Luke 3:32-34 meaning

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The Genealogy of Jesus: Luke continues his record of Jesus’s genealogy back to Adam, the first human, tracing Jesus’s lineage from Jesse who was the father of King David to Nahor, who was the grandfather of Abraham.

The parallel of Luke 3:32-34 is Matthew 1:2-6.

The Gospel parallels for the entire genealogical accounts of Jesus are Luke 3:23-38 and Matthew 1:1-17.

In Luke 3:32-34, Luke follows the lineage of Jesus from Jesse, the father of King David to Abraham’s grandfather, Nahor.

Luke’s genealogical record began following Jesus’s biological line through his mother, Mary (Luke 3:23—see The Bible Says commentary for Luke 3:23).

Previously in his genealogical ascent from Jesus to Adam, Luke traced the lineage of Mary back to Zerubbabel, the first common ancestor that she shared with Jesus’s adoptive father — Joseph (Luke 3:23-27). Matthew’s account, which descends from Abraham to Jesus, agrees by placing Zerubbabel as the final common ancestor in his descending genealogy (Matthew 1:12-16).

Matthew and Luke’s genealogies align for two generations: “Zerubbabel [was] the son of Shealtiel” (Luke 3:27d—see also Matthew 1:12) before they diverge a second time.

Matthew follows the royal lineage from Shealtiel’s father, King Jeconiah to King David through David’s son, King Solomon (Matthew 1:6-12). But God cursed Jeconiah and this kingly line (Jeremiah 22:24-30), so Luke traces the line through Shealtiel’s adoptive father (Neri) back to King David through a different son of David who was named Nathan (Luke 3:27-31).

Just as Zerubbabel was the first common ancestor (or last, if we are descending with Matthew) between Jesus’s mother Mary and Joseph, so was David the first common ancestor between Shealtiel’s biological father King Jeconiah and Neri, his adoptive father.

At David, the two genealogies converge for the final time. Between David and Abraham (where Matthew begins, Matthew 1:2) Matthew and Luke’s genealogies will follow the same line, naming the same individuals with few exceptions.

Luke continues:

the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon (v 32)

the son of Jesse… (v 32a)

Jesse was the father of King David.

Jesse is also included in Matthew’s account tracing Jesus’s lineage back to Abraham (Matthew 1:5-6).

Jesse is best known in the Bible as the father of King David and the man from whose lineage the Messiah would come.

The first mention of Jesse is at the end of the Book of Ruth which identifies him as the son of Obed in the genealogies of Judah’s line, and therefore the grandson of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 4:17, 4:22—see also 1 Chronicles 2:12-15). 1 Samuel reveals that Jesse was a Bethlehemite with eight sons in the days of Saul (1 Samuel 16:1, 16:10-11).

It was from Jesse’s household that the LORD chose David, the youngest and least likely son, to be king over Israel (1 Samuel 16:12-13). Jesse appears again when he sends David to the battlefield to deliver provisions to his brothers (1 Samuel 17:17-18). Later, after Saul became envious and hateful of David, David ensures his father’s safety during his flight from Saul (1 Samuel 22:3-4).

The prophet Isaiah highlights Jesse’s significance, declaring that a glorious “shoot” and “root” would come from Jesse’s line—the promised Messiah who would rule in righteousness and bring hope to the nations:

“Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.”
(Isaiah 11:1)

“Then in that day
The nations will resort to the root of Jesse.”
(Isaiah 11:10a).

Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecies and was that shoot and root that sprang from Jesse (Romans 15:8-9, 15:12). Jesus declared to John:

“I am the root and the descendant of David [Jesse’s father].”
(Revelation 22:16)

The Hebrew name Jesse is derived from the Hebrew root “yesh” which means “there is,” “existence,” or to “stand out.” The name itself means “I possess.”

In addition to being the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecies (Isaiah 11:1, 11:10), Jesus embodies the meanings of Jesse’s name in four important ways:

Jesus is the Word who existed with God from the beginning.
(John 1:1)
In fulfilling the Law, Jesus, the root of David (Jesse’s son), is the only one who possesses righteousness in Himself.
(Matthew 5:17, Revelation 5:2-5)
Jesus alone possesses the keys of death and Hades (Revelation 1:18) and Jesus is the only One to stand and rise from the grave (Mark 16:6, Acts 2:24, Romans 6:9, Colossians 1:18, Revelation 1:18).
Because of His sacrifice and sufficient righteousness, Jesus is the only One who can make us stand before God.
(Romans 5:1-2, Jude 1:24)

the son of Obed… (v 32b)

Obed was the father of Jesse.

Obed is also included in Matthew’s account tracing Jesus’s lineage back to Abraham (Matthew 1:5).

Obed was a son born to Boaz and Ruth, the Moabite woman who had taken refuge under the God of Israel (Ruth 4:13, 4:17). Matthew comments on the fact that Ruth was a Moabitess (and therefore not a Jew) which reveals that the Messiah’s lineage was not strictly Jewish, and hinting that Jesus was a Savior of the world (Matthew 1:5).

The women of Bethlehem declared that Obed would be “a restorer of life and a sustainer” for Naomi in her old age (Ruth 4:15). He became the father of Jesse, who in turn became the father of David, making Obed the grandfather of Israel’s greatest king (Ruth 4:17, 4:22, 1 Chronicles 2:12).

The Bible gives no further narrative about Obed’s personal life beyond his role in the Messianic line, but he is remembered as a crucial link in the genealogy leading to David and ultimately to Jesus.

Other Biblical figures named Obed include:

Obed the son of Ephlal (Judahite family line)
(1 Chronicles 2:37-38)
Obed, one of David’s mighty men
(1 Chronicles 11:47)
Obed, a gatekeeper of the ark under David (listed as Obed-edom)
(1 Chronicles 15:18)
Obed, son of Shemaiah, grandson of Obed-edom (Levite)
(1 Chronicles 26:7)
Obed the father of Azariah
Azariah helped Jehoiada depose Athaliah and establish Joash as king.
(2 Chronicles 23:1).

The Hebrew name Obed comes from the Hebrew root “avad” which means “to serve” or “to work.” Obed’s name therefore means “servant,” “one who serves,” or “worker.”

Jesus embodied the meaning of Obed’s name in three major ways:

Jesus was a servant of God.
(Isaiah 42:1, John 6:38, Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 10:7)
Jesus worked for and accomplished our redemption.
(Isaiah 49:6, John 4:34, 17:4, 19:31, Colossians 2:13-14)
Jesus was a servant of humanity.
(Isaiah 53:12, Mark 10:45, John 13:14-15, 15:12)

the son of Boaz… (v 32c)

Boaz was the father of Obed.

Boaz is also included in Matthew’s account tracing Jesus’s lineage back to Abraham (Matthew 1:5).

Boaz was a wealthy and influential man of Bethlehem, described as a “kinsman” of Naomi’s deceased husband, Elimelech (Ruth 2:1). He is portrayed as a compassionate, honorable, and God-fearing man who acted with integrity toward Ruth, a Moabite widow who had sought refuge under the wings of the LORD (Ruth 2:4-12).

Boaz protected Ruth, provided for her generously, and ultimately fulfilled the role of kinsman-redeemer by purchasing Elimelech’s land and marrying Ruth in order to preserve the family line (Ruth 3:9-13, 4:9-10).

