abundance of grace (John 10:10).
…the son of Joda… (v 26e)
Joda was the father of Josech.
The only likely reference in the Bible to Joda is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The name Joda appears to be a variant of the Greek rendering of the Hebrew name that is translated in English as “Judah.” (“Judas” is a more standard Greek rendering of Judah.)
Judah was one of the patriarchs, Jacob’s twelve sons. One of the twelve tribes of Israel was named after Judah and it was through Judah that the Messiah was to come. As Luke will record, Jesus is a descendant of Judah (v 33).
The Greek rendering of Judah to Joda indicates that Joda likely lived sometime after Alexander the Great’s conquests and the subsequent Greek influence in Israel.
There are three Judah’s in Jesus’s lineage through His mother, Mary. The other two Judahs are mentioned in Luke 3:30 (not the patriarch) and in Luke 3:33 (the patriarch).
In Hebrew, the name Judah means “to praise” or “praised one.”
As the Messiah, Jesus is the One whom all praise, blessing, honor, and glory are due (Jude 1:24-25). Jesus is praised as the only one worthy to open the scroll in Revelation 5:12. And everyone will praise Jesus and confess that He is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).
The son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri (v 27)
…the son of Joanan… (v 27a)
Joanan was the father of Joda.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Joanan is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The name Joanan appears to be a Greek rendering of the Hebrew name that is translated in English as “John.”
Other people named John in Scripture include:
John the Baptist, cousin of Jesus (Matthew 3:1)
John, son of Zebedee (Matthew 4:21)
John of the high priest’s family (Acts 4:6)
John, also known as Mark, who was the author of Mark’s Gospel (Acts 15:37)
In Hebrew, the name John comes from the Hebrew words Yahweh, the personal name of God, and chanan “to be gracious.” Therefore, in Hebrew, the name John means “Yahweh is gracious” or “Gift of God’s Grace.”
If Joanan is a form of John, then Jesus embodies the meaning of the namesake of his ancestor Joanan because He is the epitome of God’s grace. Through Jesus, we have all received “grace upon grace” (John 1:16) and in His coming to earth, “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men” (Titus 2:11).
…the son of Rhesa… (v 27b)
Rhesa was the father of Joanan.
The word Rhesa does not appear anywhere else in the Bible, except for here in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The meaning of Rhesa is unclear.
Rhesa could be a title rather than a personal name.
Rhesa could be the Greek variation of the Aramaic/Hebrew words “reisha”/”resh’a,” which mean “head,” “chief,” “leader.”
Rhesa could be the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Rephaiah.”
It is also unclear who Rhesa was. But unlike many of his immediate descendants (Luke 3:23b-27a), there may be some clues. What is clear is that Rhesa is in the lineage of Jesus.
There are a couple basic possibilities as to who Rhesa the son of Zerubbabel may have been.
Rhesa could have been a son of a different Zerubbabel (“Zerubbabel the obscure”) from the Zerubbabel whom the Old Testament records as leading Judah’s return from captivity.
If this is the case, then the details of Rhesa’s life are as equally unknown as every other figure in Luke’s genealogy between “Mattatha, the son of Nathan” (Luke 3:31) and “Eli,” Mary’s father (Luke 3:23).
Moreover, if Rhesa was the son of “Zerubbabel the obscure,” then Joseph and Mary’s lineages do not intertwine until King David. David was the father of both King Solomon, who was Joseph’s ancestor (Matthew 1:6-16,) and Nathan, who was Mary’s ancestor (Luke 3:23-31).
Finally, if Rhesa was son of “Zerubbabel the obscure,” then “the curse of Jeconiah” (Jeremiah 22:30) does not apply to him or his descendants because Rhesa would not be related to King Jeconiah in any way.
“The curse of Jeconiah” was the LORD’s declaration that none of Jeconiah’s descendants would ever sit on the throne of David (Jeremiah 22:30).
Rhesa could be the son (or grandson) of the Zerubbabel whom the Old Testament describes.
If this is the case, then Rhesa could be a biological son or an adopted son of this Zerubbabel. If Rhesa was a title for one of Zerubbabel’s seven sons listed in 1 Chronicles 3:19-20, then Rhesa’s given name would have been one of the following:
Meshullam;
Hananiah;
Hashubah;
Ohel;
Berechiah;
Hasadiah;
Jushab-hesed
Any of these men may have also been called Rhesa.
Or Rhesa could have been an adopted son of Zerubbabel, who was not named among the seven sons.
If Rhesa was adopted by Zerubbabel, then his adoption would also mean that the curse of Jeconiah (Zerubbabel’s grandfather) did not fall on him or his descendants, including Jesus.
Some claim that Rhesa could also be a Hellenized version of the name “Rephaiah” who was the son of Hananiah, who was the son of Zerubbabel (1 Chronicles 3:19). If Rhesa was the grandson of Zerubbabel, then Zerubbabel would have not been Rhesa’s father in the immediate sense, but the ancestral sense.
These are the apparent possibilities as to who Rhesa may have been.
As mentioned above, Rhesa could be a title meaning “head,” “chief,” “leader”; or Rhesa could also be a version of the Hebrew name, “Rephaiah.”
In Hebrew, Rephaiah means “healed of Yahweh.”
Jesus embodies the Hebrew meaning Rephaiah (Rhesa) in two major ways:
Jesus was healed of God, at His resurrection from the dead. (Psalm 16:10,Acts 2:29-32, 3:15, Romans 6:4, 10:9)
Jesus, the Son of God, heals people of their diseases; and He heals them of the deadly poison of sin. (Matthew 4:23,John 1:29, 3:14-16)
As the Messiah, Jesus also embodies the meaning of the title of Rhesa in four ways:
Jesus is the head of the church (Colossians 1:18,Ephesians 1:22)
Jesus is the leader of humanity and the King of kings (Isaiah 9:6-7,1 Timothy 6:14-15,Revelation 19:16)
Jesus is the heir to His father David’s throne (Luke 1:32)
Jesus has inherited all authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18).
…the son of Zerubbabel… (v 27c)
Zerubbabel was the father of Rhesa.
Zerubbabel may or may not have been mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus’s adoptive father, Joseph (Matthew 1:12-13).
If the Zerubbabel of Luke is the same Zerubbabel of Matthew then Luke’s genealogy of Jesus through His mother (Mary) converges with Matthew’s genealogy through (Joseph) His adoptive father at Zerubbabel.
If these are different Zerubbabels, then the two genealogies do not converge until King David (Matthew 1:6,Luke 3:31).
There are two possibilities as to who Zerubbabel may have been.
Zerubbabel the obscure
Zerubbabel the leader of the Jews during their return from Babylonian exile.
First, we will consider Zerubbabel the obscure.
Zerubbabel the obscure may or may not have existed. Zerubbabel the obscure is not mentioned at all in the Old Testament, which is why he is called “Zerubbabel the obscure.” If he did exist, then he would have been a different Zerubbabel than the Zerubbabel whom the Old Testament and whom Matthew 1:12-13 describe.
Perhaps most importantly, if this Zerubbabel in verse 27 is not the one mentioned in the Old Testament, then “the curse of Jeconiah” (Jeremiah 22:30) does not apply to him or his descendants, because he would not have descended from Jeconiah.
While it is possible that the Zerubbabel of Luke is different than the Zerubbabel of the Old Testament and Matthew, it seems more likely that they are the same person. This is because Shealtiel is the name of Zerubbabel’s father in the Old Testament (Ezra 3:2,Haggai 1:1) and Matthew (Matthew 1:12), and in Luke (v 27).
Next, we will consider the Zerubbabel of the Old Testament.
It seems likely that the Zerubbabel whom Luke names in verse 27 is the same Zerubbabel who is mentioned elsewhere in the Bible.
If they are the same, then Luke’s genealogy of Jesus’s mother (Mary) converges with Matthew’s genealogy of His adoptive father in the person of Zerubbabel.
Unless specified otherwise, when writing of Zerubbabel, these commentaries will write as though the Zerubbabel of the Old Testament, Matthew 1:12, andLuke 3:23 are the same person.
Zerubbabel led the first wave of Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity (Ezra 1:1-4, 2:1-2, 3:2-8, 4:2-3, 5:2, Nehemiah 7:6-7,Haggai 1:1, 12-14, 2:2-4, 21-23, Zechariah 4:6-10).
Consequently, Zerubbabel is a historically significant figure in Jesus’s lineage.
Zerubbabel was a highly recognized leader of the Jews as they return from Babylonian exile in the days of Cyrus, king of Persia (Ezra 2:1-2). Cyrus issued a decree allowing for Israel’s return to their homeland (2 Chronicles 36:22-23,Ezra 1:1) sometime after 539 BC, when Babylon fell to Persia (2 Chronicles 36:20-21,Daniel 5:30-31). Zerubbabel was functionally the governor of Jerusalem.
Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel acted immediately to restore worship to the LORD by rebuilding the altar alongside Jeshua the high priest (Ezra 3:2-3). Soon afterward, he oversaw the laying of the temple’s foundation, marking the official renewal of Israel’s covenant worship after decades of exile (Ezra 3:8-10). When adversaries attempted to infiltrate and compromise the rebuilding effort, Zerubbabel firmly refused their cooperation, preserving the spiritual purity of the project (Ezra 4:1-3). Though opposition stalled construction for years, God raised up the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to exhort Zerubbabel to resume the work (Ezra 5:1-2; Haggai 1:1).
Under divine encouragement, Zerubbabel obeyed the word of the LORD and led the people in finishing the temple, as God Himself stirred his spirit for the task (Haggai 1:12-14). The LORD promised him that the seemingly impossible obstacles before him would be flattened by God’s power—“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6-7) — and assured him that the one who laid the foundation would also complete it (Zechariah 4:9).
Through Zerubbabel’s faithful leadership, the temple was rebuilt (Ezra 6:14-15), worship was restored, and the messianic hope of a future Son of David that was later fulfilled in Jesus (Matthew 1:12-13,Luke 3:27) was preserved.
Despite his great-grandfather (Jehoiakim) and his grandfather’s (Jeconiah) wickedness, Zerubbabel’s faithfulness and the LORD’s blessing of him are a vivid testimony to the truth of God’s promise:
“I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” (Deuteronomy 5:9b-10)
Three and four generations before Zerubbabel would have been Jehoiakim and Jeconiah, the kings of Judah when Judah was exiled for the sins of his forefathers. The exile therefore lasted three or four generations from the time when God mercifully allowed Zerubbabel to lead Judah’s return to their homeland.
In 1 Chronicles’ account of the royal line of David, Zerubbabel is identified as one of the sons of Pedaiah (1 Chronicles 3:19). But Zerubbabel is identified as the son of Shealtiel in Ezra 1:1,Haggai 1:1, and in Matthew’s (Matthew 1:12) and Luke’s genealogies of Jesus.
This likely indicates that Zerubbabel was the biological son of Pedaiah, but was adopted and raised by Pedaiah’s brother Shealtiel (1 Chronicles 3:18). The Law of Moses required a brother to provide for his deceased brother’s family—and this law specifically included raising his dead brother’s children (Deuteronomy 25:5-6).
While the scriptures do not explicitly state that Pedaiah perished and that Zerubbabel was raised by his uncle Shealtiel according to the Law of Moses, it is reasonable to infer that this is what happened.
Thus, Zerubbabel was the biological son of Pedaiah (1 Chronicles 3:19) and he was the adoptive-son of Shealtiel (Ezra 1:1,Haggai 1:1,Matthew 1:12-13,Luke 3:27).
Both Zerubbabel and Jesus were adopted sons.
Zerubbabel was adopted as a son by his father’s brother, Shealtiel (1 Chronicles 3:18-19,Ezra 3:2,Nehemiah 12:1,Haggai 1:1,Matthew 1:12,Luke 3:27).
Jesus was adopted as a son by Joseph, the husband of Mary, His mother (Luke 3:23).
It is fitting that the Messiah, who was an adopted son, would also have one or more figures in his lineage who were also adopted sons.
Pedaiah and Shealtiel were the sons of Jeconiah (1 Chronicles 3:17), who along with his father, Jehoiakim, was a wicked king (2 Kings 24:9).
Jeconiah was the last non-vassal king of Judah.
Jeconiah lost his throne, his kingdom, and his place in the Messianic lineage for his wickedness (Jeremiah 22:24-30). 1 Chronicles refers to Jeconiah as “the prisoner” (1 Chronicles 3:17a) because after a brief reign as king (2 Kings 24:8), he spent thirty-seven years imprisoned in Babylon (2 Kings 25:27).
Because Jeconiah and his father were faithless wicked kings, they not only lost their throne and kingdom to Babylon, but God also removed them from the royal lineage of David to the Messiah (Jeremiah 22:24-30).
This is called “the curse of Jeconiah.” (See below.)
The Curse of Jeconiah and how it did not affect Jesus
“The curse of Jeconiah” was the LORD’s declaration that none of Jeconiah’s descendants would ever sit on the throne of David (Jeremiah 22:30). The LORD made this declaration to Jehoakim, Jeconiah’s evil father who was king of Judah when the curse was first pronounced.
Centuries earlier, God had made a covenant with David that He would have a descendant who would sit on his throne and rule his house forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Jeconiah had descended from David. Jeconiah rebelled against the LORD and entrusted himself to Israel’s enemies. And so, God rejected Jeconiah and cursed his descendants—declaring that none of them would ever sit on the throne of David again. God would fulfill His covenant with David another way—through other descendants that did not include Jeconiah.
When the LORD cursed Jeconiah, God used the image of a “signet ring” (Jeremiah 22:24) to depict His rejection,
“‘As I live,’ declares the LORD, ‘even though Coniah [Jeconiah] the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were a signet ring on My right hand, yet I would pull you off.” (Jeremiah 22:24)
A signet ring is a ring engraved with a distinctive seal that was pressed into wax or clay to authenticate documents, signify authority, and mark ownership or approval. Whoever possessed the king’s signet carried his full authorization to seal decrees, enforce laws, and represent his power (Genesis 41:42,Esther 8:2). It symbolizes authority, legitimacy, and the right to act on behalf of its owner.
In the context of Jeremiah 22:24, the signet ring represents the LORD’s seal of approval and divine endorsement of Judah’s king, Jeconiah.
By declaring that He is going to pull Jeconiah off His right hand, the LORD is saying that Jeconiah will no longer be used as God’s signet ring. In other words, the LORD is going to replace Jeconiah and remove Him from the throne. Jeconiah will no longer have any legitimacy or support from God. The LORD goes on to then curse all of Jeconiah’s descendants:
“Write this man down childless, A man who will not prosper in his days; For no man of his descendants will prosper Sitting on the throne of David Or ruling again in Judah.” (Jeremiah 22:30)
From this language, it is apparent that no descendant of Jeconiah will sit on the throne of David or be the promised Messiah according to the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:12-16).
And yet, Zerubbabel was Jeconiah’s biological grandson, and Jesus descended from Zerubbabel (Luke 3:27).
How did God reject Jeconiah, a descendant and king in the royal lineage of David, and cut off His descendants and at the same time raise up Jesus who is biologically descended from Jeconiah to be the heir who would sit on the throne of David forever without end (Luke 1:32-33)?
The Bible makes at least three important statements that indicate how God both fulfilled His covenant with David in the person of Jesus and His curse of Jeconiah and his descendants.
The first statement is found in the book of Haggai.
In one of the most striking post-exilic promises, God declared Zerubbabel to be His chosen “signet ring,” a symbol of royal authority and covenant favor,
“‘On that day,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the LORD of hosts.” (Haggai 2:23)
By using the same imagery of the “signet ring” to show His approval of Zerubbabel in Haggai 2:23, that the LORD used when He cursed Jeconiah in Jeremiah 22:24, God appears to be demonstrating that the curse of his grandfather does not apply to Zerubbabel and his descendants (which would eventually include Jesus the Messiah).
The LORD’s declaration of Zerubbabel as a signet ring established him as the visible heir of David’s line after the exile (Haggai 2:23). This made Zerubbabel a living sign that God had not revoked His promise to the house of David. Zerubbabel never became king. But Jesus His descendant is the King of kings who will reign upon the throne of David forever (Luke 1:32-33).
Haggai 2:23 is a powerful affirmation of the LORD’s approval of Zerubbabel and seems to indicate that he and his line is exempt from Jeconiah’s curse.
The other Biblical statements that indicate how God both fulfilled His covenant with David in the person of Jesus and His curse of Jeconiah and his descendants are found in the genealogies of Matthew and Luke.
The second statement is: “After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel” (Matthew 1:12).
Matthew points out how Shealtiel was born in captivity. Matthew may have written “after the deportation to Babylon” (Matthew 1:12) as a way to indicate that Shealtiel was born “after” Jeconiah had already been cut off from the Messianic line. In other words, Shealtiel did not inherit the throne, nor the promise of the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:12-16) from his biological father.
The third remark at the end of Luke 3:27: “Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri.”
In this verse, notice how Luke names Neri (and not Jeconiah) as the father of Zerubbabel’s father, Shealtiel. Neri, as will be explained when we talk about Shealtiel and Neri later in this commentary, was the adoptive father of Shealtiel. By naming Shealtiel’s adoptive father, Neri, instead of his biological father, Jeconiah, Luke demonstrates two things at once:
First and foremost, that the promise of the Davidic covenant passed on to Shealtiel through Neri and not through Jeconiah. Neri was a descendant of David through David’s son Nathan (Luke 3:27-31).
And second, that “the curse of Jeconiah” did not pass on to Shealtiel, Zerubbabel, and their descendants (including Jesus), because Neri was not a descendant of Jeconiah.
God used Neri’s adoption of Shealtiel to both pass along the promise of the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:12-16) and to circumvent the curse of Jeconiah (Jeremiah 22:24-30).
