The Mystery of the 42 Generations

[Cyberseeker]

So what do we make of this then?

So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.
Matthew 1:17 (NKJV)

Matthew speaks of three periods of 14 generations each, 42 generations in total. In the same chapter he even names them and the impression one gets is that the three eras are about equal. OK, check this out.

Using approximate dates: (lets not get sidetracked with fine-tuning dates)

• Birth Abraham BC 2100 till birth David (BC 1000) equals 1100 years equals 14? generations. :nag [/*:m:3mpti9tu]
• Birth David (BC 1000) till Babylonian exile (BC 600) equals 400 years equals 14? generations. [/*:m:3mpti9tu]
• Babylonian exile (BC 600) till birth Christ (BC 1) equals 600 years equals 14? generations. [/*:m:3mpti9tu]

What going on? It don't stack.

Cyber

 

[tim-from-pa]

Not all the generations are listed. I know, I will get debates on "why" this is not done and how it should be done another way. However, that's today's thinking and not back the way they did things. Too often, we think (especially skeptics) that the bible's history, recordings or other facts should have been expressed in a certain manner by today's standards which weren't around then because of the cultural differences that are not being taken into account.

The reference to the number 14 is simply the number of names listed. If we'd say it today, its the equivalent of saying: So all the generations listed here from Abraham to David are fourteen generations..... etc.

I have my own genealogy from Adam to the present in my signature, and have everyone except one of the Kings of Judah missing----- am not sure how I missed it, but the genealogy is not incorrect as they often skipped generations. You can compare them and see that the names match up and Matthew skips a few generations. No big deal, as a grandson is still a son and the chain remains unbroken.