Like Boaz the kinsman-redeemer who saved Elimelech’s family line, so too is Jesus, the Son of God, in becoming human, our kinsman-redeemer who saved Adam’s family line (Romans 5:18-19, Galatians 4:4-5, Hebrews 2:14-15, 17).

Boaz and Ruth became the parents of Obed, the grandfather of King David (Ruth 4:17, 4:21-22, 1 Chronicles 2:11-15).

As mentioned above, Matthew goes out of his way to point out that Ruth was a Moabitess (and therefore not a Jew). Matthew likely did this to demonstrate to his primarily Jewish audience how the Messiah’s lineage was not strictly Jewish, and to show how Jesus was the Savior of the world (Matthew 1:5).

The Bible does not identify anyone else named “Boaz.”

The Hebrew name Boaz is not entirely clear. It may be derived from the Hebrew root words: “Bō” and “‘oz.” “Bō” means “in him” in Hebrew. And “‘oz” means “strong.” Boaz’s name is commonly understood to mean “in him is strength.” The name Boaz conveys the sense of a man marked by God-given strength or a man in whom strength resides.

King Solomon named the thirty-five-cubit tall bronze pillar on the front left of the temple “Boaz” (1 Kings 7:21, 2 Chronicles 3:15-17). Solomon may have done this in honor of his great-grandfather or as way to remind worshipers that in God is strength (or both).

Boaz could also mean “fleetness.”

In addition to being our kinsman-redeemer, Jesus embodied the meaning of Boaz’s name “in Him is strength” in three significant ways:

Jesus embodies God’s strength and power.
(Isaiah 9:6, 40:10, Micah 5:2-4, Daniel 7:13-14, Mark 1:22, 27, Luke 4:14)
Jesus has the strength to save.
(Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 28:18, John 6:40, 10:28, Hebrews 7:25)
Jesus provides strength to His people.
(Isaiah 40:31, 61:1, Ezekiel 34:23-24, John 15:5, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Ephesians 6:10, Philippians 4:13, 2 Thessalonians 3:3)

Additionally, Jesus embodied the meaning of Boaz’s name—“fleetness” in that He was ready and eager to do God’s will (John 4:34, 5:30, 6:38, Hebrews 10:7).

the son of Salmon… (v 32d)

Salmon was the father of Boaz.

Salmon is also included in Matthew’s account tracing Jesus’s lineage back to Abraham (Matthew 1:5).

The Bible does not appear to provide direct accounts of Salmon’s circumstances or records of his words or deeds. Apart from four genealogical records, the Bible preserves no further explicit information about Salmon (Ruth 4:20-21, 1 Chronicles 2:11, Matthew 1:5, and Luke 3:32).

All four of these records indicate that Salmon was the son of Nahshon and the father of Boaz.

Matthew’s account provides an important additional fact about Salmon. His Gospel explicitly states that “Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab” (Matthew 1:5a).

Rahab was the prostitute in Jericho who hid the Israelite spies (Joshua 2:1-6). For her faithfulness, God granted her and her household protection when the city fell (Joshua 6:17, 6:22-25). James and the author of Hebrews both commend Rahab as an example of faith (James 2:25, Hebrews 11:31).

Two important points can be gleaned from Matthew’s identifying Rahab as Salmon’s wife and the mother of Boaz (Matthew 1:5a).

First, a former Canaanite prostitute is included in the Messiah’s lineage, which again demonstrates how Jesus the Messiah has come to redeem the world (not just Israel) and came to save even those who are regarded as the worst of sinners (Matthew 21:31).

Second, because Rahab lived at the time of the conquest, and Boaz lived near the end of the period of the Judges, this suggests that Salmon was a father of Boaz in the ancestral sense with an unspecified number of generations in between him and Boaz. Because nearly four-hundred- years lay between the fall of Jericho and the birth of David, it is unlikely that Boaz (David’s grandfather) was a baby to whom Rahab gave birth.

It is common for ancient genealogies to skip over generations in their records. Therefore, it was acceptable and accurate to state that Salmon was the father of Boaz or that Boaz was the son of Salmon even though multiple generations were between them.

In Hebrew, the name Salmon is derived from the word “salmah” which means “garment” or “clothing.” Salmon’s name means “garment/clothing.”

Jesus embodies Salmon’s name in three ways.

When we receive the Gift of Eternal Life, Jesus clothes us in the garment of His righteousness.
(Isaiah 61:10, Zechariah 3:3-5, Galatians 3:27)
We are to overcome life’s trials by faith by putting on the garment of Jesus and His character and sharing in His suffering.
(Romans 13:14, Philippians 3:9, Colossians 3:12-14, Revelation 7:14)
If we overcome our trials by faith, part of the Prize of Eternal Life is that Jesus rewards us with new robes.
(Matthew 22:11-14, Luke 15:22, Revelation 19:8)

the son of Nahshon… (v 32e)

Nahshon was the father of Salmon.

Nahshon is also included in Matthew’s account tracing Jesus’s lineage back to Abraham (Matthew 1:4).

Nahshon son of Amminadab (v 33a) was a leader of the tribe of Judah during Israel’s wilderness journey (Numbers 1:7, 2:3, 10:14). His sister Elisheba married Aaron the brother of Moses (Exodus 6:23), making Nashon brother-in-law to the high priest.

When offerings were made for the dedication of the altar, Nahshon was among the first tribal leaders to present an offering (Numbers 7:12-17). Just as Jesus is a better Adam, Moses, David, etc., Jesus is also a better Nahshon, having offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world (Hebrews 10:10):

Nashon was a tribal leader of Judah and the commander of their army.

As the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5) who will defeat all of God and Israel’s enemies (Revelation 19:11-21), Jesus is the greatest tribal chief Judah has or will ever have.

In Old Testament genealogies, Nahshon is listed as an ancestor of Boaz and David (Ruth 4:20-21, 1 Chronicles 2:10-15). The Gospel genealogies include Boaz and David but extend the generations to Jesus (Matthew 1:4-6, Luke 3:31-32).

This Nahshon is the only person by this name in the Bible.

In Hebrew, the name Nahshon is derived from the words “nāḥāsh” and “nachash.”

“Nāḥāsh” means “serpent.”

“Nachash” means “to divine, to foresee,” “enchanter,” or possibly “one who is bold.”

In most Biblical contexts, serpents are associated with sin and/or the devil. Perhaps the three most memorable passages that depict and associate serpents with the devil and evil are:

The devil took the form of a serpent to tempt Eve and Adam who was with her to disobey God’s command.
(Genesis 3:1-6)
God sent serpents among the disobedient Israelites in the wilderness as punishment.
(Numbers 21:6.

God also provided a path to life by having Moses raise up a bronze serpent on a pole so that “everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live” (Numbers 21:8). This foreshadowed how Jesus was raised up on the cross as the image of sin and rejection, and saves all who look on Him in faith from sin and death (John 3:14-15).
Satan is identified as the serpent/dragon of John’s dramatic vision in Revelation.
(Revelation 12)

But while the name Nahshon, means “serpent-like” it is not likely meant to be associated with evil. Rather, Nahshon means “one who perceives, discerns, is cunning, and/or is bold.” Nahshon was the fitting name of the tribal chief of Judah and the leader of her armies which was the vanguard of Israel’s encampment as the people departed Mount Sinai (Numbers 10:13-14).

