Full Matt 1:1–17: see the Matthew study guide for the whole Gospel. The 14-14-14 structure is the leading reading of the gematria value of David in Hebrew (dalet-vav-dalet = 4+6+4 = 14), though the derivation stays contested. Matthew selects and omits generations to hold the structure; authorial craft, not miscount.
Matthew's Kingly Line: The Legal Heir
Abraham → David → Solomon → … → Jeconiah → Joseph, arranged in three sets of fourteen.
Primary passage:Matthew 1:17 →
Commentary
Full verse-by-verse commentary and cross-references live on the verse page →
Key passage
"And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ."
Cross-references
- Matt 1:1Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
- Matt 1:6Solomon line — gives the legal throne claim.
- Matt 1:11Jeconiah included — the curse the virgin birth resolves.
- Matt 1:16Begat-chain breaks at Joseph; Jesus born 'of whom' = Mary.
Typological connection
Matthew's line is Joseph's legal/royal line, going through Solomon and Jeconiah. The grammar is careful: Joseph does not "begat" Jesus. The legal claim transfers through adoption.
Where else