Old/New Testament
1 God created the first person, our forefather, Adam. His lineage descended nine generations until the flood: Seth, Enosh, 2 Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, 3 Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah. 4 Our ancestor Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. From these, three distinct nations arose.
The history of Israel begins with the creation of the world.
5 The sons of Japheth fathered the nations north of Israel. They were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 6 The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Diphath, and Togarmah. 7 The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.
8 Three sons of Ham fathered the nations south of Israel. They were Cush (the Ethiopians), Mizraim (the Egyptians), and Put (the northern Africans). Noah condemned Ham’s fourth son, Canaan, whose descendants we conquered. 9 The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama, and Sabteca; the sons of Raama were Sheba and Dedan. 10 Cush fathered Nimrod (the first hero on earth). 11 Mizraim fathered the people of Lud, Anam, Lehab, Naphtuh, 12 Pathrus, Casluh (from whom the Philistines descended), and Caphtor. 13 Canaan was the forefather of our eastern neighbors: Sidon (his first son), Heth, 14 the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, 15 the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, 16 the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.
17 Shem fathered the Semitic nations. His sons were Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. Aram fathered Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech. 18 Arpachshad fathered Shelah, and Shelah fathered Eber. 19 Eber had two sons, Peleg (whose name means “divided” because the earth was divided during his life) and his brother, Joktan. 20 Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 21 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 22 Ebal, Abimael, Sheba, 23 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab.
24 Our ancestry descended nine generations directly from Shem: Arpachshad, Shelah, 25 Eber, Peleg, Reu, 26 Serug, Nahor, Terah, and finally 27 Abram (whom God renamed Abraham). 28 Our ancestor Abraham, who formed our people’s initial covenant with God, fathered two sons: Isaac and Ishmael.
29 Ishmael fathered Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 30 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, 31 Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
32 Abraham also fathered sons by a concubine, Keturah: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Jokshan’s sons were Sheba and Dedan. 33 Midian’s sons were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah.
34 Abraham’s second son, Isaac, fathered two sons: Esau (the ancestor of Edom) and Israel (our ancestor).
35 The sons of Esau were Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. 36 Eliphaz fathered Teman, Omar, Zephi, Gatam, Kenaz, and by Timna, Amalek. 37 Reuel fathered Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.
38 Seir fathered Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. 39 Lotan (whose sister was Timna) fathered Hori and Homam. 40 Shobal fathered Alian, Manahath, Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. Zibeon fathered Aiah and Anah. 41 Anah’s son was Dishon, who fathered Hamran, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 42 Ezer fathered Bilhan, Zaavan, and Jaakan. Dishan (son of Seir) fathered Uz and Aran.
43 These men were kings in Edom long before our ancestors reigned in Israel. Bela (the son of Beor) ruled the city of Dinhabah. 44 When Bela died, Jobab (the son of Zerah of Bozrah) succeeded him. 45 When Jobab died, Husham (a Temanite) became king. 46 When Husham died, Hadad (the son of Bedad who crushed Midian in the field of Moab) succeeded Husham and renamed the city Avith. 47 When Hadad died, Samlah of Masrekah succeeded him. 48 When Samlah died, Shaul of Rehoboth by the Euphrates River succeeded him. 49 When Shaul died, Baal-hanan (the son of Achbor) became king. 50 When Baal-hanan died, Hadad ascended to the throne. Hadad named his city Pai. His wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred and granddaughter of Mezahab. 51 When Hadad died, the monarchy crumbled and Edom was ruled by chiefs: Timna, Aliah, Jetheth, 52 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 53 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 54 Magdiel, and Iram.
2 The sons of our ancestor Israel (the brother of Esau) were the forefathers of the twelve tribes: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, 2 Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
3 The sons of Judah (Er, Onan, and Shelah) were born to his wife Bath-shua of Canaan. Er (Judah’s firstborn) was wicked in the eyes of the Eternal One, so He put him to death. Er’s widow (and Judah’s own daughter-in-law), 4 Tamar, gave birth to Judah’s youngest children, Perez and Zerah, giving Judah a total of five sons. 5 Perez fathered Hezron and Hamul. 6 Zerah fathered five sons: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara. 7 The son of Carmi (the grandson of Zimri) was Achar, the troublemaker in Israel who violated the ban against taking the spoils of Jericho. 8 The son of Ethan was Azariah.
9 King David descended from Perez’s first son. Hezron fathered Jerahmeel, Ram, and Chelubai. 10 Ram fathered Amminadab, and Amminadab fathered Nahshon, the leader of the tribe of Judah. 11 Nahshon’s son was Salma, who fathered Boaz. 12 Boaz fathered Obed, and Obed’s son was Jesse. Jesse had seven sons: 13 Eliab (his firstborn), Abinadab (the second), Shimea (the third), 14 Nethanel (the fourth), Raddai (the fifth), 15 Ozem (the sixth), and David (the seventh). 16 David had two sisters: Zeruiah and Abigail. The three sons of Zeruiah were Abshai, Joab, and Asahel. 17 Abigail married Jether the Ishmaelite and gave birth to Amasa.