In addition to being a better Nahshon and captain of Judah’s army, Jesus also embodies the meanings of Nahshon’s name in five meaningful ways:

Jesus was perceptive, discerning, and cunning.
(Isaiah 11:2-3, Matthew 9:4, Luke 5:22, 20:23, John 2:24-25)

Jesus regularly perceived the traps of His enemies, and cunningly rejected their deceitful framing, and replaced it with what was true, thus exposing their hypocrisy and revealing God’s good paths at the same time (Matthew 12:1-8, 12:9-15, 12:22-28, 15:1-8, Luke 5:22, 20:23). Jesus commanded His disciples to “be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16)
Jesus was bold in the face of His enemies and in accomplishing His mission.
(Matthew 23, Luke 9:51, John 18:4-8)
Jesus boldly confronted the devil. He was not enchanted by Satan but defeated him by obeying God’s will.
(Luke 4:3-13)
On the cross, Jesus fulfilled the image of the bronze serpent in the wilderness and took away the spiritually-deadly poison of sin by becoming sin for us on the cross.
(Numbers 21:6-9, John 3:14-15, 2 Corinthians 5:21)
Jesus draws men to Himself and into harmony with God.
(John 6:44, 12:32)

the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah (v 33)

Thoughts on the Israelite Generations in Egypt

At this juncture it would be worth considering a couple of questions about verse 33 before going into the individual men who comprised this portion of Jesus’s genealogy.

The first question is: did Luke (and Matthew) skip one or more generations in this portion of the genealogy?

Luke mirrors Matthew’s genealogy between David and Judah, which includes Nashon who belonged to the generation of Israelites who left Egypt, and Judah, from the generation of Israelites that resettled in Egypt.

At first glance and to our modern eyes, it seems that Matthew and Luke appear to skip over one or more generations between Nashon, Judah’s tribal leader during the exodus in 1500 B. C., and Abraham, who lived around 2000 B.C. In particular, the gospel writers seem as if they might have skipped over generations between Abraham’s great-grandson Judah and Amminadab the father of Nashon.

It is possible (and acceptable according to ancient record keeping) that Matthew and Luke skipped over generations in this proportion of genealogical records.

If we syncretize the accounts of Genesis 29-31 with Genesis 41-47, we can surmise that Judah was born to Jacob and Leah when Jacob was eighty-five years old. This would mean Judah was born around 1800 B.C. And if we assume Nashon was already age fifty at the time of the exodus in 1500 B.C., then this leaves six generations to cover the three-hundred-and-fifty years between Nashon and Judah, which is just under sixty years per generation.

Sixty-year generations may be considered old by modern standards. But considering how Abraham was one hundred years old when he had Isaac, and how Isaac was sixty when he had Jacob, and how Jacob was in his nineties when he had Joseph and Benjamin, sixty years is on the lower end of these generational gaps.

Therefore, even though it is possible (and acceptable according to ancient record keeping) that Matthew and Luke may have skipped over generations in this proportion of genealogical records, it should not be assumed that they did. It is biologically possible that Matthew and Luke did not skip any generations between Abraham and Nashon in their genealogies.

A second question to consider is how did Israel go from twelve men to twelve tribes that added up to “about six hundred thousand men on foot aside from children” (Exodus 12:37)?

When women and children are added to this estimate the number grows to 1.5 million to 1.8 million Israelites who left Egypt.

If Jacob had twelve sons who entered Egypt and the Israelites left six generations later, then each generation would need to average 7.1 children per male who survived to adulthood and had children of their own for Israel to have the estimated 1.5 million Israelites who left Egypt.

These fertility rates would have been well in line with what Exodus said concerning the sons of Israel during that time period:

“But the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them.”
(Exodus 1:7)

God told Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that he would bless and greatly multiply their descendants (Genesis 12:2, 15:5, 17:2, 22:17, 26:3-4, 26:24, 28:3-4, 35:11, 46:3). And God was faithful to His promise as Israel’s offspring multiplied from one, starting with Jacob, to between 1.5-2 million in as few as seven generations.

the son of Amminadab… (v 33a)

Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.

Amminadab is also included in Matthew’s account tracing Jesus’s lineage back to Abraham (Matthew 1:4).

Amminadab was a descendant of Judah through Hezron and Ram (Ruth 4:19-20, 1 Chronicles 2:9-10). As mentioned above, Amminadab was the father of Nahshon, who served as the chief prince of the tribe of Judah during Israel's wilderness wanderings (Numbers 1:7; 2:3). Amminadab was also the father of Elisheba, the wife of Aaron, making him the father-in-law of Israel’s first high priest (Exodus 6:23).

The Bible provides no explicit narrative details about Amminadab’s personal life or deeds. But when we consider the contextual clues from the facts described just above, we can reasonably speculate that Amminadab had passed away in Egypt shortly before the exodus or he was an old man during the time of the exodus, and that he spent most of his life in slavery in Egypt. This can be deduced from the fact that Amminadab had adult children who were themselves well established during the time of Israel’s exodus from Egypt.

Within the Bible, Amminadab’s recorded significance rests in his placement within the Judahite line that leads to Boaz, David, and ultimately to Jesus (Matthew 1:4, v 33).

There is one other figure named Aminadab who is explicitly identified in the Bible and it was “Amminadab,” a Levite in David’s time (1 Chronicles 6:22, 15:10-11).

In Hebrew, the name Amminadab is derived from the Hebrew words “am” and “nadav.” “Am” means “people.” And “Nadav” means “noble,” “generous,” and/or “willing.” Nadav can also mean “give freely.” Therefore, Amminadab means “a noble people,” “a willing people,” or “a people characterized by great generosity.” It can also mean “my kinsmen is noble.” Amminadab’s name conveys the sense of belonging to a noble people or of being associated with noble character and generosity.

Jesus embodies Amminadab’s name in four clear ways.

As the Son of God and the son of David, Jesus has both divine and royal nobility.
(Luke 1:32-33, John 18:36-37, 1 Timothy 6:15-16, Revelation 19:16)
Jesus generously and freely offers us the Gift of Eternal Life.
- The Father gave His Son for us.
  (John 3:16, Titus 3:4-6, 1 John 4:9)
- Jesus freely gave Himself for us.
  (Isaiah 53:12, Matthew 20:28, John 10:10-11, 15:13, Romans 5:6-8, 2 Corinthians 8:9)
- Forgiveness of sins and the Gift of Eternal Life is freely offered to all who believe in Jesus.
  (John 1:12, Romans 3:24, Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:7)
Jesus willingly obeyed and perfectly submitted Himself to God’s will.
(John 10:17-18, Luke 22:42, Philippians 2:5-8)
As our elder brother, Jesus is our noble kinsman and He makes us a noble and generous people.
(Matthew 10:8, Acts 20:35, Romans 8:29, 1 Peter 2:9)

the son of Admin… (v 33b)

Admin was the father of Amminadab.

Admin appears only once in the Bible and it is here, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus. Admin does not appear in Matthew’s account (Matthew 1:2-6) nor in the genealogical accounts of Ruth 4:18-20 or 1 Chronicles 2-1:15.

The genealogies of Matthew, Ruth, and 2 Chronicles all appear to skip over Admin and name Ram as the father of Aminadab (Matthew 1:4a, Ruth 4:19, 2 Chronicles 2:10).