Neri’s adoption of Zerubbabel circumventing Jeconiah’s curse foreshadows two remarkable realities:
It foreshadows how the curse of Adam did not apply to Jesus because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and adopted by Joseph (Matthew 1:18, 1:20-21, Luke 1:31, 1:35).
It also foreshadows how the curse of sin does not condemn descendants of Adam who are born again into God’s forever family through faith in Jesus. The lifting of the curse of sin’s condemnation is one of the main blessings of the Gift of Eternal Life.
So, we see from Matthew and Luke that Shealtiel and his sonZerubbabel do not inherit the Davidic promise through their biological father/grandfather Jeconiah, but rather through Neri a descendant of David who adopted Shealtiel (Matthew 1:12,Luke 3:27c-e).
And we see in Haggai that God appears to indicate that Zerubbabel and his descendants are exempt from the curse of Jeconiah because the LORD makes him His new signet ring (Haggai 2:23), which was removed when the LORD cursed Jeconiah (Jeremiah 22:24).
Thus the LORD used Neri’s adoption to circumvent the curse of Jeconiah and to extend the Davidic Covenant, and He seemed to personally affirm that Zerubbabel was the visible heir of David’s throne, even though Zerubbabel never was king.
Psalm 89 appears to be prophetic of the end of the kingdom of Judah and the curse of Jeconiah and God’s remarkable faithfulness to all of His promises in the Davidic Covenant despite these events.
In many respects Zerubbabel was the foreshadowing of Jesus the Messiah. Zerubbabel is among the numerous figures throughout the history of Israel who foreshadowed certain aspects and roles of the Messiah’s work. Among the more widely recognized include:
Adam, who prefigured the Messiah’s role as the firstborn of humanity; (Genesis 1:26-31, 2:5-23, 3:1-19, Romans 5:14,1 Corinthians 15:45-47)
Noah, who prefigured the Messiah’s role as the world’s savior; (Genesis 6:17-22, 7:23-24, John 3:17,1 Peter 3:20-21)
Melchizedek, who prefigured the Messiah’s role as high priest; (Genesis 14:18,Psalm 110:4,Hebrews 5:6, 7:3, 7:17)
Isaac, who prefigured the Messiah’s role as the sacrificial lamb; (Genesis 22:1-14,John 1:29)
Joseph, who prefigured the Messiah’s role as a suffering-servant; (Genesis 37:18-28, 39-46, 50:20, Isaiah 53,Philippians 2:7-9)
Moses, who prefigured the Messiah’s role as a prophet; (Deuteronomy 18:15,Acts 3:22-23,Hebrews 3:3-6)
Joshua, who prefigured the Messiah’s role as a conqueror; (Joshua 11:16-19, 12:7-8, Revelation 19:11-21)
David, who prefigured the Messiah’s role as Israel’s king; (2 Samuel 7:12-17,Psalm 89:3-4,Matthew 21:9,Luke 1:32-33,Revelation 22:16)
Solomon, who prefigured the Messiah’s role as wise builder of God’s temple; (2 Samuel 7:13,1 Kings 6:1-2, 4:29-30, Matthew 12:42,Romans 16:27,1 Corinthians 1:24,Ephesians 2:20-22)
Jesus was and is a greater Adam, Noah, Melchizedek, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, and Solomon. Similarly, Jesus is also a greater Zerubbabel.
1. Both Zerubbabel and Jesus were adopted.
Zerubbabel was adopted as a son, by his father’s brother, Shealtiel according to the Law of Moses following the death of his biological father—Pedaiah. (Deuteronomy 25:5-6,1 Chronicles 3:18-19,Ezra 3:2,Nehemiah 12:1,Haggai 1:1,Matthew 1:12,Luke 3:27)
Jesus was adopted as a son by Joseph, the husband of Mary, His mother, according to the angel’s command. (Matthew 1:18-24,Luke 3:23)
2. Both Zerubbabel and Jesus lead captives from exile to their home.
Zerubbabel led Israel’s physical captives out of exile in Babylon back to their homeland. (Ezra 2:1-2)
Jesus led Israel’s spiritual captives out of exile in sin back into harmony with God. (Luke 4:18,John 8:36)
3. Both Zerubbabel and Jesus rebuilt the temple.
Zerubbabel rebuilt the physical temple in Jerusalem after its destruction. (Ezra 3:8-10, 6:14-15)
Jesus rebuilt the temple of His body through His resurrection and is the cornerstone of God’s eternal temple which is the church. (Psalm 118:22,Matthew 21:42-44,John 2:19-21,Ephesians 2:20-22)
4. Both Zerubbabel and Jesus were chosen by God to accomplish their mission.
Zerubbabel was divinely chosen as God’s servant and called His “signet ring,” a symbol of authority and selection. (Haggai 2:23)
Jesus was chosen as God’s beloved Son and eternal King, invested with all authority in heaven and on earth. (Matthew 3:17Matthew 28:18).
5. Both Zerubbabel and Jesus faced opposition yet succeeded by God’s power.
Zerubbabel faced intense resistance while rebuilding the temple, yet succeeded “not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.” (Zechariah 4:6-9)
Jesus encountered resistance from the religious leadership, and overcame Satan, sin, and death, triumphing through the power of God. (Matthew 4:1-11, 12:14, 26:3-4, 26:57-68, 27:26, 1 Corinthians 15,Colossians 2:13-15,Hebrews 2:14-15)
6. Both Zerubbabel and Jesus represent the hope of David’s restored kingdom.
Zerubbabel functionally preserved the Davidic royal line after the exile and symbolized the hope of a restored throne. (Haggai 2:21-23)
Jesus fulfills that hope completely as the eternal Son of David who reigns forever. (Luke 1:32-33,Revelation 22:16)
Jesus is the literal fulfillment of “the signet ring” which God promised to Zerubbabel:
“‘On that day,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you.’” (Haggai 2:23)
As was described above, this symbolically reaffirmed God’s covenant with the house of David after the exile, through Zerubbabel. By calling him His “signet ring,” God was signaling that royal authority, covenant legitimacy, and Messianic hope were still alive through Zerubbabel’s line.
Jesus is the ultimate and complete fulfillment of Zerubbabel as God’s true and final signet ring. He is the chosen Son through whom all divine authority is now exercised. After His resurrection, Jesus told His disciples:
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18)
Where Zerubbabel symbolized restored royal legitimacy after the exile, Jesus embodies it eternally as the Son of David who reigns forever (Luke 1:32-33). Even more, Jesus bears God’s exact imprint, not merely His delegated authority: “He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature” (Hebrews 1:3).
Zerubbabel carried the promise in shadow and was a symbol. Jesus fulfills this promise and is the embodied fulfillment, as the true eternal King through whom God seals His final covenant with humanity.
The meaning of Zerubbabel’s name
Finally, Jesus is the fulfillment of Zerubbabel’s name.
In Hebrew, the name Zerubbabel has multiple meanings.
The most obvious meaning is derived from the two Hebrew components that make up his name: “zera” which means “seed” or “offspring,” and “bavel” which means “Babylon.” Therefore, the first and most obvious meaning of Zerubbabel is “seed of Babylon” which refers to the promised remnant that was to return from Babylon.
A second meaning of Zerubbabel is derived when “bavel” is associated with a related term: “balal” which means “confusion” or “dispersion.” When this meaning is layered with the first, the name, Zerubbabel means “seed of the scattered” or “seed from the exile.”
Like Zerubbabel’s name suggests, Jesus is the promised seed of the exiled race that restores humanity from the doom of sin (Genesis 3:15). Humanity was exiled from the Garden of Eden, where stood the tree of life that provided immortality (Genesis 3:22-24). The story arc of human history is a story of exile and return, and the new earth will feature a tree of life that provides healing to the nations (Revelation 22:2).
Jesus paved the way for humanity’s return from having been exiled into sin and death by perfectly fulfilling the Law and sacrificing Himself on the cross in obedience to His Father’s command (Matthew 5:17,Philippians 2:5-8). On the cross, Jesus was forsaken, “exiled” by God (Matthew 27:46) as He became sin on our behalf (Isaiah 53:5,2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24). The Father accepted His sacrifice (Luke 23:46) and raised Him up from the dead (Acts 2:24, 3:15, 4:10, Galatians 1:1b, 1 Peter 1:3). Through His obedience, death, and resurrection Jesus now rescues God’s people exiled in sin.
Jesus is the One who gathers the scattered people of God to their true home (Luke 19:10). Jesus is the Good Shepherd who finds His lost and confused sheep and returns them to His protection and care (Luke 15:4-6,John 10:10-18). Jesus is like the hen who gathers her chicks under her wing (Matthew 23:37).
In this way, Jesus fully embodies the meaning of Zerubbabel’s name—He is the true “Seed of the Exile” who enters humanity’s dispersion in sin and powerfully gathers the scattered sons and daughters of God back into their eternal home.
…the son of Shealtiel… (v 27d)
Shealtiel was the adoptive father of Zerubbabel.
