How does Genesis 46:12 connect to the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1? Genesis Snapshot: Judah’s Family Arrives in Egypt • Genesis 46:12: “The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.” • Moses records this list as a literal census of Jacob’s household entering Egypt. • Note the two generations: Judah’s sons (Perez, Zerah) and Perez’s sons (Hezron, Hamul). Matthew’s Opening Genealogy • Matthew 1:2-3: “Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron…” • Matthew repeats the same three names—Judah, Perez, Hezron—establishing an unbroken line from the patriarchs to Messiah. Direct Connections • Perez and Zerah are singled out in both passages, anchoring the royal tribe of Judah. • Hezron, already alive when Jacob entered Egypt, becomes the next link Matthew needs for Jesus’ lineage. • The linkage confirms that the genealogy in Matthew is not a late invention; it is rooted in Torah history recorded centuries earlier. Why This Matters for the Messiah • Genesis 49:10 promised, “The scepter will not depart from Judah.” Perez → Hezron → … → David → Jesus fulfills that. • Tamar’s scandal (Genesis 38) shows God’s grace: even flawed situations can advance His redemptive plan. • The move to Egypt preserved the family line from famine, ensuring the survival of the ancestors of Christ (cf. Genesis 50:20). Old Testament Echoes Reinforcing the Chain • Ruth 4:18-22 restates: “Now these are the generations of Perez…” ending with David. • 1 Chronicles 2 details the same sequence: Judah → Perez → Hezron → Ram, solidifying historical continuity. Take-Home Highlights • Scripture’s genealogies are literal, historical records that interlock across books. • Genesis 46:12 gives early confirmation of the very names Matthew needs, proving God’s long-range faithfulness. • Every name—Judah, Perez, Hezron—testifies that Jesus stands at the climax of a line God protected from Canaan to Egypt to Bethlehem. |
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