1 Chronicles 3:8

The list of David's sons comes from information in the book of Samuel (2 Samuel 3:2–5; 5:14–16). The list separates the sons born while David ruled in Hebron from those born in Jerusalem.

The genealogy of David continues from the genealogy of Ram (1 Chronicles 2:10–17), listing David as the seventh son of Jesse (2:15). David’s genealogy has three parts:

1. David’s sons (1 Chronicles 3:1–9)

2. The kings of Judah up to Jehoiachin and Zedekiah (1 Chronicles 3:10–16), who were exiled to Babylon

3. The descendants of Jehoiachin up to the Chronicler's time (1 Chronicles 3:17–24)

nine--The number of David's sons born after his removal to Jerusalem, was eleven (Sa2 5:14), but only nine are mentioned here: two of them being omitted, either in consequence of their early deaths or because they left no issue.

We had an account of David's sons, Sa2 3:2, etc., and Sa2 5:14, etc. 1. He had many sons; and no doubt wrote as he thought, Psa 127:5. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of these arrows. 2. Some of them were a grief to him, as Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah; and we do not read of any of them that imitated his piety or devotion except Solomon, and he came far short of it. 3. One of them, which Bath-sheba bore to him, he called Nathan, probably in honour of Nathan the prophet, who reproved him for his sin in that matter and was instrumental to bring him to repentance. It seems he loved him the better for it as long as he lived. It is wisdom to esteem those our best friends that deal faithfully with us. From this son of David our Lord Jesus descended, as appears Luk 3:31. 4. Here are two Elishamas, and two Eliphelets, Ch1 3:6, Ch1 3:8. Probably the two former were dead, and therefore David called two more by their names, which he would not have done if there had been any ill omen in this practice as some fancy. 5. David had many concubines; but their children are not named, as not worthy of the honour (Ch1 3:9), the rather because the concubines had dealt treacherously with David in the affair of Absalom. 6. Of all David's sons Solomon was chosen to succeed him, perhaps not for any personal merits (his wisdom was God's gift), but so, Father, because it seemed good unto thee.

Nine - There are thirteen if we count the four sons of Bath-sheba, and nine without them; and in the second book of Samuel there are eleven, reckoning the above four, and without them only seven. In the book of Samuel probably only those who were alive were reckoned, while the author of the Chronicles comprises those also who were dead in this enumeration. Jarchi supposes that the duplicate Elishama and Eliphelet are those which increase the regular number seven to nine; and that the dead without posterity, as well as the living, are mentioned to increase the number of David's descendants; for, says he, the whole book is written for the honor of David and his seed.

And these were born unto him in Jerusalem,.... Whose names follow, in all nine; there are but seven mentioned in 2 Samuel 5:14 the reason of which see in the notes there; See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:14. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:15. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:16. it may be observed that Bathsheba is here called Bathshua, and her father Ammiel, whose name is Eliam in 2 Samuel 11:3, names of much the same signification.

Object. There are but seven mentioned , &c.

Answ. Two of them are omitted there, because they died very early, or were inglorious, or died without issue; and here we have all the sons of David, as it here follows, , which clause is not added, 2 Samuel 5.

These were all the sons of David,.... By his wives:

beside the sons of the concubines; who are not reckoned, and how many they were is not known; he had ten concubines at least, Sa2 15:16 and Sa2 20:3.

And Tamar their sister; not the sister of the sons of the concubines, but of his other sons, and only of Absalom by the mother's side, of whom see Sa2 13:1.