Shealtiel is also mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus’s adoptive father, Joseph (Matthew 1:12). So, the convergence of Jesus’s lineage between His mother’s line (recorded by Luke) and His adoptive father (recorded by Matthew) includes Zerubbabel as well as Shealtiel before diverging once again. This suggests that Zerubbabel was the first common great-grandparent of Mary and Joseph.
Shealtiel is evidently the same figure as mentioned in 1 Chronicles’ account of the royal line of David (1 Chronicles 3:1-24). Shealtiel was the older brother of Pedaiah (1 Chronicles 3:17-18), who was the biological father of Zerubbabel (1 Chronicles 3:19).
It seems that Pedaiah perished before his sons were independent and grown, so Shealtiel adopted his deceased brother’s son Zerubbabel according to the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). And this was how Shealtiel came to be the adoptive father of Zerubbabel (Ezra 3:2,Nehemiah 12:1,Haggai 1:1,Matthew 1:12,Luke 3:27).
It appears that Shealtiel was himself adopted. Shealtiel was the biological son of Jeconiah, the last king of Judah (1 Chronicles 3:17,Matthew 1:12) whom God cursed (Jeremiah 22:24-30). But Luke records Shealtiel’s father as Neri (Luke 3:27). Neri likely adopted and raised Shealtiel the imprisoned king’s son.
Luke lists Neri, Shealtiel’s adoptive father instead of Jeconiah (his biological father), to show how the curse of Jeconiah did not apply to Shealtiel and how God’s covenant promise to David and his descendants (II Samual 7:12-16) extended to Shealtiel through another branch (Nathan, etc.) instead of cursed Jeconiah.
Similarly, just as Neri’s adoption of Shealtiel kept the curse of Jeconiah from applying to Shealtiel and Zerubbabel and onto Jesus, neither did the curse of Adam pass on to Jesus because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and adopted by Joseph.
So Shealtiel was adopted by Neri. And Shealtiel adopted Zerubbabel. Shealtiel is the third example of an adopted son in Jesus’s lineage. Zerubbabel was the second, and Jesus was the first as the adopted son of Joseph (Luke 3:23).
In Hebrew, the name, Shealtiel, is derived from two words:
“Sha’al,” which means “to ask,” “to request,” “to petition.”
“El,” the Hebrew term for “God.”
The name Shealtiel, therefore, means: “to ask, petition, and/or inquire of God.” Shealtiel can also mean: “I asked God” or “God has been asked.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of Shealtiel’s name in three ways.
First, as the Messiah, Jesus was the answer to Israel’s petitions and prayers asking God to remember His promises (Luke 1:68-79).
Second, Jesus petitioned and asked God for wisdom and strength to accomplish the things He was sent to do (Luke 5:16, 6:12, 22:41-44).
And third, because of Jesus, all believers have access to inquire of God and boldly come before God’s throne to seek help (Hebrews 4:16). Jesus told the disciples to ask in His name and the Father would give (John 16:23), and even now He is at the right hand of the Father interceding for believers (Romans 8:34).
It is through Jesus that we as believers can “shealtiel”—petition God.
…the son of Neri (v 27e)
Neri was the adoptive father of Shealtiel.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Neri is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The biological father of Shealtiel was Jeconiah, the last non-vassal king of Judah.
Jeconiah was a wicked king (2 Kings 24:9). And the prophet Jeremiah prophesied that Jehoiakim and Jeconiah would not only be deposed, but that their line would also be cut off from the house of David, meaning that they would have no part in the Messianic lineage (Jeremiah 22:24-30).
Matthew and Luke were both aware of Jeremiah’s prophecy. And both Gospel writers deal with the prophetic implications of how God blotted these rebellious kings out of the Messiah’s lineage in different ways.
Matthew specifies that Shealtiel was born “after the deportation to Babylon” as a way to indicate that his father was no longer king, and that he did not inherit the throne in fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy (Jeremiah 22:24-30).
Luke mention that Shealtiel was the son of his adoptive father, who was called Neri (v 27e), instead of his accursed biological father. Evidently, Neri raised Shealtiel and was his surrogate father, while Jeconiah spent the rest of his days imprisoned in Babylon.
Neri’s adoption of Shealtiel was Luke’s way of demonstrating how the curse of Jeconiah did not apply to Shealtiel and Zerubbabel and pass through to Mary the mother of Jesus.
Similarly, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and adopted by Joseph, so the curse on Adam did not pass to Him.
In Hebrew, the name Neri comes from the Hebrew word “ner,” which means “lamp,” “light,” or “light-bearer.” The “-i” ending incorporates a “my” to the preceding noun. This would indicate that Neri means “my lamp” or “my light.”
Similarly, Neri could also mean “lamp of Yahweh” or “God’s Light.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of Neri’s name because He is “the Light of the world [and] he who follows [Jesus] will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12). Jesus is the promised lamp for the house of David (1 Kings 15:4,Psalm 132:17).
Luke 3:24-27
24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Hesli, the son of Naggai,
26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,
27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,
Set to dark mode
Luke 3:24-27 meaning
There is no apparent parallel of Luke 3:24-27 in the Gospels.
The Gospel parallels for the entire genealogical accounts of Jesus are Luke 3:23-38 and Matthew 1:1-17.
In Luke 3:24-27, Luke continues his genealogy of Jesus’s lineage through the line of his mother Mary from Jesus’s great-grandfather Matthat through nineteen more generations to Neri, who likely lived during the time of Judah’s exile.
the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph (v 24).
…the son of Matthat… (v 24a)
Matthat was the father of Eli.
Matthat is listed as the great-grandfather of Jesus.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Matthat is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
In Matthew 1:15 a similar name, “Matthan,” is listed also as a great-grandfather of Jesus. This may be the same person, especially if Luke were writing Jesus’s paternal lineage. But it is more likely that Matthan and Matthat were different people. This is because Luke seems to be writing Jesus’s maternal lineage and Matthew wrote Jesus’s paternal lineage. Therefore, it is most likely that Matthan from Matthew’s genealogy is the grandfather of Joseph, while Mary’s grandfather listed by Luke was Matthat.
Matthan was a common Jewish name. (There are five similar names between Luke and Matthew’s genealogical accounts.)
The name Matthat is rooted in the Hebrew word “mattan” meaning “gift,” and the name means “God’s gift.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of the name Mattan, because He is God’s gift.
God sent Jesus, His Son, to be the ultimate gift to humanity (John 3:16, Romans 3:23-24, Ephesians 2:8-9). His life, death and resurrection made possible the forgiveness of sins and made a way for those who accept the gift to eternally be in fellowship with God. It is through Jesus that God made the Gift of Eternal Life available to us.
…the son of Levi… (v 24b)
Levi was the father of Matthat.
This particular Levi does not appear to be mentioned anywhere else in the Bible.
Levi was and is a common Jewish name. There are two men named Levi in Jesus’s genealogy. The other is mentioned in Luke 3:29.
Throughout the history of Israel, the name Levi is mostly known for the priestly tribe descending from Levi, one of Jacob’s twelve sons.
In Hebrew, the name Levi comes from “lavah” meaning “joined to” “to twine” or “to unite.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of the name Levi, because in Him, believers are joined and unified together being equally forgiven and equally loved (John 17:21, Galatians 3:28). Jesus is the head that unites all believers together into His body (1 Corinthians 12:12).
…the son of Melchi… (v 24c)
Melchi was the father of Levi.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Melchi is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
This is the first of two people named Melchi in Luke’s genealogy list. The other Melchi is found in Luke 3:28.
In Hebrew, the name Melchi comes from the Hebrew word for king (“melek”) and the “i” at the end can sometimes add the pronoun “my.” Therefore, Melchi means “my king.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of the name Melchi because He is the King of Kings (Revelation 19:16) and He has been given reign over every spiritual and physical realm (Philippians 2:9-11).
…the son of Jannai… (v 24d)
Jannai was the father of Melchi.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Jannai is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The name Jannai in Hebrew is believed to mean “flourishing” or “the LORD’s favor.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of the name Jannai in three ways.
(Matthew 3:17, 17:5, John 8:29, Philippians 2:8-11, 2 Peter 1:17)
Isaiah was prophetic of the LORD’s pleasure in the Messiah’s obedience unto death and how the Messiah would prosper and flourish for His obedience,
“But the LORD was pleased
To crush Him, putting Him to grief;
If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,
He will see His offspring,
He will prolong His days,
And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.”
(Isaiah 53:10)
(Luke 4:16-21)
(John 10:10)
…the son of Joseph… (v 24e)
Joseph was the father of Jannai.
This is one of four Josephs in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus. And this particular Joseph does not appear to be mentioned anywhere else in the Bible.