By skipping Admin, the genealogies in Matthew, Ruth, and 2 Chronicles are likely describing Ram as the father of Amminadab in an ancestral sense, while Luke is more precise and directly describes Admin as the immediate father of Amminadab. All four of these genealogies are accurate, but Luke is more precise on this point. Precision was especially important to Luke and the writing of his Gospel account (Luke 1:3-4).

The Bible provides no narrative account of Admin, his deeds, or his words. Again, the only place Admin is mentioned by name in the Bible is here in Luke 3:33. His significance according to the Biblical accounts is therefore strictly genealogical, as a link in Luke’s carefully preserved ancestral line of Jesus back to Adam.

There are no other individuals in Scripture named Admin.

Because Admin is only mentioned once and here in the New Testament, it is not altogether clear what the Hebrew meaning of his name is. It is possibly related to the Hebrew words “adam” and/or “adamah.” “Adam” means “man” or “human.” And “Adamah” means “ground” or “earth.”

Therefore, if the Hebrew name Admin is related to “adam,” then it possibly means “human,” or “of humankind,” or “earth-born.”

If this is the meaning of Admin’s name, then it might have given Luke an extra reason to have gone out of his way to include him in the genealogy when other genealogies skipped him. This is because Luke’s Gospel makes a special point to emphasize Jesus’s humanity.

Luke was primarily writing to Greek Christians. The Greeks and their philosophers were obsessed with what the ideal human was and their quest for the good life. Luke presents Jesus as He was and therefore as the perfect human. Luke also shares how the good life is attained by following His example of trusting God by faith and implementing Christ’s teachings as the path to the good life.

By including Admin (whose name could mean “human, humankind” and/or “earthbound”) in his genealogical account, Luke may be subtly reminding his readers of Jesus’s humanity.

And as someone who was fully human, Jesus embodies these possible meanings of the name Admin (John 1:14, Philippians 2:7, Hebrews 2:14).

Jesus is also the One who redeems humanity and the groaning creation from the curse of the ground (Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 8:20-21, Colossians 1:20).

the son of Ram… (v 33c)

Ram was the father of Admin.

Ram is also included in Matthew’s account tracing Jesus’s lineage back to Abraham (Matthew 1:3-4).

Ram was a descendant of Judah who lived in Egypt when the Israelites dwelt there, following the reign of Joseph and the Exodus under Moses. Ram only appears in genealogical lists and is part of the ancestral line that leads from Judah to Nahshon, Boaz, David (Ruth 4:18-20, 1 Chronicles 2:1-10), and ultimately Jesus (Matthew 1:3-4, Luke 3:33).

The Bible provides no explicit particulars about Ram’s actions or words. As far as the Biblical records are concerned, Ram’s significance is serving as a link in the Messianic line preserved by both Old and New Testament genealogies.

As just explained in this Bible Says commentary about Admin, the genealogical records of Ruth, 1 Chronicles, and Matthew all list Ram as the father of Amminadab (Ruth 4:19, 1 Chronicles 2:9-10,) rather than Admin, as Luke’s genealogical account does.

Both accounts are accurate, as it appears that the first three genealogies say that Ram is the father of Amminadab in an ancestral sense, while Luke describes Ram’s immediate son Admin, who was the immediate father of Amminadab. Thus, Ram appears to be Amminadab’s grandfather.

Ruth, Matthew, and Luke all say that Ram’s father was Hezron (Ruth 4:19, Matthew 1:3, Luke 3:33), but 1 Chronicles lists Ram’s father as Hezron in one place (1 Chronicles 2:9) and describes Ram as the first born of Jerahmeel in another (1 Chronicles 2:25). 1 Chronicles 2:25 also describes Jerahmeel as “the first born of Hezron.”

These apparent contradictions of who Ram’s father was can be resolved by considering Jerahmeel as the son of Hezron and the immediate father of Ram, and that Hezron was the ancestral father of Ram, and possibly his adoptive father, if Jerahmeel passed away before Ram came of age. In this sense, Ram could have had two different fathers: Jerahmeel his biological father and Hezron his grandfather and adoptive father.

1 Chronicles 2:9, Ruth, Matthew, and Luke describe Hezron as Ram’s father in the ancestral and/or adoptive sense, while 1 Chronicles 2:25 lists Jerahmeel as Ram’s immediate biological father. Thus, the full Biblical records from 1 Chronicles 2:25 adds an eighth generation in the children of Israel’s Egyptian years.

Ram is the only person in the Bible with this name.

In Hebrew, the name Ram comes from the Hebrew root “rum” which means “to be high” or “to be exalted.” Ram’s name therefore appears to describe a sense of exaltation, height, or being raised up, concepts that Scripture frequently associates with honor, authority, and divine elevation.

Jesus embodies the meaning of Ram’s name in three ways.

Jesus is exalted by God above all others.
(Psalm 110:1, Isaiah 52:13, 53:12, Matthew 28:18, Acts 2:33, Ephesians 1:20-21, Philippians 2:9-11, Hebrews 1:3)
Jesus was “lifted up” in crucifixion and glory.
(John 3:14-15, John 12:32, Acts 5:30-31)
Jesus raises believers up with Him from death to life.
(John 6:40, 11:25, 1 Corinthians 15:22)
Jesus exalts believers who overcome life’s trials by faith.
(Matthew 19:29-30, 25:21, 23, 25:34, 1 Corinthians 3:11-14, Philippians 3:8-14, 2 Timothy 2:12, James 1:12, 1 Peter 5:6, Revelation 3:21)

the son of Hezron… (v 33d)

Hezron was the father of Ram.

Hezron is also included in Matthew’s account tracing Jesus’s lineage back to Abraham (Matthew 1:3).

Hezron was a son of Perez and a grandson of Judah. Hezron appears to have been born in the land of Canaan and is listed as among the seventy who relocated with Jacob (his great-grand father) to Egypt during the famine (Genesis 46:8-27 — see 46:12). Hezron was one of the foundational ancestors of the Hezronites who had become a sub-clan of Judah by the time of Israel’s exodus from Egypt (Numbers 26:6, 20-21).

Hezron is listed as the father of Ram in the genealogies of Ruth, Matthew, and Luke (Ruth 4:19, Matthew 1:3, Luke 3:33) and by 1 Chronicles 2:9. But 1 Chronicles 2:25 says that Jerahmeel, the firstborn of Hezron was the father of Ram.

As explained in our commentary for Ram in (v 33c), the two records in 1 Chronicles 2 may mean that Hezron had Jerahmeel and Jerahmeel had Ram. But Hezeron adopted and raised Ram because (for some unnamed reason) Jerahmeel was unable to raise his son Ram. Thus, Jerahmeel was likely Ram’s biological father and Hezron was Ram’s adoptive father and/or Ram’s grandfather Hezron is called Ram’s father in the ancestral sense.

The only other person the Bible identifies by the name “Hezron” is Reuben’s son (Genesis 46:12). Hezron, son of Perez would have been related to Hezron, son of Reuben. Because Judah was the grandfather of Hezron, son of Perez, and Judah was the brother of Reuben, “Hezron, son of Reuben” would have been the nephew of Judah. Reuben’s son would have been a second uncle to Hezron, son of Perez. Both Hezrons likely knew one another, and both relocated to Egypt with their ancestor Jacob during the famine.

