A<\/span>braham\u2019s genealogy in 1 Chronicles 1 can\u2019t seem to get off the ground. He\u2019s identified as father of \u201cIsaac and Ishmael\u201d (v. 28), but the genealogy that follows goes off with 12 sons of Ishmael (the genealogy is enclosed with Ishmael\u2019s name, vv. 29\u201331) and leave Isaac behind.<\/p>\n Finally, we hope, we get to Isaac, but verse 32 lists the 6 sons of Keturah, and adds further generations of Jokshan and Midian. Again, the whole is enclosed by references to Keturah (\u201csons of Keturah\u201d in vv 32, 33).<\/p>\n Finally again, verse 34 begins: \u201cAnd Abraham became the father of Isaac,\u201d but instead of giving us Israel\u2019s<\/em> genealogy\u2014which we what we tuned in for\u2014the Chronicler gives us a lengthy family tree for Esau (vv. 35\u201354), including 12 kings and a list of chiefs. Only in chapter 2 do we get to the genealogy we\u2019ve been waiting for, that of Issac\u2019s son Israel.<\/p>\n The genealogy meanders around: Abraham\u2019s firstborn; then his sons by his second wife, Keturah; then his grandson Esau; finally the descendants of his grandson Isaac.<\/p>\n Two explanations are possible. First, the genealogy highlights the inversion of primogeniture that is so common in Genesis. Isaac is the most important son, the bearer of the covenant, but the important genealogy comes fourth<\/em>. Second, Isaac is mentioned three times (vv. 28, 34 [2x]), but very much in passing. As in Genesis, Isaac is a transitional figure between Abraham, the tenth from Noah, and Isaac\u2019s second son Jacob. <\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Abraham\u2019s genealogy in 1 Chronicles 1 can\u2019t seem to get off the ground. He\u2019s identified as father of \u201cIsaac and Ishmael\u201d (v. 28), but the genealogy that follows goes off with 12 sons of Ishmael (the genealogy is enclosed with Ishmael\u2019s name, vv. 29\u201331) and leave Isaac behind. Finally, we hope, we get to Isaac, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3021,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[52],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible-ot-chronicles"],"yoast_head":"\n