There are four Josephs named in the Old Testament:
(Genesis 30:24)
(1 Chronicles 25:2)
(Ezra 10:42)
(Nehemiah 12:14)
There are seven Josephs (or variants of Joseph) mentioned in the New Testament and four of them are mentioned in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
(Luke 3:23)
(Luke 3:24)
(Luke 3:26)
(Luke 3:30)
(Matthew 13:55)
(Mark 15:43)
(Acts 1:23)
In Hebrew, the name Joseph means “increase,” “let him add.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of the name of Joseph because He came to add to, enhance, and increase life with abundance of grace (John 10:10).
the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai (v 25)
…the son of Mattathias… (v 25a)
Mattathias was the father of Joseph.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Mattathias is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
There are two Mattathias in Jesus’s genealogy. One is here in verse 25 and another mentioned in verse 26.
The name Mattathias is related to the name Matthew. The meaning of the Hebrew name for Mattathias is “God’s gift.”
Mattathias is a Greek form of a Hebrew name: “Mattithiah.” It means “gift of Yahweh.” The name “Matthew,” is from the same name-family and carries a similar meaning.
Jesus embodies the meaning of Mattathias’s namesake. As the Son of God, Jesus is God’s gift to the world (John 3:16). He is God’s “indescribable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15). And it is through Jesus that Gift of Eternal Life is given (John 10:28, Romans 3:23, 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9).
…the son of Amos… (v 25b)
Amos was the father of Mattathias.
The only likely reference in the Bible to this particular Amos is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The other Amos in the Bible is the prophet recorded in the Book of Amos.
The prophet Amos lived around 770-740 B.C., and therefore is not likely the same Amos who is listed here in Jesus’s genealogy.
This Amos who is listed in Jesus’s genealogy lived after Judah’s return from exile. This Amos likely lived sometime after 537 B.C. which was when Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to their homeland.
In Hebrew, the name Amos means “burden” or “burden-bearer.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of the name Amos in two ways.
(Isaiah 53:4-6, 11-12, Hebrews 9:28, 1 Peter 2:24)
(Matthew 11:28-30)
Therefore, He has strength and power over every realm of Creation. His holiness, justice, and love are stronger than sin and death and He defeated them once and for all (Hebrews 2:14-15, Revelation 1:18).
…the son of Nahum… (v 25c)
Nahum was the father of Amos.
The only likely reference in the Bible to this particular Nahum is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The only other reference to Nahum in Scripture is the prophet whose ministry was around 655-615 BC, before Judah’s exile. The Nahum of Jesus’s line lived after the return from exile. It is interesting to note that the family members of Jesus’s line appear to have chosen to honor the prophets whose prophecies focused on judgment of Israel’s enemy nations.
In Hebrew, the name Nahum comes from “nacham” meaning “to sigh,” “to pity,” or “console.”
The meaning of this Nahum’s name is realized in Jesus Christ as He Himself knew what it was to be human, to be tempted and to suffer (Hebrews 4:15). He is able to console us because He knows our struggles and He cares for us (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, 1 Peter 5:7).
…the son of Hesli… (v 25d)
Hesli was the father of Nahum.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Hesli is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The meaning of the name Hesli is unclear.
It could be a Greek rendering of the Hebrew name “Elioenai” (1 Chronicles 3:23-24, 4:36, 7:8, 26:3, Ezra 10:22, 10:27, Nehemiah 12:41). “Elioenai” means “my eyes are unto Yahweh.”
(Psalm 16:8, Luke 22:41-42, John 17:1, 1 Peter 2:23)
The name Hesli could also be a Greek rendering of a Hebrew name that may be derived from the Hebrew words “hasah” and/or “hesed.” “Hesed” is the Hebrew word of “mercy” or God’s “lovingkindness.” “Hasah” is the Hebrew word for “refuge” and/or “trust.” When an “i” is added at the end of the name, it means “my.”
If Hesli is “hesed”-based, the name means “my mercy” or “mercy for me.”
If Hesli is “hasah”-based, the name means “my trust,” “my confidence,” or “my refuge.”
It is also possible the name is intentionally derived from both “hesed” and “hasah” and implies both senses in its meaning.
Jesus embodies both alternative meanings of Hesli’s name.
(John 3:16, Ephesians 2:4-5)
(John 14:6, Acts 4:12)
He is our confidence.
(Hebrews 3:6, 4:16, 1 John 5:13)
He is our refuge from our weariness and sin.
(Matthew 11:28, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, Hebrews 6:18-19)
Although the meaning of the name Hesli is uncertain, Jesus perfectly embodies what it may reflect. He fulfills all the possible meanings of Hesli which this commentary described.
…the son of Naggai… (v 25e)
Naggai was the father of Hesli.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Naggai is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The meaning of the Hebrew name Naggai is uncertain.
The Hebrew name Naggai could be related to the Hebrew word “nāgah,” which means “to shine” or “give light.”
If Naggai means to give light, then Jesus embodies its meaning in three ways:
(John 1:4-5, John 8:12)
(Isaiah 9:2, Matthew 4:12-16)
(Matthew 5:14-16)
But it is also possible that Naggai is derived from the Hebrew word “naga” which means, “strike,” “to lay a hand upon,” “to seize,” or “to touch.”
If Naggai is related to the Hebrew term “naga,” then Jesus embodies the meaning of this name as He was seized and arrested and struck for our sins (Isaiah 50:6, Matthew 26:50, 67-68).
The son of Maath, son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda (v 26)
…the son of Maath… (v 26a)
Maath was the father of Naggai.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Maath is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The meaning of the Hebrew name Maath is uncertain.
Maath may be derived from the Hebrew word “me’at” which means “little,” “few,” “small,” “a small amount,” or even “insignificant.”
If the name Maath is derived from “me’at,” then Jesus embodied its meaning. Jesus embraced humility and became “small” for our sake. He fulfilled the meaning of the name Maath by humbling Himself and becoming small and insignificant on our behalf (Matthew 20:28, Luke 22:27, Philippians 2:6-7).
…the son of Mattathias… (v 26b)
Mattathias was the father of Maath.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Mattathias is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
There are two Mattathias in Jesus’s genealogy. This is the second Mattathias. The first Mattathias was already mentioned six generations later in verse 25.
Mattathias is a Greek form of a Hebrew name: “Mattithiah.” It means “gift of Yahweh.” The name “Matthew” is from the same name-family and carries a similar meaning.
Jesus embodies the meaning of Mattathias’s namesake. As the Son of God, Jesus is God’s gift to the world (John 3:16). He is God’s “indescribable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15). And it is through Jesus that Gift of Eternal Life is given (John 10:28, Romans 3:23, 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9).
Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection made possible the forgiveness of sins and made a way for those who accept the Gift of Eternal Life.
…the son of Semein… (v 26c)
Semein was the father of Mattathias.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Semein is here in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The name Semein is a Greek rendering of the Hebrew name “Shimei.”
The Greek rendering of “Shimei” to Semein could indicate that Semein lived sometime after Alexander the Great’s conquests and the subsequent Greek influence in Israel.
Luke may also have taken this Greek rendering of Semein from the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures called “the Septuagint.” The Septuagint would have been the version of the Old Testament that Luke’s primary audience (Greek believers) would have had access to.
The Bible explicitly identifies fifteen other figures by the name of Shimei:
(Exodus 6:17, Numbers 3:18, 1 Chronicles 6:17, 23:7-10)
(2 Samuel 16:5-13, 19:16-23, 1 Kings 2:8-9, 36-46)
(2 Samuel 21:21, 1 Kings 1:8, 4:18)
(1 Chronicles 6:29)
(1 Chronicles 3:19)
(1 Chronicles 4:26-27)
(1 Chronicles 5:4)
(1 Chronicles 8:13, 21, 28)
(1 Chronicles 25:17)
(1 Chronicles 27:27)
(2 Chronicles 29:14, 31:12-13)
(Ezra 10:23)
(Ezra 10:33)
(Ezra 10:38)
(Esther 2:5)
Semein’s name in Hebrew (Shimei) means “renown.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of the name Semein (“renown”) in three ways:
(Matthew 4:24, Mark 6:33)
(Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, Acts 1:8, 28:30-31)
(Philippians 2:9-11)
…the son of Josech… (v 26d)
Josech was the father of Semein.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Josech is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
Josech appears to be a variant form of the name Joseph. Hebrew for “let him add,” this is the third of four Josephs in Jesus’s genealogy.
The other three Josephs in Jesus’s genealogy are:
(Luke 3:23)
(Luke 3:24)
(Luke 3:30)
As mentioned above, Jesus embodies the meaning of this name because He came to add to, enhance, and increase life with abundance of grace (John 10:10).
…the son of Joda… (v 26e)
Joda was the father of Josech.
The only likely reference in the Bible to Joda is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The name Joda appears to be a variant of the Greek rendering of the Hebrew name that is translated in English as “Judah.” (“Judas” is a more standard Greek rendering of Judah.)
Judah was one of the patriarchs, Jacob’s twelve sons. One of the twelve tribes of Israel was named after Judah and it was through Judah that the Messiah was to come. As Luke will record, Jesus is a descendant of Judah (v 33).
The Greek rendering of Judah to Joda indicates that Joda likely lived sometime after Alexander the Great’s conquests and the subsequent Greek influence in Israel.
