If the purpose of genealogies was solely religious or social, then why do we find them recorded for us? There are other sources that include this kind of historical data that likely have a more specific focus on every generation.[1] Why, then, did God include the known genealogies into the scriptures, and leave others out? This brings in the second major function of genealogies: literature.
By ‘literary purpose’ I mean that there are a series of questions to be answered regarding its writing: Why was this written by this author, why did the author include this information here, does this information impact or change the surrounding material, and are there any patterns which may effect interpretation. We will begin this review by consulting the last question first.
Some of the more obvious patterns of Biblical genealogies include the use of phrases such as: “and he died”, “and he begat”, “the son of”, and “[his] sons were…”[2] These phrases are usually consistent throughout each genealogy. These repeating phrases are often critical in identifying them as genealogy as opposed to a list of names. They help establish a series of successive generations that might otherwise be seen as a roster or registry.[3] Interruptions to the flow of pattern do occur, but lengthy interruptions lead the style away from a true genealogy.[4] These patterns (and the purposeful interruptions) provide a basis for reading the genealogies in a different manner than normal prose or even poetry. It is commonly agreed that oral cultures who use genealogies format them in ways that aid in memory. Some cases of this exist within the OT text,[5] but the formal genealogies were likely in written, rather than oral, format for scriptural and national purposes. Formal vs informal genealogies are the difference between the Jewish mindset and the mindset of other oral cultures. Jewish families may have relied on oral tradition and informal genealogies, but the formal genealogies (likely informal before written down) claim the stamp of divine authority when placed in scripture.[6] This allows for the literary format of genealogies to express themselves within the text, while still having the historicity required for scripture.
The first literary question is: why did the author write this? This question by itself can easily damage the answer due to speculation. The specific case for each genealogy is easier to study under the second question: “Why here?” The most obvious answer has to do with the inspiration from the holy Spirit: it’s here because God said so. However, this has often been used as a cop-out answer because it begs the question: why did the holy Spirit have it written? Certainly where other answers fail, we can put confidence in God’s plan, but there are almost always further answers to tough questions. From a larger viewpoint of scripture we can see the usefulness of Genealogies as they establish the fulfillment of the promises of God with his people and the Messiah. A great example of this is the record of Judah’s sons. The firstborn Er was slain by God and required a son to pass on the family name. The second son Onan refused this responsibility, and the third son Shelah was too young to marry Er’s widow Tamar. The story of Judah’s children through Tamar was scandalous. Most families would have wanted this story buried and forgotten. We find that Shelah’s oldest is, in fact, Er’s rightful heir. We should expect for Shelah’s son Er to be the primary family of the tribe of Judah, but we know nothing about them. Instead Perez, the illegitimate son of Judah and Tamar becomes the line which brings the kings of Israel. Unless the Holy Spirit guide these stories in Genesis, Moses would have had no reason to write about them. But when the Chronicler writes he pulls from the line of Perez because he sees the greater context of history. Each genealogy has similar lessons and uses. The specific use of each individual genealogy has to be studied with its own context. To know why the author formatted the genealogy the way he did might be answered by going to the source from which he got his information.[7]
From the author’s viewpoint, the Genealogies pertain to the characters, audiences, or situations the author is currently writing about. No genealogy is abstract or without proper context. I will give three examples of three uses of Genealogies from a literary standpoint. One is for time reference: Genesis 5, and 12. The time reference doesn’t have to be in years, but rather emphasis on passing generations. The key term in these genealogies is “and he died.” This phrase notes a passing of time in which every successive generation is dealing with the problem of sin. The purpose is to get the reader from the beginning of time to Abram, who will be instrumental in solving this problem. Another use for genealogies is to establish relational context: 1 Chronicles 1-9, Ruth 4:16-22, 1 Chronicles 23, Matthew 1:1-17. These Genealogies are intended to establish the validity or association of the current characters. 1 Chronicles 1-9 ends with Benjamin’s line, which culminates in Saul’s family (who begins the narrative). Ruth is a foremother of David, making her story valuable to the story of Israel. The author of 1 Chronicles uses his abbreviated family list to show the Levite’s responsibilities for their duties. Matthew shows Jesus as the heir and rightful King after David. A third use for genealogies is to propel a story foreword: Exodus 6:14-27, Luke 3:23-38. These lists are brought in the middle of a narrative, and are used to show the background of the character, or a significant quality about them. Exodus had been talking about Moses for several chapters, so there is no need to introduce him or his background. The same goes for Luke’s account of Jesus. Instead, the focus with Moses is on his new leadership role and his next challenge. To prove that Moses had a right to be heard, the author uses the genealogy to establish his identity as an Israelite and later as a Levite (which is important for the Hebrews to remember while he leads and intercedes for them). Luke traces Jesus’ genealogy to show that his ultimate heritage went back to God himself, and that he fulfills all of mankind’s intent. This is important for the reader to understand as Jesus is tempted in the wilderness and then begins his ministry.
The third question: ‘does the genealogy impact the surrounding information?’ has been touched on already. The Genesis 5 and 12 genealogies do impact the surrounding narrative by adding a sense of urgency and natural deprivation for the human race. Without it the problem of sin doesn’t seem as universal or urgent for Abram. The genealogy at the end of Ruth is actually the climax of the book. The whole book uses otherwise unknown characters to the point that it may read like a fiction story. The genealogy roots it in history and compels the readers to study the book once more to see the foreshadowing of David. Luke 3 also drives home the fact that Jesus is not from men but from God, and therefore has divine qualities. Most if not all genealogies impact the surrounding material. It is a mistake to overlook them completely.
The literary purpose of genealogies is to accompany the text with information that makes the characters credible, or makes the situation applicable. They are neither pointless nor uncredible. God used important religious and social documentation to help the reader further understand the stories they read. For those of us outside that culture, it is very beneficial to use these details to help us understand the minds and identity of the OT and NT characters.
[1] 1 Kings 11:41; 14:29; 2 Chronicles 9:29; 12:15; Esther 10:2; Additionally Matthew 1:5, 13-16 and Luke 3:23-31, 33, 36 mention names that are either not connected or found in the OT.
[2] Examples: Genesis 5; Matthew 1; Luke 3; 1 Chronicles 2
[3] Name lists that are not genealogies include: 1 Chronicles 27; Nehemiah 12:1-26
[4] Example of interruptions: Matthew 1 – “by Rahab,” “by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah,” “at the time of the deporting to Babylon.”
[5] Genesis 4-5- names and generations parallel each other 46:8-27- the phrase “all” seems accommodative.
[6] 2 Timothy 3:16- All scripture is inspired.
[7] Compare: 1 Chron 1 to Genesis 5, 12, 36, and Luke 3:32-38 to the LXX.