Bible Genealogies
The Biblical Family Tree
The Biblical Family Tree
Written by Perplexity, April 2025
The genealogies found throughout the Bible may seem tedious and unhelpful but the serve as essential frameworks that connect individuals, families, and nations across the narrative of scripture. These detailed family records provide historical continuity, establish legal rights to inheritance, verify tribal affiliations, and ultimately trace the lineage of key biblical figures, including Jesus Christ.
The Book of Genesis contains the most extensive collection of genealogical material in the Bible, providing the structural framework for the entire book and establishing the foundation for Israel's identity.
Genesis contains two distinct lineages stemming from Adam:
Cain's Lineage (Genesis 4): This genealogy follows the descendants of Cain after his banishment for murdering Abel. It focuses on the development of civilization apart from God, highlighting achievements like city-building, animal husbandry, musical instruments, and metalworking 1. The lineage culminates with Lamech, who boasts of violence, showing the increasing moral degradation of this line.
Seth's Lineage (Genesis 5): This is the first formal genealogy with the pattern "This is the book of the generations of..." It traces the godly line from Adam through Seth down to Noah 1. Unlike Cain's genealogy, this one includes precise ages at which each patriarch fathered their named successor and their total lifespan, creating a chronological framework. Notable is Enoch, who "walked with God" and lived 365 years (symbolizing a full solar year), and Lamech who lived 777 years (emphasizing the number seven)1.
Unlike the linear genealogies that precede and follow it, Genesis 10 presents a multilinear or segmented genealogy showing the diversification of humanity after the flood 2. Often called the "Table of Nations," this chapter:
Documents the repopulation of the earth through Noah's three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth
Lists the descendants in reverse order (Japheth, Ham, then Shem) to create a literary link to the genealogy in Genesis 11
Functions more as an ethnography than a strict genealogy, explaining the origins of various nations, languages, and territories 1 2
Presents approximately 70 names representing the known world at the time, symbolizing the unity of the human race despite its diversity 1
Following the Tower of Babel narrative, this genealogy:
Traces the lineage from Shem to Abraham, establishing the ancestral line of the Hebrew people
Provides specific ages at birth of named descendants and subsequent years of life, similar to Genesis 5
Creates a seemingly gapless chronology from Adam to Abraham, though scholars debate whether the named descendants are always direct offspring 1
Several smaller genealogies complete the family picture in Genesis:
Genesis 22:20-24: Descendants of Abraham's brother Nahor
Genesis 25:1-6: Abraham's descendants through Keturah
Genesis 25:12-18: Ishmael's descendants
Genesis 29-30: Jacob's twelve sons and daughter
Genesis 35:22-26: Another listing of Jacob's children
Genesis 36: Detailed genealogy of Esau's descendants (Edomites)
Genesis 46:8-27: Comprehensive list of Jacob's family who entered Egypt
This genealogy focuses specifically on the priestly line:
Begins with a brief mention of Reuben and Simeon's sons
Provides detailed information about Levi's descendants
Establishes Moses and Aaron's priestly lineage
Emphasizes the Aaronic priesthood by naming Aaron's sons and grandson Phinehas
Though not traditional genealogies, these tribal lists function similarly:
Numbers 1: First census in the wilderness
Numbers 26: Second census before entering Canaan
Both organize Israel by tribes, clans, and families
Serve administrative and military purposes while reinforcing tribal identity
This short but significant genealogy:
Traces the lineage from Perez (son of Judah) to David
Links the narrative of Ruth to the greater story of Israel
Establishes David's Judahite ancestry
Creates a bridge between the period of Judges and the Davidic monarchy
The books of Chronicles contain the Bible's most extensive genealogical material outside Genesis.
This massive genealogical section:
Begins with Adam and traces through Noah's sons (1 Chronicles 1)
Follows the line of Judah with special attention to David's ancestry (1 Chronicles 2-3)
Details the genealogies of all twelve tribes with particular focus on Levi and the priestly lineages (1 Chronicles 4-8)
Ends with post-exilic residents of Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 9)
Contains both vertical (linear) and horizontal (segmented) genealogies
Demonstrates continuity between pre-exilic and post-exilic Israel
Shows gaps in some lineages while being more complete in others 4
These post-exilic genealogies:
List families who returned from Babylonian exile
Identify priests and Levites who could prove their ancestry
Verify those qualified for temple service
Establish Ezra's own priestly lineage (Ezra 7:1-5), notably containing gaps when compared to 1 Chronicles 6 4
Serve as legal documents for land inheritance and temple service rights
Matthew's genealogy of Jesus has distinct characteristics:
Traces from Abraham to Jesus (descending order)
Divides history into three sets of fourteen generations: Abraham to David, David to Babylonian exile, exile to Jesus
Includes women of questionable reputation or Gentile origin (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba) 4
Follows the royal line through Solomon, emphasizing Jesus as rightful king and heir to David's throne 3
Includes Joseph as Jesus' legal father, establishing Jesus' legal claim to the Davidic kingship
Luke provides a contrasting genealogy:
Traces from Jesus back to Adam and ultimately to God (ascending order)
Extends beyond Abraham to emphasize Jesus as the Savior of all humanity, not just Israel
Follows a different lineage through David's son Nathan rather than Solomon 3
May represent Mary's lineage rather than Joseph's, though this is debated
Contains approximately 77 names, possibly symbolic of completeness
The differences between Matthew and Luke's genealogies have prompted various explanations:
One follows Joseph's legal lineage while the other follows his biological lineage
One follows Joseph's lineage while the other follows Mary's
Levirate marriage practices (where a man married his brother's widow) may explain some discrepancies 3
Both are accurate but trace different family branches to establish different theological points
Biblical genealogies served multiple important functions:
These records establish historical continuity and authenticate the biblical narrative as grounded in real people and events. They connect generations across centuries and provide chronological frameworks, though with varying degrees of precision and completeness 4.
In ancient societies, genealogies determined:
Land inheritance rights
Tribal affiliations
Social responsibilities and status
Eligibility for priesthood and temple service 5
Beyond practical functions, genealogies serve theological purposes:
Demonstrate God's faithfulness to his covenant promises across generations
Trace the messianic line from Adam through Abraham and David to Jesus
Show God's sovereignty over human history
Illustrate both divine election and human responsibility
Connect Israel's story to the broader human story (especially in Genesis 10 and Luke 3)
Within the biblical narrative, genealogies:
Provide structure and organization (particularly in Genesis)
Bridge major narrative sections
Create tension and resolution (as in Ruth's genealogical conclusion)
Emphasize key themes through selective inclusion or omission
The Bible's genealogies, far from being mere lists of names, serve as essential components of the biblical narrative. They establish historical continuity, verify legal claims, structure the text, and ultimately trace God's redemptive plan from creation to Christ. While most prominently featured in Genesis, Chronicles, and the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, genealogical material appears throughout Scripture, creating connections between individuals, families, tribes, and nations. These carefully crafted family records demonstrate both human heritage and divine purpose, culminating in the arrival of Jesus Christ—the ultimate fulfilment of God's promises to Adam, Abraham, and David.
The maker of the following videos describes himself as a convert to Reformed Judaism, and his approach to the Bible aligning with "higher criticism". Appreciate what is of value in these videos but recognise the perspective he brings.
The earlier 4 videos combined.
Bible Family Tree - (One Messianic Gentile) - interactive
Bible Family Tree - (Genesis Connections)
Bible Lineage app - (Google Play Store)