Matthew 1:6
and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Matthew deliberately uses the phrase "her that had been the wife of Uriah" not just to identify Bathsheba, but to highlight God's grace. This phrasing emphasizes that her past sin and remarriage didn't disqualify her or her son Solomon from being part of the Messiah's lineage.
This verse continues Matthew's genealogy, tracing Jesus' lineage back through King David. It specifically notes David's son Solomon, born to Bathsheba, who was previously the wife of Uriah, highlighting a significant and morally complex event in David's life that is intentionally included in the line leading to the Messiah.
Why is David specifically called 'the king' in this genealogy?
Matthew emphasizes 'David the king' for a few key reasons:
A Royal Promise
David was the first king of the tribe of Judah, the tribe from which the Messiah was promised to come. His reign solidified the kingship for his lineage.
A Typological Significance
David's kingdom was a shadow and foreshadowing of the eternal kingdom of Christ. The promise made to David about his enduring throne finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus.
A Distinct Honor
He's singled out to mark the point where the Messiah's royal line truly begins in this lineage, setting the stage for the ultimate King.
Why would Matthew include the story of David and Bathsheba in Jesus's genealogy?
The mention of 'Solomon by the wife of Uriah' is a stark inclusion, pointing to a significant scandal in David's life.
David's Deep Sin
David committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged for her husband, Uriah, to be killed in battle. This was a profound moral failing.
God's Unfailing Mercy
Despite the sin, God forgave David upon his deep repentance. Crucially, the promise of the Messiah remained within their lineage, and Solomon, the son born from this union (after repentance and Uriah's death), was a key ancestor.
Inclusion, Not Exclusion
This detail serves as a powerful reminder that God's plan of salvation often incorporates individuals and lines marked by sin and brokenness. It shows that grace can redeem even the most difficult circumstances.
Understand the original words
David · Hebrew Proper Noun
A king of Israel chosen by God to establish a royal lineage, representing the ideal monarchical figure from whom the Messiah would descend. He is central to the covenantal promises made regarding the eternal kingdom.
basileus · Greek Noun
A supreme ruler of a nation or kingdom, often holding ultimate authority; in the biblical context, it refers to one who rules under the ultimate sovereignty of God, or the title given to the promised Messiah.
gennaō · Greek Verb
The act or state of bringing forth offspring; in a genealogy, it marks the transmission of biological life, but also serves to confirm legal inheritance and the fulfillment of ancestral promises.
c. 1010 BC
David Anointed King of Israel
David, the youngest son of Jesse, is anointed king, marking the beginning of a significant monarchy in Israel.
c. 1000 BC— this verse
David Commits Adultery with Bathsheba
King David commits adultery with Bathsheba and arranges for her husband, Uriah the Hittite, to be killed in battle.
c. 990 BC
Solomon Born to David and Bathsheba
Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba (formerly Uriah's wife), is born. He would later succeed David as king.
c. 931 BC
Kingdom Divides After Solomon's Reign
Following Solomon's death, the unified kingdom of Israel splits into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah.
586 BC
Babylonian Exile Begins
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroying the Temple and exiling many of the people, marking a significant disruption to David's royal line.
This passage describes David's marriage to Bathsheba after Uriah's death, directly relating to the 'wife of Uriah' mentioned in Matthew's genealogy.
1 Chronicles 3:5This verse also lists Solomon as one of David's sons, confirming the lineage presented in Matthew's genealogy.
Ruth 4:18-22This passage details the genealogy from Perez to David, showing Jesse as David's father and establishing the lineage's royal connection.
Psalm 89:3-4This psalm speaks of God's covenant promise to David to establish his throne forever, highlighting the significance of David's kingly line from which the Messiah would come.
Luke 3:31This verse provides an alternative lineage from David, showing Solomon as a direct ancestor and offering a complementary perspective on the Messianic line.
bensonMatthew 1:6: "And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;"
Matthew 1:6 . And Jesse begat David the king — David has the title of king given him in this genealogy, because he was the first king of his family, and because he had the kingdom entailed upon his children; in which respect he had greatly the advantage of Saul, from whose family the kingdom was taken away almost as soon as it was conferred. It is true, ten of the twelve tribe…
meyerMatthew 1:6: "And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;"
Matthew 1:6 . Τὸν Δαυεὶδ τὸν βασιλέα ] Although an apposition with the article follows the proper name, yet Δαυείδ also takes the article, not for the sake of uniformity with the preceding name (de Wette), but in order to designate David demonstratively, as already marked out in Matthew 1:1 . In Matthew 1:16 , also, the article before Ἰωσήφ , which is accompanied by an apposit…
Matthew deliberately uses the phrase "her that had been the wife of Uriah" not just to identify Bathsheba, but to highlight God's grace. This phrasing emphasizes that her past sin and remarriage didn't disqualify her or her son Solomon from being part of the Messiah's lineage.
This verse continues Matthew's genealogy, tracing Jesus' lineage back through King David. It specifically notes David's son Solomon, born to Bathsheba, who was previously the wife of Uriah, highlighting a significant and morally complex event in David's life that is intentionally included in the line leading to the Messiah.
This verse continues Matthew's genealogy, tracing Jesus' lineage back through King David. It specifically notes David's son Solomon, born to Bathsheba, who was previously the wife of Uriah, highlighting a significant and morally complex event in David's life that is intentionally included in the line leading to the Messiah.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Matthew 1:6 is available in the Sola app.
"and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah," — Matthew deliberately uses the phrase "her that had been the wife of Uriah" not just to identify Bathsheba, but to highlight God's grace. This phrasing emphasizes that her past sin and remarriage didn…
