Stop 8. The line of promise

Under the black line is a thinner gray one: the family line from the exodus to Jesus.

Matthew 1 runs it through David's son Solomon and the kings of Judah. Their dates are listed under the ticks, from Rehoboam in 931 BC to Zedekiah in 597 to 586 BC. Luke 3 runs it through another son of David, Nathan, down to Heli. Scripture gives no dates for those names, so the chart does not invent any.

One detail is worth seeing. Matthew arranges his list in three groups of fourteen. To do that he leaves out four kings: Ahaziah, Joash, Amaziah and Jehoiakim. He also counts one name twice. That is not a mistake. Bible genealogies were often shortened on purpose to make a point. It is also one reason many readers do not use them as a calendar.

Picture: Chart 2, the line of promise.