1 Now these were the sons of David, which were born unto him in Hebron; the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess:
2 The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith:
3 The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital: the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife.
4 These six were born unto him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years.
5 And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel:
6 Ibhar also, and Elishama, and Eliphelet,
7 And Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia,
8 And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine.
9 These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.
10 And Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abia his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son,
11 Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son,
12 Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son,
13 Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son,
14 Amon his son, Josiah his son.
15 And the sons of Josiah were, the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum.
16 And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son.
17 And the sons of Jeconiah; Assir, Salathiel his son,
18 Malchiram also, and Pedaiah, and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.
19 And the sons of Pedaiah were, Zerubbabel, and Shimei: and the sons of Zerubbabel; Meshullam, and Hananiah, and Shelomith their sister:
20 And Hashubah, and Ohel, and Berechiah, and Hasadiah, Jushabhesed, five.
21 And the sons of Hananiah; Pelatiah, and Jesaiah: the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shechaniah.
22 And the sons of Shechaniah; Shemaiah: and the sons of Shemaiah; Hattush, and Igeal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six.
23 And the sons of Neariah; Elioenai, and Hezekiah, and Azrikam, three.
24 And the sons of Elioenai were, Hodaiah, and Eliashib, and Pelaiah, and Akkub, and Johanan, and Dalaiah, and Anani, seven.
<html><b>the second, Daniel</b> But in II Sam. (3:3) it says: “And the second (sic), Chileab, of Abigail.” It is explained in <i>Midrash Vayechulu</i> (<i>Ozar Midrashim</i>, p. 156) that David married Abigail after Nabal died, and they suspected that her son was Nabal’s. Therefore, David called him by two names: Chileab and Daniel. Daniel God judged him (sic); Chileab he resembles his father.</html>
<html><b>the sixth, Ithream, to Eglah his wife</b> [The] Midrash [asks]: Was she his only wife? But she bellowed like a heifer when she bore him, and that she was beloved to him like a heifer [and was affectionately called Eglah, a heifer], like (Judg. 14:18): “If you had not plowed with my heifer,” and because of the endearment of Michal, he calls her “his wife.”</html>
<html><b>and Eljada and Eliphelet</b> In II Sam. (5:16) Scripture counts Eliphelet only once and counts only seven [sons], but here, he counts nine. The reason is that his son Eliphelet died, and another son was born to him later who was likewise named Eliphelet. He is the one counted there, and also Elishama. Elishama he counts here twice. We can say similarly that he died and another son was born to him, and also one of these died and seven remained. For this reason, he counts there only seven, and the nine that he counts here are for David’s honor, that he had many sons, for indeed the entire Book was written because of the honor of David and his posterity.</html>
<html><b>Ahaziah his son, Joash</b> From Solomon to Joash were eight generations, and since David foresaw that his seed would perish in the days of Joash through Athaliah, as is written in this Book (II Chron. 22:10): “… she arose and destroyed (וַתְּדַבֵּר),” (from the expression of דֶּבֶר pestilence, through poison), he stood in prayer and uttered a psalm (Ps. 12): “For the conductor on the sheminith,” [alluding to an] eight stringed [instrument] (other editions: in number) “for the eighth generation.” (v. 2): “Save, O Lord, for the pious are gone, etc.” And Joash escaped, and from Joash to Josiah are eight generations, for David foresaw that Josiah and his sons would all go to their doom: this one was slain [i.e., Josiah. Perhaps he means Jehoiakim and Zedekiah’s sons as well] and this one’s eyes were gouged out [Zedekiah]. And he [David] prayed again on the sheminith, for the eighth generation (Ps. 6:1f.): “O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger,” and because of his prayer, the sons of Jehoiakim survived, and throughout the entire Book of Psalms, there are only these two mentions of the sheminith. And from Jeconiah (other editions: Jehoiakim) until (verse 24): “Anani seven,” which is [an allusion to] the King Messiah, as it is written: (Dan. 7:13): “… and behold, with the clouds of (עֲנָנֵי) the heavens,” are thirty eight sons, including both sons and generations of the sons. The Holy One, blessed be He, did this because he [David] recited thirty eight praises to Him, as it is written in the Book of Ezra (sic) (I Chron. 29:10 13). From “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, etc.” until “and to strengthen,” are thirty eight words.</html>
<html><b>and Hasadiah, Jushab Hesed five</b> They were five in addition to Shelomith their sister.</html>
<html><b>and the sons of Shemaiah: Hattush, and Jigal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat six</b> They are, in reality, only five, but there is a reason, as is written below (25:3) concerning the watches of the Levites: “Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Isaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah six,” but they are only five.</html>