And Solomon’s son was Rehoboam, Abijah his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son,
With Josiah the regular succession broke. His sons were pawns: Jehoahaz dethroned by Egypt, Jehoiakim set up by Pharaoh, Zedekiah by Nebuchadnezzar. They were mere vassals of foreign powers, and the independent kingship of David truly ended at Josiah's death.
AI summary
Commenting on 1 Chronicles 3:10-16
Johanan, the firstborn, appears nowhere else in Scripture, he likely died before his father Josiah. Jehoiakim was his birth-name Eliakim, changed by Egypt's king when he took the throne. Zedekiah, born Mattaniah, received his new name from Babylon's king. Shallum is Jehoahaz, who reigned so briefly and made so poor a show that he ranks last despite his seniority.
AI summary
The crown passed in direct line from father to son for seventeen descents, a rare thing, and the fruit of David's piety. But when the succession grew tangled near the captivity, brother to brother and nephew to uncle, the glory of that house began to eclipse, and the descendants after the return were mostly obscure names. Only Zerubbabel shone among them.
AI summary
Commenting on 1 Chronicles 3:10-24