Overview of the Biblical Family Tree

Sep 1, 2024

Biblical Family Tree Lecture Notes

Introduction

  • Speaker: Matt Baker
  • Topic: Entire family tree of the Bible from Adam and Eve to Jesus.
  • Mention of the new biblical family tree chart available as a poster on usefulcharts.com.

Adam and Eve

  • First two humans created by God.
  • Children: Cain and Abel (Cain kills Abel), followed by Seth.
  • Question about Seth's spouse: Assumed to be a sister due to unnamed siblings.

Early Generations

  • Seth’s lineage continues with son Enosh.
  • Noah appears seven generations later.
  • Noah's family survives the great flood: Noah, his wife, three sons (Shem, Ham, Jepheth) and their wives.
  • Total survivors: 8.
  • Noah’s grandsons: 16 total (e.g., Asher = Assyria, Mizraim = Egypt).

Shem's Lineage

  • Focus on Shem's son Arphashad, then Selah, and Eber (possible origin of 'Hebrew').
  • Terah (in Mesopotamia) has three sons: Abraham, Nahor, Haran.
  • Haran dies; Terah dies in Syria.
  • Abraham moves to Canaan with Lot, promised land.

Abraham's Family

  • Abraham's wife: Sarah (also his half-sister).
  • Children issues lead to Hagar giving birth to Ishmael.
  • Miraculously, Sarah bears Isaac at 90.
  • After Sarah's death, Abraham marries Keturah.
  • Isaac marries Rebekah (granddaughter of Nahor); they have two sons: Jacob and Esau.

Descendants and Neighboring Nations

  • Moabites and Ammonites descended from Lot; Edomites from Esau; Midianites from Midian; Arabs from Ishmael.
  • Relation of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to Abraham.
  • Job's uncertain position in the family tree.

Jacob and the Tribes of Israel

  • Jacob marries sisters Leah and Rachel (daughters of Laban), plus their servants Bilhah and Zilpah.
  • 12 sons become progenitors of the 12 tribes of Israel.
  • Significant tribes: Levi (red), Judah (blue), others (yellow).
  • Notable story of Joseph: Sold into Egypt, becomes second-in-command.

Egypt and Exodus

  • Jacob's family migrates to Egypt during famine.
  • Israelites grow in number and become enslaved; Moses (of Levi tribe) leads Exodus.
  • Key events: Parting of the Red Sea, receiving the Ten Commandments.
  • Wandering in the desert for 40 years; Moses dies before entering Canaan.

Leadership of Israel

  • Joshua (of Ephraim tribe) leads Israelites into Canaan.
  • Judges arise as leaders (e.g., Gideon, Deborah, Samson).
  • Merneptah stele: oldest reference to Israel outside the Bible.

Establishment of Kings

  • Samuel anoints Saul (first king), later David (from Judah).
  • David defeats Goliath, ultimately becomes king of all tribes.
  • David's son Solomon: builds the first temple, credited with wisdom.

Division of Kingdoms

  • After Solomon's reign, Israel divides into two kingdoms: Judah (south) and Israel (north). Kings with reign dates included.
  • Important dates: 930 BCE (start of division), 966 BCE (temple construction).

Kings and Historical Context

  • Kings of Israel: Jeroboam, Nadab, Basha, etc. until Assyrian conquest (722 BCE).
  • Kings of Judah: Rehoboam, Jehoram (intermarriage with Ahab), Hezekiah (defeated Assyrians), Josiah (flourishing period).
  • Jerusalem destroyed by Babylon in 586 BCE.

Babylonian Exile and Return

  • Exiles include prominent figures (Ezekiel, Daniel). Return led by Sheshbazar, Joshua, Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah.
  • Hebrew Bible mostly written during the Babylonian and Persian periods.

Intertestamental Period

  • Alexander the Great’s conquests; Maccabean Revolt against Seleucid rule.
  • Hasmoneans rise to power, establish a legislative body (Sanhedrin).
  • Civil war leads to Roman intervention; Judea becomes a client state of Rome.

Life of Jesus

  • Birth during Herod the Great's reign.
  • Jesus related to John the Baptist; genealogy through Joseph and Mary.
  • Distinctions in genealogies between Matthew and Luke.
  • Herod Antipas involved in the beheading of John the Baptist.

Destruction of Jerusalem

  • 70 CE: destruction of Jerusalem and Second Temple under Simon, son of Gamaliel.
  • Transition of Jewish law leadership to Yohanan ben Zakkai.
  • Babylonian Exilarchs trace descent from David.

Conclusion

  • Differences in Jewish and Christian traditional dates explained (e.g., Creation at 3761 BCE for Jews).
  • Invitation to purchase the family tree chart at usefulcharts.com.