In Hebrew, the name Hezron is derived from the word “ḥaṣar” meaning to “enclose,” “surround,” or “settle,” or describing “a court or a yard, enclosed by a fence.” Hezron’s name, therefore, means “enclosed place,” “settlement,” or “fortified area,” conveying the idea of established dwelling, stability, and permanence.

Jesus embodies the meanings of Hezron’s name in three ways:

Jesus is our settlement and home.
(John 14:23, Ephesians 2:19-22)
Jesus is our fence of protection.
(John 10:7, 10:28-29, 2 Thessalonians 3:3)
Jesus is our foundation and is preparing a place for every believer in Heaven.
(John 14:2, 1 Corinthians 3:11, 1 Peter 2:6)

the son of Perez… (v 33e)

Perez was the father of Hezron.

Perez is also included in Matthew’s account tracing Jesus’s lineage back to Abraham (Matthew 1:3).

Perez was born under unusual and sinful circumstances, nevertheless his life played an important role in God’s redemptive plan to bring the Messiah into the world.

According to Gensis 38, Perez was conceived through Judah’s union with his own daughter-in-law Tamar. After Judah’s sons Er and Onan died, Judah failed to give his youngest son Shelah to Tamar as a husband, leaving her without protection or offspring in Israel (Genesis 38:7-11).

In response, Tamar disguised herself as a harlot and positioned herself along the road to Timnah, where Judah, not recognizing her, slept with her (Genesis 38:14-16). As a pledge of payment, Judah gave Tamar his seal, cord, and staff (Genesis 3:17-18). When Tamar’s pregnancy later became known and Judah initially condemned her, she produced these items, exposing Judah as the father (Genesis 28:24-25). Judah then acknowledged his guilt, declaring that Tamar “is more righteous than I,” (Genesis 38:26) and the twins Perez and Zerah were born from this union.

Matthew’s account of Jesus’s genealogy points out that Perez was born from Judah and Tamar’s sinful union, by naming the Canaanite Tamar. (Matthew 1:3). Tamar is the first of four women whom Matthew mentions in Jesus’s lineage—the other three are Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba (Matthew 1:5-6).

When the time came for Tamar to deliver, Zerah’s hand emerged from the womb, “and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, ‘This one came out first’” (Genesis 38:28).

“But it came about as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out. Then she said, ‘What a breach you have made for yourself!’ So, he was named Perez.”
(Genesis 38:29)

Though Perez was not the first twin to emerge from the womb (Zerah’s arm broke through ahead of his brother) Perez was actually delivered first. This is how Perez received his name Perez, which in Hebrew means “breach,” because Perez breached ahead of his brother who initially appeared so that he would be born first. Zerah, who had appeared as though he would be born first was the second-born; and Perez, the baby who appeared to be born second was the true first-born.

That the Messiah’s lineage comes through Perez, the baby who was likely to be born second before becoming the true first-born is one of many instances that establish a pattern, that Jesus will later describe:

“And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.”
(Luke 13:30)

Thus, Perez became an integral part of the tapestry within the tribe of Judah—one from whom Israel’s kings would arise. In the unfolding story of Scripture, Perez stands as a key ancestor in the royal and Messianic line. He is listed in the genealogies leading to King David (Ruth 4:18-22, 1 Chronicles 2:3-4) and ultimately to Jesus the Messiah (Matthew 1:3, Luke 3:33).

And as Perez was initially overlooked, even from birth, on account of his brother, so too was Jesus overlooked and not recognized by men when He came to earth (Isaiah 53:2, John 10:10).

Perez’s prominence in these genealogies highlights how God brings lasting blessing and covenant fulfillment even through broken situations and flawed people. Perez’s legacy is not defined by the scandal surrounding his conception, but by God’s faithfulness to His promises and His ability to bring order, continuity, and hope out of human failure.

Perez is listed in Genesis 46 as one of the 70 male members of Jacob’s family who migrated to Egypt during the famine. 1 Chronicles 2:5 mention two sons born to Perez: Hezron, who is mentioned in the royal and Messianic lineages, and Hamul.

The Bible does not identify any other figures with the name Perez.

As mentioned above, the name Perez in Hebrew means “breach,” “breakthrough,” or “bursting forth.” Perez’s name is derived from the Hebrew word “pehrets” which means to “break through,” “burst out,” and/or “breach.”

Jesus embodied Perez’s name in three meaningful ways.

As God become flesh, Jesus breached into our world in human form as a baby.
(Matthew 1:23, Luke 2:7, John 1:14, Philippians 2:6-7, Galatians 4:4)
As the One who perfectly fulfilled God’s requirements of righteousness, Jesus breached the veil of sin that was separating holy God from sinful humanity.
(Matthew 5:17, Romans 5:19, Ephesians 2:13)

This breach was tangibly symbolized in the tearing from top to bottom of the temple veil separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the inner temple.
(Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45, Hebrews 10:19-20)
As the Resurrection and the Life, Jesus breached forth from His tomb alive and defeated death.
(Matthew 28:6, John 11:25, Acts 2:24, Romans 6:9, 1 Corinthians 15:20, 2 Timothy 1:10, Hebrews 2:14, Revelation 1:18)

the son of Judah… (v 33f)

Judah was the father of Perez.

Judah is also included in Matthew’s account tracing Jesus’s lineage back to Abraham (Matthew 1:2-3).

Judah was the fourth son of Jacob and Leah, born in Paddan-aram. At his birth, Leah named him Judah, saying, “This time I will praise the LORD” (Genesis 29:35), anchoring his identity in worship of the covenant God. Judah grew up among the sons of Jacob during a turbulent family life filled with rivalry and favoritism (Genesis 29:30, Genesis 37:3).

Judah first emerges prominently during the sons of Leah’s evil betrayal of their half-brother Joseph. After they threw Joseph into the pit in order to murder him, Judah selfishly proposed to sell him to a caravan of Ishmaelites instead (Genesis 27:26-27). This spared Joseph’s life but led to Joseph’s slavery in Egypt (Genesis 37:26-27).

Judah’s betrayal of his brother and selling him for silver foreshadowed Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus for thirty coins of silver (Matthew 26:14-15, 26:47-50). Judas is a Hellenized version of the Hebrew name Judah.

Though Judah’s actions were intended for evil, God used Judah’s sin to preserve not only Joseph’s life, but Jacob’s entire family and all of Egypt, as Joseph would become the central figure in God’s redemptive plan to save Israel from famine.

Joseph would later tell Judah and his brothers many years after this awful event:

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”
(Genesis 50:20)

Judah’s moral failures continue in his mistreatment of and his sexual union with his daughter-in-law Tamar. Tamar was initially married to Judah’s oldest son, and when he died, she was married to Judah’s second son, which was culturally a way of making sure the widow had a secure life and the family line could continue. But after both oldest sons perished, widowing Tamar twice, Judah withheld his son Shelah from her, leaving her destitute (Genesis 38:6-11). Judah then unknowingly fathered twins by Tamar, when she disguised herself as a prostitute to shame him (Genesis 38:12-19). When confronted with his sin, Judah publicly confessed, “She is more righteous than I” (Genesis 38:26). This confession appears to have marked a turning point in Judah’s life.

Tamar bore Judah twins —Perez and Zerah (Genesis 38:27-30, Matthew 1:3).

