More crazy ancestors!

Back to the first chapter of Matthew to learn more about the crazy of stories of Jesus's ancestors.

Perez and Zerah - twins sons of Judah (4th son of Jacob) and Tamar (his daughter in law), when they were born Zerah put his hand out first but then pulled it back in and his brother came out.  Zerah is therefore the oldest... moved to Egypt with their father Judah, uncles, etc. (over 70 - people in all) to be with Joseph and lived there until they died.  Both had clans named after them (the Hezronite clan and the Perezite clan) caounted in the census as part of the clans of Judah 76,500 men the largest clan at the Plain of Moab before the Israelites entered the promised land.
Hezron - son of Perez, must have lived in Egypt, a part of the growing Israelite population soon to terrify the Egyptians.  Out of fear the Egyptians organized the Israelites into work groups to control them, a pharaoh even ordered midwives to kill boy babies during childbirth or drown them : (
Ram - ?
Amminadab - only reference I could find was as father as Nahshon
Nahshon - chosen to help Moses and Aaron register every man in the tribe of Judah for the census help in the wilderness of Sinai, a military leader as well (Numbers Chapter 1.7)  The tribe of Judah was the largest tribe at 74,600 men of the 603,550 total warriors.
Salmon and Rahab - Rahab, another woman! and referred to as a harlot..., lived in Jericho before the Israelites arrived, and when they approached the country was in an uproar.  Two scouts came to her house and she hid them with the promise that when the Israelites took over her family would not be harmed.  (Joshua 2)  After Joshua and his army took the city, Rahab and her family were the only ones spared, well them and the gold, silver, and bronze.  *personal issue - Joshua's genocide?  hmmm...  : (  The couple would have been part of the clans of Judah that settled in the area described in Joshua 15 from the great sea to the salt sea south of the tongue... etc.  must include in part or whole, Jerusalem
Boaz and Ruth - The beautiful story of Boaz and Ruth is told in the book of Ruth. During the time of the judges a family had left Israel, and the 2 sons took wives from the area they moved too.  Then the husband died.  Then the sons died.  The 3 women were left wondering what to do.  One daughter in law returned to her family, the other, Ruth refused to leave her mother in law and the two went back to Israel.  Ruth was not an Israelite by birth, but accepted it "your God is my god" she said.  In Israel she walked through the fields picking up what had been left behind for the poor and the prominent owner noticed her - Boaz.  (good guy too, he fights for her and everything)
Obed - only mentions him as a baby and as part of the lineage
Jesse - had 7 sons, lived near Bethlehem.  After King Saul lost God's favor, his family was invited to a feast with the priest Samuel (yes the little boy in the temple who heard God calling him).  God told Samuel he would point out the new king.  Jesse left his youngest son David at home with the sheep, but that's the one God wanted.
King David and Uriah's wife - David the same harp playing little boy who defeated the giant Goliath.  Became the next King of Israel.  His best friend was the last king (Saul's) son... put a damper in their friendship when Saul tried to kill him... But an interesting note that Solomon was David's son with Uriah's wife.  Well, David saw Uriah's wife (Bathsheba) bathing on the roof of her home and just had to have her, so he did.  When she became pregnant, David had her husband brought back from war but he wouldn't sleep with her because his men didn't get the privilege either.  Then David had him sent to the front lines where he died, then he took on Bathsheba as another wife.  All to cover up his sin... despite it though he was a great King and musician, he wrote many of the Psalms.  and he had at least 6 other sons (2 Samuel 3:2)... and 11 more including Solomon were born in Jersualem ( 2 Samuel 5:13)
Solomon - became the next King after David, but was not the eldest... actually his older brother held a coronation and everything, but it didn't turn out.  (1 Kings 1) he married the pharaohs daughter and was considered a very wise man.  He ruled Israel and Judah in peace and built The Temple of God in Jerusalem.
*musical reference:  Fiddler on the Roof, If I was a rich man "like Solomon the wise man"

15 (13 if you don't count the women paired with their men) more ancestors explored, 13 more before the Babylonian exile
13 to Mary and Joseph

So much wisdom in these stories that has inspired many for centuries.  Leadership, honor, friendship, commitment, true dedication to God, as well as the mistakes.  Sin.  Failure to put God first.  Greed.  Lust.  Disobedience.  Many lessons to learn we still teach our children today.

It's hard to love God and always put him first, we are often tempted.  Stories like those found connected with these people help us remember and keep God first.  Stories much more than commands perhaps?

In peace and love,
your sister in Christ~Erin