Matthew 1:1

Is Joram the father of Uzziah or of Ahaziah?

PROBLEM: Matthew says “Joram begot Uzziah.” However, 1 Chronicles 3:11 lists “Joram [and then] his son, Ahaziah.” Which one is correct?

SOLUTION: Ahaziah was apparently the immediate son of Joram, and Uzziah was a distant “son” (descendant). Just as the word “son” in the Bible also means grandson, even so the term “begot” can be used of a father or grandfather. In other words, “begot” means “became the ancestor of,” and the one “begotten” is the “descendant of.” Matthew, therefore, is not giving a complete chronology, but an abbreviated genealogy of Christ’s ancestry. A comparison of Matthew 1:8 and 1 Chronicles 3:11 reveals the three generations between Joram and Uzziah (Azariah):

Matthew 1:8 1 Chronicles 3:11-12

Joram Joram