There are three Judah’s in Jesus’s lineage through His mother, Mary. The other two Judahs are mentioned in Luke 3:30 (not the patriarch) and in Luke 3:33 (the patriarch).
In Hebrew, the name Judah means “to praise” or “praised one.”
As the Messiah, Jesus is the One whom all praise, blessing, honor, and glory are due (Jude 1:24-25). Jesus is praised as the only one worthy to open the scroll in Revelation 5:12. And everyone will praise Jesus and confess that He is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).
The son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri (v 27)
…the son of Joanan… (v 27a)
Joanan was the father of Joda.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Joanan is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The name Joanan appears to be a Greek rendering of the Hebrew name that is translated in English as “John.”
Other people named John in Scripture include:
(Matthew 3:1)
(Matthew 4:21)
(Acts 4:6)
(Acts 15:37)
In Hebrew, the name John comes from the Hebrew words Yahweh, the personal name of God, and chanan “to be gracious.” Therefore, in Hebrew, the name John means “Yahweh is gracious” or “Gift of God’s Grace.”
If Joanan is a form of John, then Jesus embodies the meaning of the namesake of his ancestor Joanan because He is the epitome of God’s grace. Through Jesus, we have all received “grace upon grace” (John 1:16) and in His coming to earth, “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men” (Titus 2:11).
…the son of Rhesa… (v 27b)
Rhesa was the father of Joanan.
The word Rhesa does not appear anywhere else in the Bible, except for here in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The meaning of Rhesa is unclear.
Rhesa could be a title rather than a personal name.
It is also unclear who Rhesa was. But unlike many of his immediate descendants (Luke 3:23b-27a), there may be some clues. What is clear is that Rhesa is in the lineage of Jesus.
There are a couple basic possibilities as to who Rhesa the son of Zerubbabel may have been.
If this is the case, then the details of Rhesa’s life are as equally unknown as every other figure in Luke’s genealogy between “Mattatha, the son of Nathan” (Luke 3:31) and “Eli,” Mary’s father (Luke 3:23).
Moreover, if Rhesa was the son of “Zerubbabel the obscure,” then Joseph and Mary’s lineages do not intertwine until King David. David was the father of both King Solomon, who was Joseph’s ancestor (Matthew 1:6-16,) and Nathan, who was Mary’s ancestor (Luke 3:23-31).
Finally, if Rhesa was son of “Zerubbabel the obscure,” then “the curse of Jeconiah” (Jeremiah 22:30) does not apply to him or his descendants because Rhesa would not be related to King Jeconiah in any way.
“The curse of Jeconiah” was the LORD’s declaration that none of Jeconiah’s descendants would ever sit on the throne of David (Jeremiah 22:30).
If this is the case, then Rhesa could be a biological son or an adopted son of this Zerubbabel. If Rhesa was a title for one of Zerubbabel’s seven sons listed in 1 Chronicles 3:19-20, then Rhesa’s given name would have been one of the following:
Any of these men may have also been called Rhesa.
Or Rhesa could have been an adopted son of Zerubbabel, who was not named among the seven sons.
If Rhesa was adopted by Zerubbabel, then his adoption would also mean that the curse of Jeconiah (Zerubbabel’s grandfather) did not fall on him or his descendants, including Jesus.
Some claim that Rhesa could also be a Hellenized version of the name “Rephaiah” who was the son of Hananiah, who was the son of Zerubbabel (1 Chronicles 3:19). If Rhesa was the grandson of Zerubbabel, then Zerubbabel would have not been Rhesa’s father in the immediate sense, but the ancestral sense.
These are the apparent possibilities as to who Rhesa may have been.
As mentioned above, Rhesa could be a title meaning “head,” “chief,” “leader”; or Rhesa could also be a version of the Hebrew name, “Rephaiah.”
In Hebrew, Rephaiah means “healed of Yahweh.”
Jesus embodies the Hebrew meaning Rephaiah (Rhesa) in two major ways:
(Psalm 16:10, Acts 2:29-32, 3:15, Romans 6:4, 10:9)
(Matthew 4:23, John 1:29, 3:14-16)
As the Messiah, Jesus also embodies the meaning of the title of Rhesa in four ways:
(Colossians 1:18, Ephesians 1:22)
(Isaiah 9:6-7, 1 Timothy 6:14-15, Revelation 19:16)
(Luke 1:32)
(Matthew 28:18).
…the son of Zerubbabel… (v 27c)
Zerubbabel was the father of Rhesa.
Zerubbabel may or may not have been mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus’s adoptive father, Joseph (Matthew 1:12-13).
There are two possibilities as to who Zerubbabel may have been.
First, we will consider Zerubbabel the obscure.
Zerubbabel the obscure may or may not have existed. Zerubbabel the obscure is not mentioned at all in the Old Testament, which is why he is called “Zerubbabel the obscure.” If he did exist, then he would have been a different Zerubbabel than the Zerubbabel whom the Old Testament and whom Matthew 1:12-13 describe.
Perhaps most importantly, if this Zerubbabel in verse 27 is not the one mentioned in the Old Testament, then “the curse of Jeconiah” (Jeremiah 22:30) does not apply to him or his descendants, because he would not have descended from Jeconiah.
While it is possible that the Zerubbabel of Luke is different than the Zerubbabel of the Old Testament and Matthew, it seems more likely that they are the same person. This is because Shealtiel is the name of Zerubbabel’s father in the Old Testament (Ezra 3:2, Haggai 1:1) and Matthew (Matthew 1:12), and in Luke (v 27).
Next, we will consider the Zerubbabel of the Old Testament.
It seems likely that the Zerubbabel whom Luke names in verse 27 is the same Zerubbabel who is mentioned elsewhere in the Bible.
If they are the same, then Luke’s genealogy of Jesus’s mother (Mary) converges with Matthew’s genealogy of His adoptive father in the person of Zerubbabel.
Unless specified otherwise, when writing of Zerubbabel, these commentaries will write as though the Zerubbabel of the Old Testament, Matthew 1:12, and Luke 3:23 are the same person.
Zerubbabel led the first wave of Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity (Ezra 1:1-4, 2:1-2, 3:2-8, 4:2-3, 5:2, Nehemiah 7:6-7, Haggai 1:1, 12-14, 2:2-4, 21-23, Zechariah 4:6-10).
Consequently, Zerubbabel is a historically significant figure in Jesus’s lineage.
Zerubbabel was a highly recognized leader of the Jews as they return from Babylonian exile in the days of Cyrus, king of Persia (Ezra 2:1-2). Cyrus issued a decree allowing for Israel’s return to their homeland (2 Chronicles 36:22-23, Ezra 1:1) sometime after 539 BC, when Babylon fell to Persia (2 Chronicles 36:20-21, Daniel 5:30-31). Zerubbabel was functionally the governor of Jerusalem.
Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel acted immediately to restore worship to the LORD by rebuilding the altar alongside Jeshua the high priest (Ezra 3:2-3). Soon afterward, he oversaw the laying of the temple’s foundation, marking the official renewal of Israel’s covenant worship after decades of exile (Ezra 3:8-10). When adversaries attempted to infiltrate and compromise the rebuilding effort, Zerubbabel firmly refused their cooperation, preserving the spiritual purity of the project (Ezra 4:1-3). Though opposition stalled construction for years, God raised up the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to exhort Zerubbabel to resume the work (Ezra 5:1-2; Haggai 1:1).
Under divine encouragement, Zerubbabel obeyed the word of the LORD and led the people in finishing the temple, as God Himself stirred his spirit for the task (Haggai 1:12-14). The LORD promised him that the seemingly impossible obstacles before him would be flattened by God’s power—“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6-7) — and assured him that the one who laid the foundation would also complete it (Zechariah 4:9).
Through Zerubbabel’s faithful leadership, the temple was rebuilt (Ezra 6:14-15), worship was restored, and the messianic hope of a future Son of David that was later fulfilled in Jesus (Matthew 1:12-13, Luke 3:27) was preserved.
Despite his great-grandfather (Jehoiakim) and his grandfather’s (Jeconiah) wickedness, Zerubbabel’s faithfulness and the LORD’s blessing of him are a vivid testimony to the truth of God’s promise:
“I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”
(Deuteronomy 5:9b-10)
Three and four generations before Zerubbabel would have been Jehoiakim and Jeconiah, the kings of Judah when Judah was exiled for the sins of his forefathers. The exile therefore lasted three or four generations from the time when God mercifully allowed Zerubbabel to lead Judah’s return to their homeland.
In 1 Chronicles’ account of the royal line of David, Zerubbabel is identified as one of the sons of Pedaiah (1 Chronicles 3:19). But Zerubbabel is identified as the son of Shealtiel in Ezra 1:1, Haggai 1:1, and in Matthew’s (Matthew 1:12) and Luke’s genealogies of Jesus.
This likely indicates that Zerubbabel was the biological son of Pedaiah, but was adopted and raised by Pedaiah’s brother Shealtiel (1 Chronicles 3:18). The Law of Moses required a brother to provide for his deceased brother’s family—and this law specifically included raising his dead brother’s children (Deuteronomy 25:5-6).