18 Hezron’s son Caleb had sons by his wife, Azubah, and by Jerioth. Jerioth’s sons were Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. 19 When Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrath, who gave birth to Hur. 20 Hur fathered Uri, and Uri’s son was Bezalel.
21 After that Hezron married the daughter of Machir (the father of Gilead) when he was 60 years old. She gave birth to Segub. 22 Segub fathered Jair, who had 23 cities in the land of Gilead. 23 But Geshur and Aram conquered the 23 cities of Jair and the villages of Kenath—60 cities total. The conquerors were the sons of Machir (the father of Gilead). 24 After Hezron died in Caleb-ephrathah, Abijah (Hezron’s wife) gave birth to Ashhur, the leader of Tekoa.
25 Jerahmeel (the firstborn of Hezron) had five sons: Ram (the firstborn), Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah. 26 Jerahmeel had another wife, Atarah, who gave birth to Onam. 27 Ram fathered Maaz, Jamin, and Eker. 28 Onam fathered Shammai and Jada. Shammai’s sons were Nadab and Abishur. 29 Abishur’s wife was Abihail, and she gave birth to Ahban and Molid. 30 Nadab’s sons were Seled and Appaim. Seled died without sons, 31 but Appaim fathered Ishi. The son of Ishi was Sheshan, who fathered Ahlai. 32 Shammai’s brother, Jada, fathered Jether and Jonathan. Jether died without sons, but 33 Jonathan fathered Peleth and Zaza. They were the generation of Jerahmeel.[a] 34 Sheshan had no sons, only daughters, and he had a servant named Jarha, who was Egyptian.
Although many of the Jews’ female ancestors are influential in the development of the nation of Israel—women such as Rahab, Jael, and Deborah who perform feats even men are too faint of heart to accomplish—the men are the ones who build wealth and power over the generations. Because of the way inheritances work, only a son can continue his family’s lineage. When a father dies, his property is divided among his sons, with the first son inheriting a double portion of the assets. Daughters are typically married off and take on the identities of their husbands’ families; so when a man dies without any sons, his family line ends and his assets are disbursed to the nearest male relatives.
35 Sheshan married one daughter to Jarha (his Egyptian servant), and she gave birth to Attai. 36 Attai fathered Nathan, and here are the 11 generations that descended from Nathan: Zabad, 37 Ephlal, Obed, 38 Jehu, Azariah, 39 Helez, Eleasah, 40 Sismai, Shallum, 41 Jekamiah, and Elishama.
42 Caleb, the brother of Jerahmeel and son of Hezron, fathered Mesha (his firstborn and the father of Ziph) and Mareshah (the father of Hebron). 43 Hebron fathered Korah, Tappuah, Rekem, and Shema. 44 Shema’s son, Raham, fathered Jorkeam, and his brother Rekem fathered Shammai. 45 The son of Shammai was Maon, and Maon fathered Bethzur. 46 Ephah (Caleb’s concubine) gave birth to Haran, Moza, and Gazez. Haran fathered Gazez. 47 The sons of Jahdai were Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah, and Shaaph. 48 Maacah (another of Caleb’s concubines) bore Sheber, Tirhanah, 49 Shaaph (the father of Madmannah), Sheva (the father of Machbena and Gibea), and a daughter, Achsah.
50 These were the generations of Caleb through Hur (the firstborn of Caleb’s second wife Ephrathah) were Shobal (the father of Kiriath-jearim), 51 Salma (the father of Bethlehem), and Hareph (the father of Beth-gader). 52 Shobal, the father of Kiriath-jearim governed Haroeh (half of the Manahathites) 53 and the families of Kiriath-jearim (the Ithrites, the Puthites, the Shumathites, and the Mishraites). From these came the Zorathites and the Eshtaolites. 54 Salma governed Bethlehem and the Netophathites, Atroth-beth-joab, and the Zorites (half of the Manahathites). 55 Families of scribes lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and the Sucathites. Those are the Kenites who came from Hammath (the father of Rechab).
The tradition of firstborn rights in inheritance and genealogy is often the norm in the ancient world, but God sees fit to rearrange customs and alter expectations. In such an important listing of Israel like the book of Chronicles—which marks out in detail the Israelite people all the way to Adam—Jacob’s firstborn Reuben is not mentioned until the third spot! The genealogy starts in chapter 4 with Judah and then moves to Simeon, Reuben, Gad, Manasseh, and Levi.
