Ver. 3. The sons of Judah.] These are first set down, (1.) For the royal dignity; (2.) For the descent of the Messiah. Was evil in the sight of the Lord.] Quem nihil latet, Who seeth and punisheth secret sins.
Ver. 4. And Tamar.] [See Trapp on “Mt 1:3”]
Ver. 6. And Ethan, and Heman, &c.] Of these, see on 1 Kings 4:31.
Ver. 7. Achar.] Alias Achan, (Joshua 6:1-7:26) per paranomasiam.
Ver. 8. And the sons of Ethan.] Sons, that is, son: synecdoche.
Ver. 10-12. [See Trapp on “Mt 1:3”] [See Trapp on “Mt 1:4”] [See Trapp on “Mt 1:5”]
Ver. 15. David the seventh.] Jesse is said to have eight sons, (1 Samuel 17:12) but one might be his son by adoption.
Ver. 16. Abishai.] Elder brother to Joab, who yet got the start of him.
Ver. 17. Jether the Ishmeelite.] See on 2 Samuel 17:25.
Ver. 24. The father of Tekoa,] i.e., The prince of Tekoa. Augustus would not be called lord, but father of his country, taking great delight in that title given him by the people, and calling the commonwealth his daughter, as Macrobius writeth. Lib. ii. cap. 5.
Ver. 26. Jerahmeel had also another wife.] Besides Abijah his wife. (1 Chronicles 2:25) Sic.(?) Besides his wife who was the mother of Ahijah. (1 Chronicles 2:25)
Ver. 42. He was the father of Hebron.] See on 1 Chronicles 2:24.
Ver. 54. The sons of Salma; Bethlehem,] i.e., The Bethlehemites. Ataroth, the house of Joab.] Or, Crowns of the house of Joab. Those Netophathites, for their prowess and achievements, were Joab’s glory, his crown of rejoicing.
Ver. 55. And the families of the scribes.] These were public notaries: or, as some think, Text men, who took the literal interpretation, as distinct from Wise, that is, teachers of traditions, and from Disputers, that is, teachers of allegories and mysteries. See 1 Corinthians 1:20 Jer 8:9 Ezr 7:6. The first were the best of the three, and of these were the Rechabites, who being Shuchathites, that is, dwellers in tents, might dwell where they pleased: and now dwelt at Jabez, a place which seemeth to have taken its name from that good Jabez of Judah, who prayed so hard, (1 Chronicles 4:10) having, haply, the help of these holy Kenites, the posterity of Jethro. See Judges 1:16.