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1 Chronicles 3

ScriptureDepth's study of 1 Chronicles 3

“Now these were the sons of David, who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second, Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess;”

1 Chronicles 3:1

The chronicler lists the sons of David born in Hebron, establishing David's lineage and setting the context for the royal line of 'Solomon'.

What 1 Chronicles 3 is about

Six sons are born to David in Hebron. Each is named with his mother: Amnon of Ahinoam, Daniel of Abigail, Absalom of Maacah, Adonijah of Haggith, Shephatiah of Abital and Ithream of Eglah. David reigns there seven years and six months. Then he reigns thirty-three years in Jerusalem (vv. 1-4). In Jerusalem Bathshua bears him four sons, among them Nathan and Solomon. Nine more sons follow. The sons of the concubines are set apart, and Tamar is named as their sister (vv. 5-9).

The genealogy of the kings runs from Solomon down to Josiah. It goes one name to a generation: Rehoboam, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Manasseh and the rest (vv. 10-14). Josiah has four sons: Johanan, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah and Shallum. Jeconiah is called 'the captive'. His line goes on through Pedaiah to Zerubbabel and Hananiah. It ends with the seven sons of Elioenai (vv. 15-24).

A reader is left holding an unbroken line from David through the exile, where a captive's grandson still has sons to count.

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1 Chronicles 3 at a glance

  1. 1 Chronicles 3:1–4David's Sons Born in Hebron
  2. 1 Chronicles 3:5–9Sons Born in Jerusalem
  3. 1 Chronicles 3:10–14Genealogy of the Kings
  4. 1 Chronicles 3:15–24Further Descendants of Josiah

Key verse: 1 Chronicles 3:1

One thing to notice

Verses 10-16 present a genealogy from David to Josiah, focusing on the kings of Judah. This includes the lineage of David's sons and kings, as seen in 'Solomon’s son was Rehoboam' and 'the sons of Josiah'.

Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.

Chapter text

Read 1 Chronicles 3 (WEB)

David's Sons Born in Hebron 1 Chronicles 3:1–4

Verse 1. Now these were the sons of David, who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second, Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess; Verse 2. the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; Verse 3. the fifth, Shephatiah of Abital; the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife: Verse 4. six were born to him in Hebron; and he reigned there seven years and six months. He reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem;

Sons Born in Jerusalem 1 Chronicles 3:5–9

Verse 5. and these were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel; Verse 6. and Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, Verse 7. Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Verse 8. Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. Verse 9. All these were the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister.

Genealogy of the Kings 1 Chronicles 3:10–14

Verse 10. Solomon’s son was Rehoboam, Abijah his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, Verse 11. Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, Verse 12. Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, Verse 13. Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, Verse 14. Amon his son, and Josiah his son.

Further Descendants of Josiah 1 Chronicles 3:15–24

Verse 15. The sons of Josiah: the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, and the fourth Shallum. Verse 16. The sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, and Zedekiah his son. Verse 17. The sons of Jeconiah, the captive: Shealtiel his son, Verse 18. Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. Verse 19. The sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei. The sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah; and Shelomith was their sister; Verse 20. and Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab Hesed, five.

Verse 21. The sons of Hananiah: Pelatiah and Jeshaiah; the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shecaniah. Verse 22. The son of Shecaniah: Shemaiah. The sons of Shemaiah: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat, six. Verse 23. The sons of Neariah: Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam, three. Verse 24. The sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani, seven.

World English Bible (public domain)

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Main themes in 1 Chronicles 3

genealogy

This chapter provides a detailed genealogy of David’s descendants. It starts in v. 1 with David’s sons born in Hebron, listing Amnon, Daniel, Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah, and Ithream. The narrative continues with the sons born in Jerusalem in vv. 5-9, including Solomon and Nathan, while also noting Tamar as their sister. The structure illustrates the lineage from David to his heirs, mapping the progression of this royal family.

covenant promise

The genealogy in this chapter unfolds the covenant promise made to David regarding an enduring dynasty. In v. 10, the lineage continues specifically through Solomon, whose son is Rehoboam, thus continuing the direct line of succession which fulfills God's promise to establish David's throne forever. The chapter makes clear that despite the many descendants, the focus remains on those linked directly to God's covenantal plan as outlined in 2 Samuel 7.

divine selection

Divine selection is evident as the narrative details the sons of David and his chosen lineage. In v. 5, Solomon is particularly noted as the son 'of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel,' signifying his selection for kingship. The chapter outlines how certain individuals are emphasized within David’s lineage, showing God's sovereign choice in determining the course of Israel's monarchy.

royal lineage

Royal lineage is traced in a systematic listing of David’s descendants. In verses 10-14, the succession from Solomon to kings like Abijah and Asa establishes a clear chain of authority. This genealogy underlines the connection between each ruler and David, demonstrating the continuity of kingship in Israel. The passage also shows how being a descendant of the anointed king links to the broader narrative of Israel's history.

Chapter outline

How 1 Chronicles 3 unfolds

  1. 1 Chronicles 3:1–4 David's Sons Born in Hebron

    David's sons born in Hebron are listed: 'the firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess', followed by Daniel, Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah, and Ithream, noting 'he reigned there seven years and six months' (vv. 1-4).

  2. 1 Chronicles 3:5–9 Sons Born in Jerusalem

    In Jerusalem, four sons are named: 'Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua', along with nine additional sons, and 'Tamar was their sister' (vv. 5-9).

  3. 1 Chronicles 3:10–14 Genealogy of the Kings

    The genealogy traces kings from Solomon to Josiah, listing 'Solomon’s son was Rehoboam, Abijah his son, Asa his son', continuing through the lineage of Judah (vv. 10-14).

  4. 1 Chronicles 3:15–24 Further Descendants of Josiah

    Further descendants of Josiah are listed, connecting the line through Jehoiakim to Jeconiah and continuing to his sons (vv. 15-24). This section reinforces the continuity of David's line through the kings.

Key verses

  • 1 Chronicles 3:1The chronicler lists the sons of David born in Hebron, establishing David's lineage and setting the context for the royal line of 'Solomon'.

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Study questions

Questions for studying 1 Chronicles 3

SummarizeObserveInterpretApply

Uses your daily Ask questions.

  1. observeIn v1, who are the first two sons of David mentioned?
  2. observeWhat is the total number of sons David had in Hebron according to v4?
  3. interpretIn vv. 10-13, what might the succession of kings imply about God's promise to David?
  4. interpretIn v19, why is Zerubbabel's lineage particularly significant in the context of exile?
  5. applyWhen have you felt the impact of your family's history or lineage in your own life?

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1 Chronicles 3: frequently asked questions

What is 1 Chronicles 3 about?+
Six sons are born to David in Hebron. Each is named with his mother: Amnon of Ahinoam, Daniel of Abigail, Absalom of Maacah, Adonijah of Haggith, Shephatiah of Abital and Ithream of Eglah.
What is the key verse in 1 Chronicles 3?+
1 Chronicles 3:1: “Now these were the sons of David, who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second, Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess;”
What are the main themes of 1 Chronicles 3?+
The main themes of 1 Chronicles 3 are genealogy, covenant promise, divine selection, royal lineage.

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Study Notes