While the scriptures do not explicitly state that Pedaiah perished and that Zerubbabel was raised by his uncle Shealtiel according to the Law of Moses, it is reasonable to infer that this is what happened.
Thus, Zerubbabel was the biological son of Pedaiah (1 Chronicles 3:19) and he was the adoptive-son of Shealtiel (Ezra 1:1, Haggai 1:1, Matthew 1:12-13, Luke 3:27).
Both Zerubbabel and Jesus were adopted sons.
It is fitting that the Messiah, who was an adopted son, would also have one or more figures in his lineage who were also adopted sons.
Pedaiah and Shealtiel were the sons of Jeconiah (1 Chronicles 3:17), who along with his father, Jehoiakim, was a wicked king (2 Kings 24:9).
Jeconiah was the last non-vassal king of Judah.
Jeconiah lost his throne, his kingdom, and his place in the Messianic lineage for his wickedness (Jeremiah 22:24-30). 1 Chronicles refers to Jeconiah as “the prisoner” (1 Chronicles 3:17a) because after a brief reign as king (2 Kings 24:8), he spent thirty-seven years imprisoned in Babylon (2 Kings 25:27).
Because Jeconiah and his father were faithless wicked kings, they not only lost their throne and kingdom to Babylon, but God also removed them from the royal lineage of David to the Messiah (Jeremiah 22:24-30).
This is called “the curse of Jeconiah.” (See below.)
The Curse of Jeconiah and how it did not affect Jesus
“The curse of Jeconiah” was the LORD’s declaration that none of Jeconiah’s descendants would ever sit on the throne of David (Jeremiah 22:30). The LORD made this declaration to Jehoakim, Jeconiah’s evil father who was king of Judah when the curse was first pronounced.
Centuries earlier, God had made a covenant with David that He would have a descendant who would sit on his throne and rule his house forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Jeconiah had descended from David. Jeconiah rebelled against the LORD and entrusted himself to Israel’s enemies. And so, God rejected Jeconiah and cursed his descendants—declaring that none of them would ever sit on the throne of David again. God would fulfill His covenant with David another way—through other descendants that did not include Jeconiah.
When the LORD cursed Jeconiah, God used the image of a “signet ring” (Jeremiah 22:24) to depict His rejection,
“‘As I live,’ declares the LORD, ‘even though Coniah [Jeconiah] the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were a signet ring on My right hand, yet I would pull you off.”
(Jeremiah 22:24)
A signet ring is a ring engraved with a distinctive seal that was pressed into wax or clay to authenticate documents, signify authority, and mark ownership or approval. Whoever possessed the king’s signet carried his full authorization to seal decrees, enforce laws, and represent his power (Genesis 41:42, Esther 8:2). It symbolizes authority, legitimacy, and the right to act on behalf of its owner.
In the context of Jeremiah 22:24, the signet ring represents the LORD’s seal of approval and divine endorsement of Judah’s king, Jeconiah.
By declaring that He is going to pull Jeconiah off His right hand, the LORD is saying that Jeconiah will no longer be used as God’s signet ring. In other words, the LORD is going to replace Jeconiah and remove Him from the throne. Jeconiah will no longer have any legitimacy or support from God. The LORD goes on to then curse all of Jeconiah’s descendants:
“Write this man down childless,
A man who will not prosper in his days;
For no man of his descendants will prosper
Sitting on the throne of David
Or ruling again in Judah.”
(Jeremiah 22:30)
From this language, it is apparent that no descendant of Jeconiah will sit on the throne of David or be the promised Messiah according to the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:12-16).
And yet, Zerubbabel was Jeconiah’s biological grandson, and Jesus descended from Zerubbabel (Luke 3:27).
How did God reject Jeconiah, a descendant and king in the royal lineage of David, and cut off His descendants and at the same time raise up Jesus who is biologically descended from Jeconiah to be the heir who would sit on the throne of David forever without end (Luke 1:32-33)?
The Bible makes at least three important statements that indicate how God both fulfilled His covenant with David in the person of Jesus and His curse of Jeconiah and his descendants.
The first statement is found in the book of Haggai.
In one of the most striking post-exilic promises, God declared Zerubbabel to be His chosen “signet ring,” a symbol of royal authority and covenant favor,
“‘On that day,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the LORD of hosts.”
(Haggai 2:23)
By using the same imagery of the “signet ring” to show His approval of Zerubbabel in Haggai 2:23, that the LORD used when He cursed Jeconiah in Jeremiah 22:24, God appears to be demonstrating that the curse of his grandfather does not apply to Zerubbabel and his descendants (which would eventually include Jesus the Messiah).
The LORD’s declaration of Zerubbabel as a signet ring established him as the visible heir of David’s line after the exile (Haggai 2:23). This made Zerubbabel a living sign that God had not revoked His promise to the house of David. Zerubbabel never became king. But Jesus His descendant is the King of kings who will reign upon the throne of David forever (Luke 1:32-33).
Haggai 2:23 is a powerful affirmation of the LORD’s approval of Zerubbabel and seems to indicate that he and his line is exempt from Jeconiah’s curse.
The other Biblical statements that indicate how God both fulfilled His covenant with David in the person of Jesus and His curse of Jeconiah and his descendants are found in the genealogies of Matthew and Luke.
The second statement is: “After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel” (Matthew 1:12).
Matthew points out how Shealtiel was born in captivity. Matthew may have written “after the deportation to Babylon” (Matthew 1:12) as a way to indicate that Shealtiel was born “after” Jeconiah had already been cut off from the Messianic line. In other words, Shealtiel did not inherit the throne, nor the promise of the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:12-16) from his biological father.
The third remark at the end of Luke 3:27: “Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri.”
In this verse, notice how Luke names Neri (and not Jeconiah) as the father of Zerubbabel’s father, Shealtiel. Neri, as will be explained when we talk about Shealtiel and Neri later in this commentary, was the adoptive father of Shealtiel. By naming Shealtiel’s adoptive father, Neri, instead of his biological father, Jeconiah, Luke demonstrates two things at once:
God used Neri’s adoption of Shealtiel to both pass along the promise of the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:12-16) and to circumvent the curse of Jeconiah (Jeremiah 22:24-30).
Neri’s adoption of Zerubbabel circumventing Jeconiah’s curse foreshadows two remarkable realities:
So, we see from Matthew and Luke that Shealtiel and his son Zerubbabel do not inherit the Davidic promise through their biological father/grandfather Jeconiah, but rather through Neri a descendant of David who adopted Shealtiel (Matthew 1:12, Luke 3:27c-e).
And we see in Haggai that God appears to indicate that Zerubbabel and his descendants are exempt from the curse of Jeconiah because the LORD makes him His new signet ring (Haggai 2:23), which was removed when the LORD cursed Jeconiah (Jeremiah 22:24).
Thus the LORD used Neri’s adoption to circumvent the curse of Jeconiah and to extend the Davidic Covenant, and He seemed to personally affirm that Zerubbabel was the visible heir of David’s throne, even though Zerubbabel never was king.
Psalm 89 appears to be prophetic of the end of the kingdom of Judah and the curse of Jeconiah and God’s remarkable faithfulness to all of His promises in the Davidic Covenant despite these events.
For more, see our article “What is the Curse of Jeconiah?”
Zerubbabel foreshadows Jesus
In many respects Zerubbabel was the foreshadowing of Jesus the Messiah. Zerubbabel is among the numerous figures throughout the history of Israel who foreshadowed certain aspects and roles of the Messiah’s work. Among the more widely recognized include:
(Genesis 1:26-31, 2:5-23, 3:1-19, Romans 5:14, 1 Corinthians 15:45-47)
(Genesis 6:17-22, 7:23-24, John 3:17, 1 Peter 3:20-21)
(Genesis 14:18, Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 5:6, 7:3, 7:17)
(Genesis 22:1-14, John 1:29)
(Genesis 37:18-28, 39-46, 50:20, Isaiah 53, Philippians 2:7-9)
(Deuteronomy 18:15, Acts 3:22-23, Hebrews 3:3-6)
(Joshua 11:16-19, 12:7-8, Revelation 19:11-21)
(2 Samuel 7:12-17, Psalm 89:3-4, Matthew 21:9, Luke 1:32-33, Revelation 22:16)
(2 Samuel 7:13, 1 Kings 6:1-2, 4:29-30, Matthew 12:42, Romans 16:27, 1 Corinthians 1:24, Ephesians 2:20-22)
Jesus was and is a greater Adam, Noah, Melchizedek, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, and Solomon. Similarly, Jesus is also a greater Zerubbabel.
1. Both Zerubbabel and Jesus were adopted.
(Deuteronomy 25:5-6, 1 Chronicles 3:18-19, Ezra 3:2, Nehemiah 12:1, Haggai 1:1, Matthew 1:12, Luke 3:27)
(Matthew 1:18-24, Luke 3:23)
2. Both Zerubbabel and Jesus lead captives from exile to their home.
(Ezra 2:1-2)
(Luke 4:18, John 8:36)
3. Both Zerubbabel and Jesus rebuilt the temple.
(Ezra 3:8-10, 6:14-15)
(Psalm 118:22, Matthew 21:42-44, John 2:19-21, Ephesians 2:20-22)
4. Both Zerubbabel and Jesus were chosen by God to accomplish their mission.
(Haggai 2:23)
(Matthew 3:17 Matthew 28:18).
