And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
Aminadab.
Ruth 4:19,20 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, …
1 Chronicles 2:10-12 And Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah; …
Amminadab.
Numbers 1:7 Of Judah; Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
Numbers 2:3 And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah.
Numbers 7:12,17 And he that offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah: …
Nahshon.
Luke 3:32 Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,
Amminadab the father of Nahshon
Amminadab's son, Nahshon, plays a notable role in the history of Israel. Nahshon is recognized as a leader of the tribe of Judah during the Israelites' wilderness journey (Numbers 1:7). His leadership position underscores the prominence of the tribe of Judah among the Israelites. Nahshon's role in the wilderness period is significant as he is mentioned in the context of the census and the arrangement of the camp, highlighting the organizational structure of the tribes as they prepared to enter the Promised Land.
Nahshon the father of Salmon
Nahshon's son, Salmon, is an important figure in the genealogy leading to King David and Jesus. Salmon is traditionally identified as the husband of Rahab, the Canaanite woman who hid the Israelite spies in Jericho (Joshua 2:1-21). This connection illustrates the inclusion of Gentiles in the Messianic line, foreshadowing the universal scope of the Gospel. Salmon's marriage to Rahab also demonstrates God's grace and redemption, as Rahab's faith led to her becoming part of the lineage of Christ (Matthew 1:5). This inclusion of a Gentile woman in the genealogy highlights the breaking down of ethnic barriers in God's redemptive plan.
- Ram (also spelled Aram) stands in Judah’s line between Perez and the era of Israel’s slavery. Ruth 4:19 and 1 Chronicles 2:9-10 echo Matthew’s wording, underscoring God’s meticulous preservation of history.
- Though Scripture records no exploits for Ram, his inclusion shows that every life in Christ’s ancestry is purposeful; God works through the overlooked to advance redemption (cf. Genesis 49:10).
- The straightforward father-son statement affirms literal, biological descent, assuring us the Messiah’s genealogy rests on factual, not legendary, links.
- Amminadab’s family stands at a strategic crossroads: his daughter Elisheba marries Aaron, Israel’s first high priest (Exodus 6:23), tying Judah’s royal tribe to Levi’s priestly house decades before the monarchy appears.
- Nahshon succeeds his father and becomes “leader of the sons of Judah” during the Exodus (Numbers 1:7; 2:3). 1 Chronicles 2:10 repeats the same lineage, demonstrating Scripture’s internal consistency.
- While Israel groaned under Pharaoh, God quietly prepared this leadership line, proving that His covenant promises advance even in oppressive seasons.
- Nahshon’s prominence continues: he offers first at the tabernacle’s dedication (Numbers 7:12-17) and heads Judah’s hosts in the march (Numbers 10:14), hinting at Judah’s future kingship.
- Salmon (Salma) marks the generation that enters Canaan with Joshua. Ruth 4:20-21 and 1 Chronicles 2:11 list the same father-son link, bridging the Exodus to the Conquest.
- According to Matthew 1:5, Salmon marries Rahab of Jericho, welcoming a Gentile believer into Messiah’s line and foreshadowing the gospel’s reach to all nations.
- The genealogy moves from bondage to settlement, proving God finishes what He starts and weaves grace into every chapter.
Matthew 1:4 is more than a list of unfamiliar names. It confirms the historical, unbroken line leading to Christ, displays God’s faithfulness through centuries of obscurity and transition, and hints at the grace that will gather both Israelite and Gentile into one redeemed family. Every generation mattered—and so does ours—as the Lord continues His sovereign, redemptive story.
(4) Naasson, or Nahshon, the brother of Elisheba the wife of Aaron, was, at the time of the Exodus, the "prince (or captain) of the children" of Judah (Numbers 1:7; Numbers 2:3; 1Chronicles 2:10). A Jewish legend made him the first to enter the waters of the Red Sea.Verse 4. - And Naasson ( Nahshon, Revised Version) begat Salmon. This line of descent, from Nahshon to David, is also given by St. Luke (Luke 3:31, 32), and is derived from Ruth 4:18-22. But it has occasioned some difficulty, because it makes but five steps from Nahshon, who (Numbers 1:7) was one of the heads of fathers' houses at the time of the Exodus, to the days of David. According to the chronology added in the margin of the Authorized Version, this period extended from B.C. 1490 to B.C. 1056, i.e. more than four hundred and thirty years, thus making a generation to consist in each case of more than eighty years. And even according to the more accurate computation of the date of the Exodus ( B.C. 1304) the period would be two hundred and forty-eight years, thus making each generation nearly fifty years. Even this seems very long, especially in the East; so that it is probable that the genealogy in Ruth, merely adopted by the evangelists, recorded only the more important names.