1 Chronicles 1:1-54
From Adam to Edom
1Adam, Seth, Enosh,
2Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared,
3Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah.
4The sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
5The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
6The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.
7And the sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites.
8The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
9The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.
10Cush was the father of Nimrod, who began to be a mighty one on the earth.
11Mizraim was the father of the Ludites, the Anamites, the Lehabites, the Naphtuhites,
12the Pathrusites, the Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came), and the Caphtorites.
13And Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites,
14the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites,
15the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites,
16the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.
17The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech.
18Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber.
19Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided, and his brother was named Joktan.
20And Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,
21Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,
22Obal, Abimael, Sheba,
23Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan.
24So from Shem came Arphaxad, Shelah,
25Eber, Peleg, Reu,
26Serug, Nahor, Terah,
27and Abram (that is, Abraham).
28The sons of Abraham were Isaac and Ishmael.
29These are their genealogies: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,
30Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema,
31Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael.
32The sons born to Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan.
33The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All of these were Keturah’s sons.
34Abraham was the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel.
35The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.
36The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz; and by Timna, Amalek.
37The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.
38The sons of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan.
39The sons of Lotan: Hori and Homam. Timna was Lotan’s sister.
40The sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah.
41The son of Anah: Dishon. The sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.
42The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
43These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites: Bela son of Beor. His city was named Dinhabah.
44When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place.
45When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
46When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, reigned in his place. And the name of his city was Avith.
47When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah reigned in his place.
48When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth on the Euphrates reigned in his place.
49When Shaul died, Baal-hanan son of Achbor reigned in his place.
50When Baal-hanan died, Hadad reigned in his place. His city was named Pau, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-zahab.
51Then Hadad died. Now the chiefs of Edom were Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,
52Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,
53Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar,
54Magdiel, and Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom.
Berean Standard Bible
The book opens with Adam and follows the line through Seth, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. The names move quickly across generations, but the movement is not random. The writer is placing Israel inside the long human story that began with God's creation and continued through His promises.
The descendants of Abraham are set beside the families that came through Ishmael, Keturah, and Esau. Edom's chiefs and kings are named, as are the clans that grew from Esau. Israel is not the only people remembered here. The record acknowledges neighbors and relatives while keeping the covenant line in view.
Genealogies do not explain every life they name. They do something quieter: they refuse to let a community forget where it came from. After exile and upheaval, these connections help God's people see that loss has not erased their history or God's faithfulness.
The list ends with Edom, but it begins with Adam. Scripture's family memory is wider than one generation's success. God works through births, departures, rivalries, and ordinary descendants, carrying His purposes through people who could easily disappear from public memory.
Questions
1 Where does the genealogy begin?
AnswerIt begins with Adam and follows the family lines through Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Israel, and the nations that came from them.
2 Which family line receives special attention?
AnswerThe line through Abraham, Isaac, and Israel receives special attention as the family connected to God's covenant promises.
3 Why are Edom's chiefs and kings included?
AnswerTheir inclusion remembers Israel's relatives and neighbors instead of pretending that the surrounding peoples were outside the human story.
4 What can a genealogy preserve?
AnswerIt can preserve belonging and continuity when war, exile, or time might otherwise make a community forget its roots.
What This Means for Us
A family tree can carry more than names. It can remind us that our lives are received from people before us and handed toward people after us, with both faithfulness and failure in the line.
Remembering where we came from should make us grateful and honest, not proud. God is faithful across generations, including the quiet ones that never become famous.
Prayer
God of every generation, thank You for carrying Your purposes through ordinary families. Help us remember our history honestly, honor those who came before us, and live faithfully for those who come after. Amen.