Judah’s transformation is fully displayed during the famine in Egypt. He assumed responsibility for his youngest brother Benjamin and later offered himself as a substitute to remain enslaved in Benjamin’s place (Genesis 44:18-34). Judah’s willingness to suffer in place of his brother demonstrates matured leadership, sacrificial love, and repentance—qualities that distinguish him among Jacob’s sons and prepare him to receive preeminence in Jacob’s final blessing.

At the end of his life, Jacob blesses each of his twelve sons. Jacob declares that Judah will be praised by his brothers, he will overcome his enemies, comparing him to a young lion, and that the scepter shall not depart from Judah, that he will wash his garments in wine (Genesis 49:8-12).

These are seen as Messianic prophecies which are fulfilled in Jesus’s crucifixion, resurrection, and exaltation. Jesus is revealed to be “the Lion of Judah” (Revelation 5:5).

Judah became the founder of the tribe of Judah (Numbers 1:26-27). The tribe of Judah inherited the heart of the Promised Land. Its inheritance bordered the tribes of Dan and Benjamin to its north and Simeon to its south, the Mediterranean Sea to its west, and the Jordan River and Dead Sea to its east (Joshua 15:1-12).

Judah was a common name for Israeli boys throughout Biblical times (1 Chronicles 6:44, 15:18, 15:21, Ezra 3:9, Nehemiah 11:7, 11:9, 12:34, Jeremiah 36:14).

Luke identified another of Jesus’s descendants who was named Judah (Luke 3:30). That Judah is listed as a link between David’s son Nathan and Shealtiel (Luke 3:27-31).

The New Testament mentions at least three different men by the name of Judas, which is the Greek version of the Hebrew name for Judah.

Judas, Jesus’s half-brother and the author of the book of Jude.
(Matthew 13;55, Mark 6:3, Jude 1:1)
Judas, one of Jesus’s twelve disciples who was also called “Thaddeaus.”
(Matthew 10:2-3, Mark 3:16-18, Luke 6:16, John 14:22)
Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus.
(Matthew 10:4, Luke 22:3, John 6:70-71, 18:2)

The Hebrew name Judah is derived from the Hebrew word “yādâh.” “Yādâh” means to “praise,” “give thanks,” “confess.” The Hebrew word “yādâh” is itself based on the word “yād” meaning “hand,” and “yādâh” can describe an act of praise where one extends their hands in worship.

Judah’s name means “praise” or “offer thanksgiving,” or “make visible motions of worship unto the LORD.”

Jesus embodied these meanings of Judah’s name in three significant ways.

Jesus openly praised God with His words and actions.
(Psalm 22:22, Matthew 11:25, 26:30, John 11:41-42, John 17:1)
Jesus extended His hands in obedience on the cross during the ultimate act of worship
(Psalm 22:16, Isaiah 53:5, Zechariah 12:10, Mark 15:24, Luke 23:46)

“I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people.”
(Isaiah 65:2)
Jesus is the One unto whom all praise, glory, and honor are due.
(Isaiah 53:12, Luke 2:13-14, 2:20, Ephesians 1:6-7, 1 Timothy 1:17, Jude 1:25, Revelation 5:12-13)

the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor (vs 34)

the son of Jacob… (v 34a)

Jacob was the father of Judah.

Jacob is also included in Matthew’s account tracing Jesus’s lineage back to Abraham (Matthew 1:2).

Genesis 25:19 - 50:14 tells the Biblical narrative of Jacob.

Jacob was the younger twin son of Isaac and Rebekah, born grasping his brother Esau’s heel, an action that foreshadowed a life marked by struggle and ambition (Genesis 25:24-26). He was a quiet man who dwelt in tents, favored by his mother, and he acquired Esau’s birthright and blessing through bargaining and deception (Genesis 25:29-34, 27:1-29). These actions appear to describe a man striving for God’s blessings through his own cunning rather than through faith.

For his treachery, Jacob was forced to flee from Esau’s anger (Genesis 27:41-45), and he encountered God personally at Bethel where he saw a ladder connecting heaven and earth (Genesis 28:10-12). During this vision, the LORD reaffirmed the Abrahamic covenant to him, promising land, offspring, and blessing to all families of the earth (Genesis 28:13-15). In response, Jacob acknowledged the LORD’s presence and vowed allegiance, marking the beginning of a lifelong, though imperfect, walk with God (Genesis 28:16-22).

God’s covenant with Abraham—now extended to Jacob—followed the pattern of a common contract in the ancient middle east known as a Suzerain-Vassal treaty.

In a Suzerain-Vassal treaty, a superior ruler promised blessings—including inherited sonship—for obedience, and curses—including death—for rebellion. As we will see when we discuss Abraham (v 33c), when God made His treaty with Abraham, the LORD incredibly gave Abraham all the blessings, but assumed responsibility for any penalty or curse upon Himself. In essence, God conferred sonship to Abraham. This conferred that sonship was now passed on to Jacob.

Over time, Jacob learned to become a better son. But Jesus was God’s perfect Son (Isaiah 49:3, Matthew 3:17, 17:5, John 17:4, Hebrews 1:5, 5:8-9).

Jacob fled from Esau as far as the household of his Uncle Laban in Paddan-aram. Jacob’s years with Laban were marked by labor, endurance, and reciprocal deception. Though repeatedly wronged, Jacob prospered by God’s blessing, fathering eleven sons and a daughter and accumulating wealth (Genesis 29-31). During this season, the Bible portrays Jacob as being shaped by hardship, learning perseverance and dependence upon the LORD rather than manipulation.

Jacob’s defining transformation occurred when he wrestled with a divine man at Peniel (Genesis 32:24-28). There, God renamed Jacob “Israel,” declaring: “For you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:28).

Jacob was an imperfect Israel. Jesus was the perfect Israel. Unlike Jacob, Jesus did not strive against God, He strove in harmony with God.

As God’s only begotten Son, Jesus was the true Israel (Exodus 4:22, Isaiah 49:3, John 3:16, Hebrews 1:5). Jesus strove to follow His Father’s will and accomplished it perfectly (Isaiah 53:3-12, Matthew 5:17, Luke 22:42, John 4:34, 17:4, 19:30, Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 5:8).

Jacob had twelve sons—including Judah—through Leah and Rachel and their handmaids from whom the twelve tribes of Israel sprang. Thus, from Jacob/Israel the individual came Israel the nation.

The people of Israel continued to refer to itself as “the house of Jacob” (Exodus 19:3, Psalm 114:1, Isaiah 48:1, Micah 3:1). And the LORD continued to identify Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel (Exodus 3:6, 1 Kings 18:36).

It was through “the house of Jacob” that Jesus, the Messiah, came to redeem not only Israel but the entire creation in fulfillment of the promise God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Luke 1:33).

Jacob favored his son Joseph, the firstborn of his chosen wife, and his other sons sold him into slavery out of jealously (Genesis 37:3-28). To cover up their sin, they lied to their father and told Jacob that Joseph had been eaten by a wild animal (Genesis 37:31-33). The news that his beloved son was dead broke Jacob’s heart (Genesis 37:34-35).

As an old man, Jacob reunited with his son Joseph whom he believed dead, but who had actually become a prince of Egypt. Jacob relocated his household to Egypt and gave his sons prophetic blessings before he died (Genesis 49).