The prominence of David from Judah’s line goes back to the Genesis stories that told of how Reuben, Simeon, and Levi all committed horrible sins that removed them from royal contention and headship over their brothers, who would later become twelve tribal groups. In a way, everything in Chronicles (from ancestry lists to temple building) is set around King David from Judah and his lineage up to the Babylonian exile, which concludes the book of Chronicles.
3 The great king David fathered 6 sons during his 7½ years reigning in Hebron. Ahinoam the Jezreelitess gave birth to his first son, Amnon. Abigail the Carmelitess birthed his second son, Daniel. 2 Maacah, the daughter of Talmai (king of Geshur) bore his third son, Absalom. His fourth son, Adonijah, was born to Haggith. 3 Abital bore his fifth son, Shephatiah. Ithream was his sixth son, and was born to his wife, Eglah.
4 These were the 6 sons born to him in Hebron during his 7½-year reign there. David then ruled from Jerusalem for 33 years. 5 There, Bath-shua (the daughter of Ammiel) gave him 4 sons: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon; 6-8 and 9 other sons also were born there: Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet. 9 These were David’s sons, in addition to their sister, Tamar, and his concubines’ children.
10 David’s son and successor, Solomon, had 15 generations of descendants: Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, 11 Joram, Ahaziah, Joash, 12 Amaziah, Azariah, Jotham, 13 Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, 14 Amon, and Josiah.
15 Josiah’s sons were, in order from the firstborn to the last: Johanan, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah, and Shallum. 16 The sons of Jehoiakim were Jeconiah and Zedekiah. 17 The sons of Jeconiah (who was taken prisoner by Nebuchadnezzar) were Shealtiel, 18 Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. 19 The sons of Pedaiah were Zerubbabel and Shimei. Zerubbabel fathered Meshullam and Hananiah, and their sister, Shelomith. 20 He had five other children, Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-hesed. 21 Hananiah fathered Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, and the sons of Shecaniah. 22 Shecaniah had six descendants: his son Shemaiah, and his grandsons Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat. 23 Neariah fathered three sons: Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam. 24 Elioenai fathered seven sons: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani.
25 I tell you the truth: a new day is imminent—in fact, it has arrived—when the voice of the Son of God will penetrate death’s domain, and everyone who hears will live. 26-27 You see, the Father radiates with life; and He also animates the Son of God with the same life-giving beauty and power to exercise judgment over all of creation. Indeed, the Son of God is also the Son of Man. 28 If this sounds amazing to you, what is even more amazing is that when the time comes, those buried long ago will hear His voice through all the rocks, sod, and soil 29 and step out of decay into resurrection. When this hour arrives, those who did good will be resurrected to life, and those who did evil will be resurrected to judgment.
30 I have not ever acted, and will not in the future act, on My own. I listen to the directions of the One who sent Me and act on these divine instructions. For this reason, My judgment is always fair and never self-serving. I’m committed to pursuing God’s agenda and not My own.
31 If I stand as the lone witness to My true identity, then I can be dismissed as a liar. 32 But if you listen, you will hear another testify about Me, and I know what He says about Me is genuine and true. 33 You sent messengers to John, and he told the truth to everyone who would listen. 34 Still his message about Me originated in heaven, not in mortal man. I am telling you these things for one reason—so that you might be rescued. 35 The voice of John the Baptist, the wandering prophet, is like a light in the darkness; and for a time, you took great joy and pleasure in the light he offered.
36 There’s another witness standing in My corner who is greater than John or any other man. The mission that brings Me here, and the things I am called to do, demonstrate the authenticity of My calling which comes directly from the Father. 37 In the act of sending Me, the Father has endorsed Me. None of you really knows the Father. You have never heard His voice or seen His profile. 38 His word does not abide in you because you do not believe in the One sent by the Father.
39 Here you are scouring through the Scriptures, hoping that you will find eternal life among a pile of scrolls. What you don’t seem to understand is that the Scriptures point to Me. 40 Here I am with you, and still you reject the truth contained in the law and prophets by refusing to come to Me so that you can have life.
Jesus is the source of life, the animating energy of creation that humanity desperately lacks.
41 This kind of glory does not come from mortal men. 42 And I see that you do not possess the love of God. 43 I have pursued you, coming here in My Father’s name, and you have turned Me away. If someone else were to approach you with a different set of credentials, you would welcome him. 44 That’s why it is hard to see how true faith is even possible for you: you are consumed by the approval of other men, longing to look good in their eyes; and yet you disregard the approval of the one true God. 45 Don’t worry that I might bring you up on charges before My Father. Moses is your accuser even though you’ve put your hope in him 46 because if you believed what Moses had to say, then you would believe in Me because he wrote about Me. 47 But if you ignore Moses and the deeper meaning of his writings, then how will you ever believe what I have to say?
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.