Bible fact · Text-derived calculation
Matthew's three groups of fourteen
Matthew arranges Jesus' genealogy in three groups of fourteen generations. Matthew 1:17
Discover why
"So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations." Matthew 1:17
Comparing with 1 Chronicles 3 shows that Matthew leaves out some kings to keep the pattern, for example between Joram and Uzziah. Matthew 1:81 Chronicles 3:11–12
How this was worked out
Compared Matthew 1:1-17 with 1 Chronicles 3:10-17 in the World English Bible. See BibleKenya's genealogy of Jesus for the full comparison.
Counts and numbers that depend on an edition, canon or verse numbering can differ in other Bibles.
Read the passage
Matthew 1:17 WEB
17So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.