The Old Testament does not appear to mention any other people named Jacob, but the New Testament does when we consider that James is a Hellenized version of the Hebrew name Jacob.

The Bible identifies four other figures with the name Jacob. Three of these Jacobs are called “James,” the Hellenized version of Jacob.

Jacob, the father of Joseph, Jesus’s adoptive father.
(Matthew 1:16)
James the brother of Jesus, a leading figure in the early Christian church, and the author of the Book of James.
(Matthew 13:55, Acts 12:17, Acts 15:13-22, 1 Corinthians 15:7, Galatians 1:19, James 1:1)
James, the son of Zebedee, the brother of John and one of Jesus’s closest disciples.
(Matthew 4:21, Mark 5:37, Mark 9:2)
James, another one of Jesus’s twelve disciples, sometimes called “son of Alphaeus” or “James the less.”
(Matthew 10:2-3, Mark 3:16-18, Luke 6:15, Mark 15:40, Acts 1:13)

Jacob’s name is derived from the root word “āqēḇ”—“heel, supplant, overreach.” It means “one who grasps the heel,” “heel catcher,” or “supplanter.” Just as his grandson Perez was named for the way he was born (Genesis 38:28-30), so too was Jacob given his name for the way he was born:

“Now the first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau. Afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob….”
(Genesis 25:25-26a)

God renamed Jacob “Israel.” Israel means “he who strives with God” or “God strives.”

Jesus is associated with the meanings for both of the names Jacob and Israel.

Jesus is associated with the meaning of Jacob’s name—“one who grasps the heel,” “heel catcher,” “supplanter”—in the following ways:

Jesus is wounded on the heel by the serpent (the devil), but ultimately destroys him.
(Genesis 3:15, Luke 10:38, Hebrews 2:14, 1 John 3:8, Revelation 20:10)
Jesus is the righteous “Supplanter” who replaces the usurping devil and false righteousness.
(John 12:31, Matthew 22:43-44, 23:2-36, Colossians 2:15)
Jesus “overreaches” in His inexhaustible grace toward sinners.
(John 1:16, 10:10, Romans 5:20-21)

And unlike Jacob who strived to attain God’s blessings by his own abilities, Jesus won God’s blessings by faith in God and not relying on His own power or strength (Philippians 2:5).

As already mentioned above, Jesus is associated with the meaning of Israel’s name—he who strives with God” or “God strives”—in the following two ways:

Jesus strives in harmony with God (not against God)
(Isaiah 49:3, Matthew 26:39, John 1:1, 6:38, 15:10, Hebrews 10:7)
Jesus is God who strives for His people.
(Isaiah 53:3-12, Matthew 20:28, Hebrews 5:8, 12:2)

the son of Isaac… (v 34b)

Isaac was the father of Jacob.

Isaac is also included in Matthew’s account tracing Jesus’s lineage back to Abraham (Matthew 1:2).

Genesis 17:15-22, 18:9-15, 21:1 - 25:5, 25:19 - 27:46, 35:28-29 tell the Biblical narrative of Isaac.

Isaac was the son of Abraham and his wife Sarah, born to them by God’s promise when his parents were advanced in age. Isaac was the child of the everlasting covenant that God made with Abraham where He promised to make him a mighty nation through his own son as uncountably numerous as the stars in the sky (Genesis 15:4-6, 17:15-16).

God commanded that this son be called Isaac because Abraham and Sarah laughed at the idea that a couple as old as themselves would be able to have a child (Genesis 17:17, 17:19, 18:9-15).

Isaac’s miraculous birth fulfilled the LORD’s word that Sarah would bear a son through whom the everlasting covenant would continue (Genesis 21:1-3).

Jesus also was incredibly promised and miraculously born to Mary while she was still a virgin (Luke 1:26-38 — see also Matthew 1:24-25).

Years after Isaac’s astonishing birth, God tested Abraham by commanding him to offer Isaac up to Him as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:1-2). Isaac accompanied his father and was bound on the altar: “Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son” (Genesis 21:10). But God intervened and provided a ram in Isaac’s place (Genesis 22:11-13). The Bible depicts Isaac as a silent participant, which could indicate his trust and submission rather than resistance.

Abraham’s near sacrifice of his precious son Isaac foreshadowed God’s sacrifice of His beloved and only begotten Son, Jesus, who was the Lamb of God, offered for the sins and salvation of the world (John 1:29, 3:16).

As an adult, Isaac became the husband of Rebekah, whom God provided through Abraham’s servant in answer to prayer (Genesis 24). Isaac loved Rebekah and found comfort in her after his mother’s death (Genesis 24:67). During a famine, the LORD appeared to Isaac and reaffirmed the covenant promises given to Abraham, declaring that they would pass through him and his descendants (Genesis 26:2-5).

Near the end of his life, Isaac blessed his sons Jacob and Esau, unwittingly passing the covenant blessing to Jacob according to God’s sovereign purpose (Genesis 27). He died at age one-hundred and eighty and was buried by his sons Jacob and Esau (Genesis 35:28-29).

Isaac was the promised son, who preserved the covenant line between Abraham and Jacob.

It appears that the only person who is named Isaac in the Bible is the son of Abraham and Sarah.

As alluded to above, Isaac’s name is associated with laughter. It is derived from the Hebrew word “ṣāḥaq” which means to “laugh” or “rejoice.” God commanded Abraham to name his son Isaac because he laughed at God’s promise to give him and his wife a son in their old age (Genesis 17:17, 19).

Jesus embodied the meaning of Isaac’s name in four ways:

Jesus, God’s Son, was ridiculed and laughed at by those opposed God.
(Matthew 27:29, 31, 39-43, Luke 22:63-65, 1 Corinthians 1:27)
Through Jesus, God laughs at the schemes of humans.
(Psalm 2:4, Luke 13:17, Galatians 6:7)
Jesus’s birth was the occasion for great joy.
(Matthew 1:21, 2:10, Luke 1:44, 2:10, 2:20)
Jesus redeems suffering into everlasting joy.
(Psalm 30:11, Luke 6:21, John 16:20-22, 17:13, 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, James 1:2-12, Hebrews 12:2)

the son of Abraham… (v 34c)

Abraham was the father of Isaac.

Abraham is also included in Matthew’s account, tracing Jesus’s lineage back to Abraham (Matthew 1:1-2, 1:17).

Abraham was the patriarch whom God chose and made a covenant with, promising him descendants, land, and blessing, through whom the nation of Israel and God’s redemptive plan for the world would come.

Genesis 11:26 - 25:10 tells the Biblical narrative of Abraham.

His original name was Abram, which means “exalted father.” God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, which means “father of a multitude” (Genesis 17:5).

Abraham was a native of Ur of the Chaldeans and the son of Terah. God sovereignly called Abraham to leave his country, relatives, and father’s house, and journey to a land He would show him (Genesis 12:1). Abraham obeyed, departing in faith without knowing the destination, trusting the LORD’s promise to make him into a great nation and a source of blessing to all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:2-4).

Upon entering Canaan, Abraham lived as a sojourner, dwelling in tents and building altars to the LORD. Though chosen by God, Abraham was not without weakness. During a famine he went to Egypt and misrepresented Sarah as his sister, acting out of fear rather than faith (Genesis 12:10-20).

God later formalized His promises to Abraham through a covenant. This covenant followed the pattern of a Suzerain-Vassal treaty that was common in the ancient middle east.