5. Both Zerubbabel and Jesus faced opposition yet succeeded by God’s power.
(Zechariah 4:6-9)
(Matthew 4:1-11, 12:14, 26:3-4, 26:57-68, 27:26, 1 Corinthians 15, Colossians 2:13-15, Hebrews 2:14-15)
6. Both Zerubbabel and Jesus represent the hope of David’s restored kingdom.
(Haggai 2:21-23)
(Luke 1:32-33, Revelation 22:16)
Jesus is the literal fulfillment of “the signet ring” which God promised to Zerubbabel:
“‘On that day,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you.’”
(Haggai 2:23)
As was described above, this symbolically reaffirmed God’s covenant with the house of David after the exile, through Zerubbabel. By calling him His “signet ring,” God was signaling that royal authority, covenant legitimacy, and Messianic hope were still alive through Zerubbabel’s line.
Jesus is the ultimate and complete fulfillment of Zerubbabel as God’s true and final signet ring. He is the chosen Son through whom all divine authority is now exercised. After His resurrection, Jesus told His disciples:
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
(Matthew 28:18)
Where Zerubbabel symbolized restored royal legitimacy after the exile, Jesus embodies it eternally as the Son of David who reigns forever (Luke 1:32-33). Even more, Jesus bears God’s exact imprint, not merely His delegated authority: “He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature” (Hebrews 1:3).
Zerubbabel carried the promise in shadow and was a symbol. Jesus fulfills this promise and is the embodied fulfillment, as the true eternal King through whom God seals His final covenant with humanity.
The meaning of Zerubbabel’s name
Finally, Jesus is the fulfillment of Zerubbabel’s name.
In Hebrew, the name Zerubbabel has multiple meanings.
The most obvious meaning is derived from the two Hebrew components that make up his name: “zera” which means “seed” or “offspring,” and “bavel” which means “Babylon.” Therefore, the first and most obvious meaning of Zerubbabel is “seed of Babylon” which refers to the promised remnant that was to return from Babylon.
A second meaning of Zerubbabel is derived when “bavel” is associated with a related term: “balal” which means “confusion” or “dispersion.” When this meaning is layered with the first, the name, Zerubbabel means “seed of the scattered” or “seed from the exile.”
Like Zerubbabel’s name suggests, Jesus is the promised seed of the exiled race that restores humanity from the doom of sin (Genesis 3:15). Humanity was exiled from the Garden of Eden, where stood the tree of life that provided immortality (Genesis 3:22-24). The story arc of human history is a story of exile and return, and the new earth will feature a tree of life that provides healing to the nations (Revelation 22:2).
Jesus paved the way for humanity’s return from having been exiled into sin and death by perfectly fulfilling the Law and sacrificing Himself on the cross in obedience to His Father’s command (Matthew 5:17, Philippians 2:5-8). On the cross, Jesus was forsaken, “exiled” by God (Matthew 27:46) as He became sin on our behalf (Isaiah 53:5, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:24). The Father accepted His sacrifice (Luke 23:46) and raised Him up from the dead (Acts 2:24, 3:15, 4:10, Galatians 1:1b, 1 Peter 1:3). Through His obedience, death, and resurrection Jesus now rescues God’s people exiled in sin.
Jesus is the One who gathers the scattered people of God to their true home (Luke 19:10). Jesus is the Good Shepherd who finds His lost and confused sheep and returns them to His protection and care (Luke 15:4-6, John 10:10-18). Jesus is like the hen who gathers her chicks under her wing (Matthew 23:37).
In this way, Jesus fully embodies the meaning of Zerubbabel’s name—He is the true “Seed of the Exile” who enters humanity’s dispersion in sin and powerfully gathers the scattered sons and daughters of God back into their eternal home.
…the son of Shealtiel… (v 27d)
Shealtiel was the adoptive father of Zerubbabel.
Shealtiel is also mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus’s adoptive father, Joseph (Matthew 1:12). So, the convergence of Jesus’s lineage between His mother’s line (recorded by Luke) and His adoptive father (recorded by Matthew) includes Zerubbabel as well as Shealtiel before diverging once again. This suggests that Zerubbabel was the first common great-grandparent of Mary and Joseph.
Shealtiel is evidently the same figure as mentioned in 1 Chronicles’ account of the royal line of David (1 Chronicles 3:1-24). Shealtiel was the older brother of Pedaiah (1 Chronicles 3:17-18), who was the biological father of Zerubbabel (1 Chronicles 3:19).
It seems that Pedaiah perished before his sons were independent and grown, so Shealtiel adopted his deceased brother’s son Zerubbabel according to the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). And this was how Shealtiel came to be the adoptive father of Zerubbabel (Ezra 3:2, Nehemiah 12:1, Haggai 1:1, Matthew 1:12, Luke 3:27).
It appears that Shealtiel was himself adopted. Shealtiel was the biological son of Jeconiah, the last king of Judah (1 Chronicles 3:17, Matthew 1:12) whom God cursed (Jeremiah 22:24-30). But Luke records Shealtiel’s father as Neri (Luke 3:27). Neri likely adopted and raised Shealtiel the imprisoned king’s son.
Luke lists Neri, Shealtiel’s adoptive father instead of Jeconiah (his biological father), to show how the curse of Jeconiah did not apply to Shealtiel and how God’s covenant promise to David and his descendants (II Samual 7:12-16) extended to Shealtiel through another branch (Nathan, etc.) instead of cursed Jeconiah.
Similarly, just as Neri’s adoption of Shealtiel kept the curse of Jeconiah from applying to Shealtiel and Zerubbabel and onto Jesus, neither did the curse of Adam pass on to Jesus because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and adopted by Joseph.
So Shealtiel was adopted by Neri. And Shealtiel adopted Zerubbabel. Shealtiel is the third example of an adopted son in Jesus’s lineage. Zerubbabel was the second, and Jesus was the first as the adopted son of Joseph (Luke 3:23).
In Hebrew, the name, Shealtiel, is derived from two words:
The name Shealtiel, therefore, means: “to ask, petition, and/or inquire of God.” Shealtiel can also mean: “I asked God” or “God has been asked.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of Shealtiel’s name in three ways.
First, as the Messiah, Jesus was the answer to Israel’s petitions and prayers asking God to remember His promises (Luke 1:68-79).
Second, Jesus petitioned and asked God for wisdom and strength to accomplish the things He was sent to do (Luke 5:16, 6:12, 22:41-44).
And third, because of Jesus, all believers have access to inquire of God and boldly come before God’s throne to seek help (Hebrews 4:16). Jesus told the disciples to ask in His name and the Father would give (John 16:23), and even now He is at the right hand of the Father interceding for believers (Romans 8:34).
It is through Jesus that we as believers can “shealtiel”—petition God.
…the son of Neri (v 27e)
Neri was the adoptive father of Shealtiel.
The only apparent reference in the Bible to Neri is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus.
The biological father of Shealtiel was Jeconiah, the last non-vassal king of Judah.
Jeconiah was a wicked king (2 Kings 24:9). And the prophet Jeremiah prophesied that Jehoiakim and Jeconiah would not only be deposed, but that their line would also be cut off from the house of David, meaning that they would have no part in the Messianic lineage (Jeremiah 22:24-30).
Matthew and Luke were both aware of Jeremiah’s prophecy. And both Gospel writers deal with the prophetic implications of how God blotted these rebellious kings out of the Messiah’s lineage in different ways.
Matthew specifies that Shealtiel was born “after the deportation to Babylon” as a way to indicate that his father was no longer king, and that he did not inherit the throne in fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy (Jeremiah 22:24-30).
Luke mention that Shealtiel was the son of his adoptive father, who was called Neri (v 27e), instead of his accursed biological father. Evidently, Neri raised Shealtiel and was his surrogate father, while Jeconiah spent the rest of his days imprisoned in Babylon.
Neri’s adoption of Shealtiel was Luke’s way of demonstrating how the curse of Jeconiah did not apply to Shealtiel and Zerubbabel and pass through to Mary the mother of Jesus.
Similarly, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and adopted by Joseph, so the curse on Adam did not pass to Him.
In Hebrew, the name Neri comes from the Hebrew word “ner,” which means “lamp,” “light,” or “light-bearer.” The “-i” ending incorporates a “my” to the preceding noun. This would indicate that Neri means “my lamp” or “my light.”
Similarly, Neri could also mean “lamp of Yahweh” or “God’s Light.”
Jesus embodies the meaning of Neri’s name because He is “the Light of the world [and] he who follows [Jesus] will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12). Jesus is the promised lamp for the house of David (1 Kings 15:4, Psalm 132:17).