In these treaties, a suzerain (powerful ruler) would grant blessings and bestow “sonship” on a vassal (lesser ruler) for obedience. But the treaties also came with severe penalties for rebellion. Remarkably when God made His eternal covenant with Abraham, He guaranteed the blessings and assumed any penalties for violations upon Himself. This is seen in the fact that only God walked between the carcasses of the divided animals (Genesis 15:17).

Abraham did nothing to earn God’s blessings. God declared Abraham righteous because he believed the LORD (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:3).

God’s covenant with Abraham foreshadowed the Gospel in two ways.

The Gospel freely grants the blessings of eternal sonship and counts us righteous through faith in Jesus and nothing else.
(John 1:12-13, 3:16, Romans 4:13, 4:22-25, Ephesians 2:8-9)
In the Gospel, Jesus paid the full penalty of our sin and rebellion on the cross.
(Romans 3:24-25, Colossians 2:13-14, 1 Peter 2:24)

Despite God’s assurance, Abraham and Sarah attempted to fulfill God’s promise through human means by producing Ishmael through Hagar, which resulted in conflict and sorrow (Genesis 16). Yet God remained faithful, reaffirming that the covenant would be established through a son born to Sarai.

The LORD promised that Sarah would bear a son, Isaac, through whom the covenant would continue. Though Abraham initially laughed (Genesis 17:17), he responded with worship and obedience. He circumcised his household as commanded, demonstrating submission to God’s covenantal authority.

Abraham’s faith reached its most profound test when God commanded him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham obeyed without recorded protest, trusting that God would provide or even raise the dead (Genesis 22:1-10, Hebrews 11:17-19). God intervened, providing a ram in Isaac’s place, and reaffirmed His covenant oath.

After Sarah died, Abraham found a bride for his son Isaac, whose name was Rebecca (Genesis 24). After living on this earth one-hundred and seventy-five years (Genesis 25:7), “Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people” (Genesis 25:8).

Abraham only lived to see God’s promises begin to unfold but not yet come to fruition. He died in faith, not having received all that was promised, yet fully assured of God’s faithfulness (Hebrews 11:13).

Abraham, the patriarch of Israel, is the only person with this name in the Bible.

The name Abraham is derived from two Hebrew words: “āb” meaning “father,” and “hamōn” meaning “multitude.” And as mentioned above, Abraham means “father of multitudes” (Genesis 17:5).

Jesus embodies the meaning of Abraham’s name in five ways:

Jesus exalted God the Father.
(John 17:4, Acts 5:30-31, Hebrews 1:3)
Jesus is exalted by God the Father.
(John 8:54, Acts 2:33, Philippian 2:9-11)
Jesus is the Head of the Church.
(1 Corinthians 12:27, Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:23, Colossians 1:18, 2:19)
Jesus is our Protector.
(John 10:28, 14:18, Hebrews 13:5)
Jesus is our Provider.
(Matthew 6:31-33, John 6:35, 2 Corinthians 12:9

And as Abraham was the father of Israel, so Jesus is the author and founder of God’s eternal family that is received through faith (Galatians 3:26-29, Hebrews 12:2).

the son of Terah… (v 34d)

Terah was the father of Abraham.

Terah is not mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy because he begins his lineage of Jesus with Abraham (Matthew 1:1-2, 1:17).

Genesis 11:24-32 tell the narrative details of Terah.

Terah was the son of Nahor and he was from Ur of the Chaldeans (ancient Mesopotamia). Ur was a polytheistic culture—meaning that they worshipped multiple deities instead of one God. Joshua 24:2 states that Terah was an idol worshiper.

At seventy years of age, Terah became the father of Abram (who was later renamed by God as Abraham). Terah had two other sons: Nahor, who was apparently named after Terah’s father, and Haran, who died while Terah was still living in Ur. Haran’s son was named Lot and was Abraham’s nephew, whom God rescued from the fiery destruction of Sodom (Genesis 19). According to Abraham, Terah also was the father of Sarai who became Abraham’s wife (Sarah) through a different woman (Genesis 20:12).

After his son Haran’s death, Terah led his family away “from Ur of the Chaldeans in order to enter the land of Canaan [but] they went as far as Haran, and settled there” (Genesis 11:31b).

The Bible does not comment why Terah left Ur; it only says that he left it. Terah may have left because he was sad that his son Haran died. But many speculate the reason why Terah left Ur was because God told Abraham to leave and head for Canaan and Terah might have decided to go with him. This may have been what the martyr Stephen was referring to when he said:

“The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, and said to him, ‘Leave your country and your relatives, and come into the land that I will show you.’”
(Acts 7:2b-3)

But Terah did not reach his intended destination. He left Ur but he settled in the land of Haran which was located between Ur and Canaan. Terah settled and remained in Haran until his death at the age of two-hundred and five (Genesis 11:31-32).

During Terah’s lifetime, his family was marked by migration and loss, and Scripture presents him as the patriarchal head from whom Abram’s immediate household emerged.

The Bible does not record Terah entering Canaan or receiving the covenant promises given to his son Abraham. But Terah’s decision to leave Ur positioned Abraham to receive God’s call and continue the journey that his father did not complete.

The Bible does not mention anyone else by the name of Terah.

The origin of Terah’s name is Chaldean and is of unknown meaning. It possibly means “station.”

But Terah is associated with delaying or partial obedience. This is likely from either the fact that he left Ur for Canaan but stopped and settled in Haran before he arrived, and/or because Terah may have been a polytheistic idol worshipper who also worshipped the one true God.

Jesus was not like Terah. Jesus did not partially obey God. Jesus obeyed God completely. He did not pause or wait to obey God. He did so fully (Matthew 5:17, John 6:38, John 17:4, 19:30, Philippians 2:8, Hebrews 10:7).

the son of Nahor… (v 34e)

Nahor was the father of Terah.

Genesis 11:22-25 tells the biographical details of Nahor.

Nahor was “the son of Serug” (Genesis 11:22, 1 Chronicles 1:26, Luke 1:34-35). His role in the Bible is primarily genealogical. Unlike Abraham and Isaac, or even his son Terah, Nahor is not associated with any divine encounter or spoken promise. But Nahor is part of the lineage through whom God would call His people and through whom Jesus the Messiah would be born.

Nahor son of Serug appears to be one of two people in the Bible with this name. The other person named Nahor was his grandson Nahor, the son of Terah and Abraham’s brother (Genesis 11:27-29).

The meaning of Nahor’s name is linguistically speculative and may be related to early semitic words for “snorting” or “breathing heavily” or “panting.” If the proposed association with breathing or panting is accurate, Nahor’s name may loosely evoke human frailty and dependence on breath for life.

Jesus both embodies and contrasts these potential meanings.

Jesus embodies this possible meaning of Nahor; as a human, Jesus was frail and dependent upon air to sustain His body. This was especially true on the cross, where one of the main tortures is prolonged and increasing suffocation as the victim’s muscles wear out and are unable to pull themselves up to get a full breath of air. It was on the cross that Jesus “breathed His last” (Mark 15:37, Luke 23:46)

In contrast, Jesus is the One who possesses life in Himself and who gives life-giving breath to others:

“For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself.”
(John 5:26)

“And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”
(John 20:22)

Luke 3:32-34

32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,

33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,

34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,